Work I do when I’m not working

It's the end of June already which means time to put pen to paper.

(You can check out my first blog here which explains why I've decided to publish something on the last day of every month).

This month I've been reflecting on just how much work goes on outside of our core jobs.

This is the hidden work, the less tangible stuff - the things we don't get paid to do but that invariably push us to the next level and create new opportunities.

I call it...

Non-work work

I’ve got my freelance hands full providing marketing support to two different organisations five days a week.

Outside this, I’ve spent the last month networking, doing courses, plotting my dream future and generally trying to grow as a marketer, business owner and human.

Because as every self-employed person knows, establishing yourself as a free agent and/or running a business requires a lot of work that’s not your actual work. 

The quick version

For those who want to cut straight to the chase, here’s my last 30 days made into a snazzy chart:

I'm pleasantly surprised to see how much self-care has emerged as a priority. I'm really happy to be connecting with others, not just through traditional networking but by engaging in various communities, and donating my time and skills.

Meanwhile, the lack of business admin shows I have more to do to get my systems up and running. I also need to carve out more time for upskilling and specific training.

The uncut version

For those who are unashamedly nosy – I feel you. I am you.

What follows is essentially my diary and unlike when I was teenager, I won't yell at you for peeking.

Day 1 - I attend a Careershifters Group Coaching session on portfolio careers. ‘Portfolio career’ sounds so neat and tidy doesn’t it? Like something you carry round in a briefcase and proudly show to people.

Day 2 - Every other Wednesday is Careershifters Accountability Club, where we make three fortnightly commitments to advance our career change. One has to be fun. Why? Because career change is often long and hard, so you need to keep it light.

Day 3 - My dear friend William comes over for dinner. He’s an incredible cabaret artist and is doing a series of important London shows this summer. We create a marketing plan over a glass of Prosecco (the best way).

Day 4 - Friday is networking day and I get to speak to the lovely Monique Russell. I love her energy and the fact that she’s the only person so far to approach me on LinkedIn via voice note.

Day 5 - It’s the weekend and my husband is home from a 6-week work trip to Australia. He has been my rock and confidante throughout my career change process and it’s brilliant to have him back.

Day 6 - I start Sunday with walking and yoga. Without a commute my daily step count has decreased by around 5,000, and like many others, I’m still trying to establish a new healthy routine of daily movement. Harder than it sounds when the cat is sat on you and the fridge is right there.

Day 7 - Monday night is Finance night! Yes, that excitement is genuine, thanks to Alan Donegan’s Rebel Finance School. The 10-week course is FREE which is insane considering its life-changing value. Tonight we meet Financial Independence (FI) legend JL Collins.

Day 8 - As if by magic, a trendy co-working space has popped up in Blackheath where I live. The Worker’s League is run by the brilliant Mat Kemp. I’m doing the one-day per week membership, so duck in to do some emails and see my new co-working buddies.

Day 9 - London is having a heatwave and I head to the Southbank for drinks with a university friend. We bump into other friends we haven’t seen in years, who tell me my ex-boyfriend has just started his own company. Must be something in the water.

Day 10 - I was honoured when a schoolfriend who founded his own data science company recently asked me if I would mentor two of his team. Today I meet with one of them and we talk about the importance of extra-curricular activity to boost your skills and network.

Day 11 - I take the plunge and sign up for four months intensive business coaching with F*** Work, Let’s Play author John Williams. I'm attracted to John’s irreverent attitude to career change and confident our weekly sessions will turbo-charge my business. 

Day 12 - A momentous day: I get to change my passport photo after a decade of cringing at my current one. Not only does renewing my passport feels like two fingers up to COVID, it also takes me closer to my dream of being a digital nomad (more on that another time).

Day 13 - When I started career changing, I was so excited that I worked on it 24/7. I soon got overwhelmed and exhausted. After some strict words from my husband, I’m now better at keeping weekends free. Today we enjoy snooping around other people’s gardens as part of Open Gardens.

