Rush rush rush.  Adrenaline pumping.  Will I get out of the office in time to find a park and meet Kelly for lunch?  Oh no, the phone is ringing…”Yes, OK, I’ll get on to it this afternoon.”  Quick, duck out now.  Ahhhh…relief.  Jump in the car, now where am I going?  OK.  Oh no, the traffic.  Right, there it is.  Where am I going to park?  I should have caught a taxi!  Ok, I’ll just squeeze in here.  One hour parking…I won’t be longer than one hour.  So much to do so I won’t be staying long.  Just a quick drink and entrée then back to the office.  Great…here’s the restaurant.  There are the girls…air kisses…sitting down…ordering drinks …  Relieved to be here but must remember to leave within the hour….

This was the story of my life.  How on earth could I fit my life between my work commitments?  Every year, one of my dear friends, Kelly, celebrated her birthday by having a girls lunch and I had to attend.  I truly wanted to but it was such a hassle, and I was always the first to leave.  The other women didn’t work or if they did, like Kelly, they would take the day off, to ensure their lunch was a long leisurely one.  But not me – I was needed at work!  I was responsible and had a strong work ethic, plus I loved my job even though it was becoming all-consuming and my social and family life were suffering.

Then I hired a coach….we worked well together, we clicked.  Until she asked me to take one day off work.  My birthday!  I couldn’t.  Yes I could, she encouraged.  We had a number of conversations about this request and eventually I saw that indeed I did have a choice and I could.  I put in my annual leave form early and told my manager.  Sure, it was months away but that was our plan.  No matter how urgent, important or crucial the work was, on my birthday I was not going to work.

So that year I celebrated my birthday differently.  I slept in and then enjoyed breakfast with Kelly at a local café.  We relaxed, read the papers, chatted and had fun.  Off to my hairdresser’s to unwind as my head was massaged, my hair was washed, cut and styled, I flicked through magazines and drank herbal infusions.  A leisurely window shop before lunch with some other friends at new café on the park.  That afternoon I walked the dogs and then had a snooze on the sofa.  My husband came home and cooked me a delicious birthday dinner and we spent quality time together.  What a wonderful day.  Thanks coach!

(This is a guest post by Belinda Merry, and I have had the good fortune of having Belinda as a mentor. Belinda is a Master Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation.  She specialises in inspiring organisational employees and small business owners to have increased sustainable energy.  Her unique approach of discovering and designing your WorkStyle creates an ascending spiral of continuous choice and sustainable energy.  work + lifestyle = WorkStyle®

Visit  www.merrymentality.com.au or contact Belinda on +61 3 5338 8782 or at belinda@merrymentality.com.au)