Helen Slingsby is a career coach who set up Career Breakthrough to help people try to figure out what to do with the rest of their working life. Part of her time is spent helping women return to work and helping them combine work and family life. She does this through workshops and one-to one sessions.
Helen is a former business journalist and career changer who took time out to look after her two sons (now 6 and 8) and studied part-time to gain an MSc in Career Management and Counselling at Birkbeck College, London University. She is now also the Mum and Working Career Agony Aunt...and will be happy to answer questions you may have about setting up a business, going back to work after being at home with children or changing career! You can contact Helen via email at helen@mumandworking.co.uk
Below Helen offers some words of advice and her top tips for giving yourself a work/life spring clean.
Work/Life Spring Clean!
With the arrival of Spring and energy levels rising, there's no better time to reflect on work and life. Give a proper airing to those internal debates we all have about jobs and family with a work/life spring clean.
TIPS:
Do a life audit. Take a long-hard look at yourself and identify areas that need changing. Make a list of the eight areas of your life: living environment, family, personal relationships, friends/social life, work/career, finances, health, and inner soul/spirit. Write down all the things you like and dislike about those areas, then look at how to set about making changes.
What am I passionate about? Identify what really fires you up and what you are good at. This is based on the widely held view that we do our best work in a role we are skilled at and passionate about. Being half-hearted gets us nowhere.
Read your emotions. Be aware of your reaction to certain jobs, people and situations. Are you envious of a friend who works part time or runs their own business? What is this saying about you? Is there a frisson when you read that a job will provide extra training, involve international travel, or has on-site créche facilities. Make a note of the themes emerging.
Be self-aware and self-market. Write down your strengths, weaknesses, interests, skills, and values. Does your current situation satisfy you? If not, think laterally about how to repackage yourself and find an occupation that does. You are your best marketing tool.
Keep fresh. Learn a new skill, keep interested and active - even if currently out of the workforce.
Network. Keep in touch with friends, colleagues, relatives, and at the school gates. A quarter of jobs are found via networking.
Have a go. Use every opportunity to gain work experience in an area that interests you, even if you are still in your current job.
Be confident. Research shows that women will not apply for a job unless they meet eight out of ten requirements in the job ad, while men will apply if they meet two. Have faith!
For more information on workshops or individual sessions please contact Helen Slingsby at Career Breakthrough, telephone: 0118 984 4962 or email Helen@careerbreakthrough.co.uk
