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Thank you to Cumberland Lodge for the opportunity to spend two days this month having a deep think about social mobility, in specific relation to education and employment.  Here are my reflections:

What’s in a word?

A key question for me was what does social mobility actually mean?  It is a phrase I have come to use.  We do need to reach a common ground and a shared language.  It most probably means different things to different people.  Because it seems to me, we could all travel in various and possibly conflicting directions if we don’t agree. 

According to the Social Mobility Commission, it is defined as the link between a person’s occupation or income and the occupation or income of their parents before them.  We compare and contrast one with the other to identify social, economic and sometimes geographical distance travelled.  Where there is a strong similarity, there is a lower level of social mobility.  Where there is a weak one, there is a higher level of social mobility.  Beyond what might seem like a simple formula, there are many inter-sectionalities that are potent factors, such as class, race, gender etc.  These should not be overlooked.

Social mobility and ‘levelling up’ are two different agendas – why is that?  For me, one is about career/social/economic progression, the other is the local availability of options and a more equitable distribution of opportunity.  The link is tenuous but it is there.  Higher social mobility from one generation to the other has traditionally required the new generation to leave their hometown and travel elsewhere (i.e. the big city) to enable them to find opportunities not available where they were brought up.  That certainly was the case for me, moving away from a small market town, having barely scraped three O levels.  Bringing such opportunities closer, by relocating government departments, BBC offices for example, may not improve social mobility, even if it does bring opportunity closer.  Instead, it may attract ‘outsiders’ from other areas into the locality to take the ‘plum’ jobs.  A London migration that drives up house prices and doubles the number of coffee bars.

Then there is the issue of child poverty.  Which as a political policy seems to have lost its trendy and fashionable status of late.  The increase of children living in poverty, and what appears to be an impossible target to meet (eradicating it), especially under current fiscal and social conditions, combined with a lack of obvious robust strategies to properly tackle it, is resulting in a whispering of the issue, when once it was the fuel of town-criers.

Keep moving.

The core issue I think is movement.  The measure of movement away from one’s parents’ background, and the apparent predetermined blueprints of life.  These are cemented across all socio-groups.  But for many, the impacts of protected characteristics are such that they held-back, their choices limited, or their experiences of movement are just so uncomfortable and unsupported that they wither on the vine or withdraw their ambitions completely.  This is the stuff of the disaffected youth.  It is one of the things that drives children and young people’s disengagement with school, college and society as a whole.  It is petrol to the bonfire of petty crime, causing it to explode into serious and organised crime.  Not all those disaffected this way turn to crime, instead they retreat into a routine that builds and builds a deep sense of underachievement.  This is the stuff of unhealthy habits and possible mid-life crises. There are other environmental factors, and when there is a lack of opportunity, or when opportunity is unequally available, then there are often unsurmountable barriers to break. 

Some of course navigate these obstacles adeptly, they thrive, and are sufficiently resilient to make a success through all this unwelcome adversity.  Well done them I say, they are the lucky ones, or the ones with sufficient resilience and energy they manage to make it work.  Or perhaps, they had help, a parent, family member, mentor, or sponsor.  Or someone somewhere looked beyond their presenting characteristics, their ‘difference’, and prioritised talent and skills over above prejudices and a desire to perpetuate institutionalised ‘mono-recruitment’ behaviours. 

But it begs the question, what do we all need to do to level up the playing field to enable more social mobility?  So that the hills, valleys, divots or bunkers are flattened to make the journey or the game easier going.  How can we create an environment that allows for everyone to have the opportunities available, and benefit from the support of others, if they need it?  How does, and how can the world change to become more receptive and open to opportunity?

Why bother?

