Week 51
All play, no work this week, as is right. I did receive a couple of client emails - one on Christmas Eve, one on 27th - but I’ve opened neither as I suspect they’re commissioning some urgent work from me, and well, if I don’t read them I reckon I’ve still got plausible deniability…
This Christmas has been a little unusual for two reasons, primarily. First, my husband and I separated this year. And second, my eldest is in a production of Aladdin at the local theatre - and is performing most days in December. The latter means we haven’t been able to see my folks up in Scotland (though the kids and I saw them at the end of Oct/start of Nov, so it hasn’t been that long really). The former means I haven’t been obliged to spend time with my in-laws, and we haven’t done everything as a family during the break. As I write this, the husband is with the kids visiting his brother and family - and there have been/will be visits to his various friends and family before everyone returns to work in the New Year. This creates entire days in the liminal period between Christmas and New Year where I’m without commitments (other than some theatre pick-ups/drop-offs).
After Christmas day itself - which was remarkably low fuss - and the tidying/cleaning after, I’ve kept myself occupied. Reading. Tidying and admin for the return to work - getting my office space cosy again. Looking at (worrying about post-Christmas) finances. Watching some telly. I’ve even been playing some computer games. I’m generally fine on my own - I know that being alone doesn’t have to be lonely, and I’m comfortable in my own company - but I could still do with some help with the escape room/puzzle pack I got for Christmas. Of course, the few local friends I might ask to join in are either busy with commitments, or have sensibly escaped this cold, foggy patch to somewhere sunny.
Reflections: The overall vibe of this season is low pressure. I’m have very few expectations of myself right now. I’ve taken everything at my own pace. I’ve no social hangover. It’s a revelation.
I’m not going to do a big reflections blog post or anything this year - I won’t do a year compass or anything like that. Because the things I need to focus on in 2025 are absolutely clear to me:
physical health is my single biggest priority for 2025 - I will be stronger, fitter and lighter in 12 months time
connection and friendship are next - I want to end the year with more of a support network, and I regret not putting enough energy and consideration into my relationships over the last, well, decade. This is mostly about friends, but applies equally to professional contacts too - something I want to fix.
financial wellbeing is my final focus - single parenting in the area I live (and where I’ll continue to live while my girls are still school-age) is unaffordable without some serious belt-tightening a return to full-time working.
As I’ll be losing my Fridays, I’m going to drop my public weeknoting. I’ll return to abbreviated weeknotes for colleagues, and the occasional blog post instead. I’ll have one more, my final weeknote - and, as I tend to weeknote on Fridays, it’ll only capture that final part-week to New Year’s Eve. If I don’t see you, have a great one.