Catch 22

When you're stuck in the work life that you hate, how do you free enough time to concentrate on the changes that you want to make? Although the easy answer is to forget about the current job and find the time, it isn't that easy when you have to make really sure that you don't get sacked from that current job in the mean time.

I was working last night until 10pm, and that was not because I enjoy work. I had to do something because if I didn't then it would end up causing more problems later, and I then end up in the problem. How can you make your life easier in the short term whilst ensuring that you don't have to do it at all in the long term?

I think that the straight forward answer is simple hard work. If you want anything to change then you have to find the time, you have to free stuff up as much as possible and you have to focus on the key activities. Do not waste it when you do have some free time.

Today I am going to go in to work and explain that I need to get rid of some of my workload. This would not have been an option before because I would have risen to the challenge and kept my head down. But now I need to continually concentrate on where I want to get to, and although my pride at work will take a dent, there is no shame in not carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.

My role, like probably most peoples in large or small companies, is as big or as small as I can take or get away with. In my large pharmaceutical anonymous company they have reduced the finance staff by half across the globe. The work that remains has not changed but they pass the work on to the remainder and see how they cope with it. A common misconception that if you pretend that you can cope with it then it will look good on you is rubbish. If anyone is doing too much then the quality of the output will not be sufficient and you will get no thanks at all.

Today I will ensure that my responsibilities are reduced so that I can be sure to deliver a high quality in what's left. The only way that companies no if they have too much for the workforce is by listening to the workforce. If the workforce are martyrs then there's no chance.

There's only two ways that too much work can affect you - it can make you ill, or it can make you push back. I think that the point is that you have to remain in control of your life. No-one else will ever do that better than you. Things don't just get better, something has to change first.

On the subject of the new quest to establish new income streams, I have now bought a book all about Portfolio Careers. Apparently there is an actual name for it, and one million people in the UK already have them. I have taken two online questionnaires and one in the book, and it turns out that I am the perfect person for a portfolio career.

I have never known one thing that I want to do, but I fancy a number of things. I want to be able to be flexible in my work life and earn money around other things. Due to getting bored quickly I need different roles that will keep me energised and passionate. I need to be able to chop and change, and I actually quite like that anyway. Some of the vital skills needed is confidence (which I have never had a problem with), networking, self-marketing, time management and multi-tasking.

The traditional view of someone working 9-5, 5 days a week stems from the Industrial Revolution one hundred and fifty years ago. It was brought about through productivity analysis, companies could get more out of a human resource by making them concentrate on one activity continually. (Specialising) This never helped the person.

Through the advent of computers and the ability to work from anywhere, there are more opportunities today to reclaim flexibility. Everyone I know can work from home, but instead of making the most of those hours saved in the rush hour traffic, they just work two hours longer a day. Who wins there?

What finally convinced me of this direction being the one, is the analogy that was made between this way of life and Mr.Benn. My favourite cartoon from childhood where he would disappear into the fancy dress shop and transform into a different role every day. I think that there must be some subliminal seed that was planted when I was a toddler, because as soon as I heard that it all made sense. I want to be an astronaut, and a chef, and a clown, and a knight, and a deep sea diver. I've now to work out how I can for money.