Day 14 - Aforementioned cabaret friend William asks me to jump on a Zoom call with the marketing team from the Arcola Theatre, where he’s doing one of his shows. They tell us his date has already sold 50%. Result!

Day 15 - I spend time helping a career change friend update her LinkedIn profile. It can be a nerve-wracking moment when you publish your new profile for the world to see, especially if you’ve been in ‘stealth mode’ for a while, but the relief of putting your authentic self out there usually outweighs any worries.

Day 16 - I am excited to go to an in-person networking dinner, thanks to a generous invitation from Lottie Unwin, founder of The Copy Club. I meet marketers from Tony’s Chocolonely, Sipsmith and Soldo - a world away from my old life.

Day 17 - Invoice day! I know many other business owners find this sort of admin deathly boring and look to automate as much as possible. Clearly I haven’t got over the novelty yet because I absolutely love it.

Day 18 - Friday is networking day and today I’m blessed to speak to Stephanie Jarman, who quite frankly, is a legend. She’s worked with Tom Hanks, Simon Sinek, the cast of Harry Potter and has so many stories, I can’t keep up.

Day 19 - Saturday night: we head over to Chiswick to watch the first of William’s cabaret shows. It’s the first live performance he’s done in over 15 months and is an emotional moment for everyone. I may have left the music business but live music still means the world to me.

Day 20 - It’s Father’s Day, and not for the first time, I think how much I admire my dad. He’s into, and has mastered, so many different things, from the great French philosophers and computer programming to Karate and classical guitar (and looking cool on his wedding day). I definitely get my natural curiosity from him. Freelancing is an ideal way to stay broad and varied.

Day 21 - Week 9 of Rebel Finance School. We meet Kristy and Bryce from Millennial Revolution who talk all-things FI and nomadic living. The couple were regular software engineers living in Toronto before their FI journey – it’s so inspiring to see ordinary people achieve extraordinary things.

Day 22 - Another day at the co-working space. As much as I love working from home, the cats often don’t leave me alone (seriously) so this weekly escape is needed.

Day 23 - Did you know you have 80,000 hours in your career? Me neither, but thanks to an overdue catch-up with a career change friend, I’ve discovered 80,000 Hours, an organisation whose mission is to solve the world’s most pressing problems by helping people switch into more meaningful careers.

Day 24 - This is how you know you’re on the right path: I voluntarily signed up for a 90-minute webinar on self-assessment tax AND ENJOYED IT (thanks Freelance Heroes and GoSimpleTax)

Day 25 - Friday night, and a friend and I had planned to go to some hipster pop-up food place. We both flake – she’s heavily pregnant, I have no excuse other than I’m tired. Self-care first, folks.

Day 26 - My freelance work has been full-on so I treat myself to a Saturday afternoon tea at The Dalloway Terrace, which apparently is one of London’s most Instagrammable spots. I’m not on Instagram but I do enjoy the scones.

Day 27 - The thing I miss most about my old job is my wonderful team. I’m so happy to spend Sunday eating, drinking and catching up with them at Mercato Metropolitano.

Day 28 - Tonight is the final session of the Rebel Finance School. The course has helped me realise that making (and keeping) a lot of money is not inherently greedy or immoral. As a new business owner who now has to regularly price and sell myself, I needed to hear this.

Day 29 - I get to work with two amazing filmmakers today. Away from the shoot, we chat about what it’s like to run a business with a new baby, the limited company Vs sole trader debate and more. I’m finding fellow freelancers and business owners to be some of the most generous and friendly people around.

Day 30 - I’ve been a meditation convert since 2016. For the 100th time, I feel profoundly grateful that it exists. It’s essentially a reset switch in the brain. I finish the month happy, proud and, thanks to my Calm app, notably less frazzled than I would otherwise be.

What ‘non-work work’ do you prioritise to keep you and your business alive and growing? Let me know in the comments!

Fabienne

x