Missing my daughter reminded to make conscious choices at work

I’ve been away with work a lot recently. Something that I'm sure many of you can identify with. Although the recent emergence of the Coronavirus and various travel restrictions will mean that my travel is somewhat limited for some time now.

When I do travel with work, I have such mixed feelings. On the one hand, it's great because it indicates that our business is really doing well, we’re working on some exciting projects and I’m incredibly proud of that. On the other hand I feel bad for leaving my daughter, who’s young and misses me a lot when I’m not there. On top of that, I’ve just got back from a girls weekend in Seville, more time away. I started to feel really guilty (the default position for working parents, I think!).

At one of these moments of parental guilt, I got some great advice, which helped me to reframe things - be pleased that your daughter loves you enough to miss you, and that you’ll miss her, but enjoy your weekend away.

It took me back to some advice I received years ago - if you’re going to do something, do it willingly, if you go away, enjoy every minute and don’t feel guilty for what you’re NOT doing. Otherwise, if you’re going to do that, you might as well not go or do it. So that’s the approach I take with work, I can choose to do the work or not, and if I choose to do it, I do it with a spring in my step and throw myself into it, being fully present. (I know we’re lucky being able to choose the work we do). I did the same in Seville for that weekend, enjoying the feeling of sun on my face, a beer in my hand and the company of great friends whilst eating great food, taking time out to be ME. On the school run today with howling wind and rain constantly in my face I was so pleased I did take the time to really relish the sunshine!

If you do one thing: If you do something, make a conscious choice to do it willingly and throw yourself into it, otherwise choose not to do it at all.