As the thought of being crushed to death in those tube-shaped sweatboxes loom large on the horizon for many of us as offices open their glass doors again, I started to reflect on what the latest vers... Read More
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And it goes a little something like this…
After 15 months marooned in a scenic but achingly dull corner of rural Wiltshire (devoid of non-supermarket retail, decent coff... Read More
Trigger warning: grief
In a few weeks it will be the 5th anniversary of my mum’s death. Writing that, even now, feels strange and wrong. My mum died suddenly and unexpec... Read More
There's something about the word "meh" that just tickles me. It's so comprehensively dismissive for such a short word, and the sound it makes captures the feeling behind it so... Read More
When we run out of household items these days, the tooth fairy is our go-to banker.
A lover of yoghurt, my five-year son, aka Commander-in-Chief Junior, was upset that none was provided for brea... Read More
My son started school in September 2020. Whilst it was in the midst of global pandemic it felt completely natural and my son adapted extremely well. There was the understandable anxiousne... Read More
I like googling the symptoms of ‘burn out’ during my copious free time. It gives me the same sense of satisfaction as acing a quiz. Difficulty concentrating? Tick. Trouble sleeping? Tick.... Read More
[Monday morning. Two colleagues start a video call]
Hello! Happy Monday!
Hi! Yes, you too! How was your weekend? Get up to…anything?
[They exchan... Read More
With the anniversary of going into lockdown 1.0, everyone in the UK has presumably experienced a COVID impacted birthday. In our family of 5 people, our birthdays are concentrated into 2 months. We h... Read More
Last year I had a rough year, which is a probably a massive understatement as we have all had a rough 2020! But on top of all the challenges that Covid threw at us, I lost part of my bowel, my job&nb... Read More
I met my husband in London but we are both originally from Australia, moving over to the UK in 2004 and 2005.
Because all of our family is still in Australia we've never experienced the supp... Read More
The time we were all waiting for is finally here. Schools are re-opening and we will have some of the much awaited freedom and peace.
This second lockdown has been so much harder than the first ... Read More
A year ago, our beautiful Poppy cat had to be put to sleep. She was my baby before I had babies. Everybody in my circle, from colleagues, to family and friends, was invested in her, having been treat... Read More
This week my employer sent out a fairly lengthy questionnaire to everyone in the firm to ask us about how we thought we might want to work once the pandemic restrictions are no longer in place. It&rs... Read More
As we settle into Lockdown 3, we’re all feeling a bit blue in my house. My sleep is all over the place, and if something threatens to shift the delicate house of cards routine I’ve b... Read More
There’s been a theme in recent blogs that it is important to find time for oneself. This seems counter-intuitive, because the world has shut down and turned into an introverts’ paradise a... Read More
It’s day 9865 in the lockdown household. Positivity is dwindling. Food is running low. The Wi-Fi has forsaken us. All is lost. Thirty years and several kilograms s... Read More
When did you last do something for you? I mean really for you. Not something that was with or for the family or someone else that you were looking forward to. Something that was ind... Read More
As John Lennon famously remarked: "So this is Christmas, and what have you done? Another year over, and new one just begun". These words have resonated with me more this year than... Read More
New Year, same deal: 2021 has not yet distinguished itself from 2020.
With the return to full lockdown, I‘m still incredulous at the sci-fi horror thriller unfolding with COVID-19 bei... Read More
It is really exciting to be writing my first blog for WorkLife Central. When I received the rota list, and found out I was to write my first blog in December, it felt that perfect opportunity t... Read More
I have failed at Christmas. Completely and utterly failed and it’s only mid-December. My husband has failed too which takes the edge off a bit.
We both have deals which are meant to close ... Read More
I am not new to home working, but COVID-19 has brought the experience to another level to my colleagues and family. My partner and I are now professional children-and-work-jugglers (no fancy costumes... Read More
Along with many parents around the country it was with a huge sigh of relief that we waved our 3 children back to school at the start of September. Our 12 year old twins went off loaded down with the... Read More
At the start of lockdown, my husband bought a gaming PC. I couldn't work out why he wanted it - it has been years since he'd played computer games and 2 small daughters get in the way of time... Read More
There was a period just after my second maternity leave when I was going through a redundancy process. While many people suggested redundancy from my job based in the City might be a good thing becau... Read More
Since our au pair left us at the beginning of lockdown, my partner and I have tried hard to share the family and home responsibilities. I know that his intentions are good – but I also know tha... Read More
Son and daughter – 13 and 14 respectively – went back to school on 4 September, after six months of absence. It was the first day of school, but felt more like the first step in a new wor... Read More
So, I don’t know how the ‘back to school’ has gone for you but for us, my daughter went into Year 2 for exactly 4 days before getting a cough and a fever. In any other year, we&rsqu... Read More