Monday 27th April to Sunday 3rd May 2020
Previous installments
Monday 27th April – 21092 deaths – networking like crazy
Last week, I was networking like a maniac. For people not in business, the idea of networking may not be very familiar. Networking provides a wide range of support for business owners including finding new customers, creating relationships with other business owners to provide innovative products and services, gaining encouragement and support and training opportunities.
I belong to two women’s only networking groups – Athena and WIBN. Both groups have around 20 members who meet on a monthly basis to share experiences, information and connections to help business grow. Right now, both networks are running meetings online and delivering even more value as a result – in the form of opportunities to visit other groups and attend additional training. I actually don’t have time to do my work because I have so many networking events!
Networking is all about building relationships over time which help others to know, like and trust your business. It really isn’t a shortcut to more sales. There are many clear benefits and if you want to know more, you can check out a previous post I wrote about it. If you are a woman in business and you would like to see what it’s all about, you would be very welcome to attend one of our meetings as a visitor. Drop me an email at michelle@eshkeri.co.uk and I can help sort it out for you.
BoJo bulletin: He’s back!
So the key message is : Stay Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives.
Surely he could’ve come up with something new during his 3 weeks off?!
Only joking!
It’s a good thing that Boris is back, but the Government still have lots of answers to provide around delays in testing etc. I wonder if there’s any chance that will change now? Boris – you need to show us HOW MUCH you really value the NHS – with your actions, not just your words. Put your money where your mouth is. Now.
Tuesday 28th April – 21678 deaths – networking overload
You can have too much of a good thing and today, I have Zoom burnout again. I need to do better pacing myself – it’s surprisingly tiring sitting on your bum all day long in online meetings. Ended the day with a monumental migraine and pains in my shoulders.
On the plus side, I have met loads of new people over the past couple of weeks, some of whom could be great business contacts and some have already asked me to write for them 🙂
Must pace, must pace…
Wednesday 29th April – 26097 deaths
BoJo bulletin: Well that was the shortest return to work by a PM in history! Today saw the announcement of the birth of Boris’ new little son after Boris was not at PMQs. I think the baby may be a few weeks premature as popular wisdom suggests the child was due later on in the summer. Apparently, they are doing well so that’s good news. Boris isn’t going to take immediate paternity leave. I feel quite sorry for Carrie Symonds – she’s had a very tough time dealing with his illness and her own and now the birth and early postnatal period without his support. I understand why he must feel he needs to be at the helm, but perhaps Dominic could’ve handled things for another week or two?
More networking today – of the speed variety. Good but also quite exhausting. I definitely need to spread out my meetings more. Something to do better next week.
UK Government added the deaths in care homes and the community since 2 March to the figures today which explains the massive increase. We are now in bronze medal position 🙁
Thursday 30th April – 26771 deaths – more and more lovely networking
2 excellent meetings this morning with 4 other inspiring business owners. We are all members of the Athena network in different groups all over the UK. I feel that together we could do so much more. It’s making me think of doing some sort of creatives collective where we can get support and share ideas – not quite sure how it would work just yet. I will probably sleep on it and hope that the idea bubbles up. That’s usually how it works with my writing – especially stories and poems. If I focus too hard on trying to have the idea, it just becomes more elusive. If I chill out and wait patiently, it pops along like the 307 bus at the end of our road.
Later I am running a Zoom baby first aid demo andQ&A for the first time. Will report back on the success of that tomorrow 🙂
Looks like the rain has probably set in for the evening now.
Thank Crunchie it’s Friday tomorrow.
Friday 1st May – 27510 deaths – Athena networking
Today was a good day. I attended my monthly networking group which always runs on the first Friday of the month. It’s been invaluable to check in regularly with all my lovely networking colleagues – whom I now think of as friends. We are all supporting each other in different ways.
It’s been another very busy week and I’m feeling the need for a whole weekend away from the computer. The weekend diary entries may have to wait until Monday morning.
#takeaway tonight. We like to support our local curry house on a Friday – I can highly recommend Naga Saag in New Barnet, who have been faultless so far 🙂
Have a great weekend.
Saturday 2nd May – 28131 deaths
I went to a lovely yoga class today run by the extremely talented and lovely Fran Turner – check her out at www.hillhousetherapies.co.uk We did a very slow stretch class followed by a restorative Yoga Nidra, which is basically a guided meditation. I dropped off on several occasions, it was so relaxing. AND bonus – no child or husband interrupted the practice – which is most unusual. Thanks Fran.
Sunday 3rd May – 28446 deaths
The Government is saying we are past the peak now but they don’t yet know when and how we can come out of lockdown. I suspect it will be many weeks before we get back to anywhere near approaching normal life – if indeed we go back to “normal”.
I had a bad day today. I didn’t sleep well as my older son is now fully nocturnal and talks loudly online all night long. I had to have stern words again. Got up with a migraine (again) and the tinnitus which seems to be ever present now (well constantly for the last 6 or so weeks anyway). Research tells me that it’s either too many heavy metal concerts (no), anxiety (most likely) or a brain tumour (let’s hope not) that could be the cause of the tinnitus. Given it came on suddenly a week after lockdown, I’m plumping for anxiety – which is something I live with quite often anyway, though it usually manifests as chest pain or palpitations. Joy, let’s add tinnitus into the mix. Further research suggests no cure – I just have to learn to live with it. Well, that’s something to look forward to…not.
All in all, it was a good week for business, a not-so-great week for health.
Let’s hope the sun comes out tomorrow.