Making Time For What Matters

#WeeklyNRG – A Snapshot of All Things #NRG

This week’s theme? Making time for what matters — and being realistic about what that takes.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been experimenting with working mornings and taking afternoons off. Did it work? Yes and no. But it has helped me understand more about my boundaries, my commitments and the people I want to make time for.

The Weekly Debrief

Last week was my final week in Cyprus. Still 25–26°C, mostly sunny, with just a couple of hours of rain. We made time to explore the island and get to know the team there better — a lovely group of people from around the world who clearly enjoyed being together. They worked hard and, from what I experienced, played harder.

I’m not sure I’ve ever encountered quite so many cocktails and tequila shots. Rose tequila was a particular favourite. All in the interests of building relationships, obviously.

The week finished with an end-of-season team barbecue: backgammon, food, laughter and a real sense of family. People from different backgrounds, enjoying one another’s company. A lovely reminder that the people often become the most memorable part of a place.

It also gave me time to reflect on my working experiment. The idea was simple: work from 7am until midday, then enjoy the afternoon. The reality was more complicated.

I hadn’t fully considered everything that needed to be delivered during my time away, or prepared the team well enough to keep things moving without me. It was a busy period, and when something needed doing, I fitted it in — even when that meant working through an afternoon I had intended to protect.

I value being someone who delivers what she promises. But the lesson is that I need to check what I’m promising before I commit the same time to something else.

The Week Ahead

Now I’m back in the Diff. And goodness, it’s cold. Proper shoes and tights have made their first appearance in about six months. An unwelcome wardrobe development.

The diary, however, is giving me plenty to look forward to: a family dinner for Kyle’s birthday, dinner with an old colleague, a client lunch and speaking at a networking event. Then there are catch-ups with friends, walks, rugby, drinks and a little shopping.

Somewhere in there, I may unpack and do the washing.

All of this sits alongside client coaching, business advisory work and board meetings. It will be a full week, but one powered by connection — making time for people I don’t get to see nearly enough.

Lessons Learnt

Relationships matter to me, personally and professionally. But saying that is easy. Maintaining them means making the effort: arranging the dinner, taking the walk, asking the question and being present for the answer.

My experiment has also reminded me that flexibility needs preparation. I would absolutely try working half-days again, but next time I would review the workload first, agree responsibilities more clearly and reduce or move commitments before protecting the afternoons.

The answer isn’t simply to become stricter with myself when work spills over. It’s to create a plan that makes those boundaries possible.

Perhaps that is the connection between both parts of the week: I want to be dependable without being endlessly available, and make time for people without leaving everything else to chance.

Here’s to good company, realistic commitments and relationships worth putting in the diary. Just the right dose of #NRG.

Who have you been meaning to catch up with — and what would it take to turn “we must get together” into an actual date?