First we need to convince more people that this is a good idea.  We need to cogently describe to people why they should bother with social mobility in the first place.  We learned many of these lessons during years of positive discrimination.  That job is not yet done, but there are as many differences in these two strategies, as there are similarities.  It can feel threatening to those who feel their power and opportunity is being eroded.  This is about representation, so that schools, colleges, universities, organisations, and employers reflect the communities they serve.  It must and should be beyond a shallow public relations exercise.  More than that, because representation and reflection enables a closeness and trust to be developed, it feeds a better understanding of what people need, how they think, and what they want now and in the future. 

To thrive, children, young people and adults need to have a sense of belonging and this is best achieved by being visibly and genuinely represented in all aspects of life, this allows people to feel safe.  When I have felt ostracised, marginalised and discriminated against it has been when I could not see myself reflected in the language, imagery or behaviours in any environment.  When I don’t, then the opposite is the case, I feel reflected in all of those.  This is about connection, real connection. 

What has been apparent in recent years is when organisational behaviour is tone-deaf (think CEOs’ unfiltered tweeting, poor advertising campaigns, or questionable investment interests) companies can lose billions in their value overnight, execs lose their jobs, and customers go elsewhere.  Often these mistakes, either acts of omission and commission, are the product of mono-culture.  A culture cultivated by mono-recruitment.  No-one is taking the time and effort to consider actions and behaviours from all perspectives.  Because they only have one.  How can you do that if everyone in your boardroom looks the same?  Social mobility at work releases the potential for well-rounded decision-making to support social justice, equalities and inclusion, and anti-bias.  Quite the list.  There is also the argument that by extending the recruitment pool, we reach an ocean of untapped talent.  This is something of particular interest as we all appreciate the current pressures on businesses and the job market.  Finally, engaging in social mobility is an agent of change.  Change is a constant in the world and the workplace, this helps enormously.  End of. 

Early experiences.

In early years we have long been familiar with the tasks of supporting home-learning, intervening early and narrowing the gap (see Sure Start, Children’s Centres, and the latest iteration Family Hubs).  We have been asked to prepare children for school, through the provision of funded early learning for two-, three- and four-year-olds, so they can be ‘school ready’ – a phrase that has attracted much professional discourse.  I have concluded that:

If school readiness means we support children to develop their key skills in communication, speaking, listening and questioning, social and emotional wellbeing, and physical development, then count me in.  If it is about producing learning robots trained to comply with a rigid and inflexible education system, then I am less keen on the idea. (Hempsall, J. in Jarvis, P. et al p249). 

Apologies for quoting myself.  I agree socio-economic background is a predictor of long-term outcomes, that is why we have been targeting an offer to disadvantaged two-year-olds for 15 hours of early learning a week since 2013.  For me there are many actions required.  Early identification of need and intervention through such support is of primary importance, this is the early foundation stone for children when their neurological development is at its most critical.  Much has been achieved through programmes like 15 hours of early learning for the 40% least economically advantaged two-year-olds (a programme I have worked on).  And by the time children start school there is grounds for optimism, even when other early years policy (such as 30 hours for three- and four-year-olds of working parents) is argued to contain contradictions that risk increasing the attainment gap between least advantaged children and their peers. 

More needs to happen during school years.

One problem is that data reveals the gaps that exist at this stage are not being closed throughout primary and secondary schooling. There must be many missed opportunities throughout this time, so what could or should be done instead?  For me, it is a no-brainer that all education needs to consider the whole child and young person.  They need to be identified as individuals with individual circumstances, needs, stories and lives beyond the school gates.  Educators need the information, awareness and understanding to appreciate and respond to multiple factors of disadvantage, and individual learning styles.  The problem can be that they themselves succeeded in the system, and they consider it to be fit-for-purpose, elites don’t (always) understand, see: The only people who think exams are the best method of assessment are those for whom it has benefitted. – James Hempsall OBE: workstyle-lifestyle (workstylelifestyle.blog)  Too often the system is merely asking children to ‘be like them’ or to conform to the range of micro behaviours such as the three r’s: reading, writing and remembering.  And the rewards are binary, you pass or you fail.  Too many people take that sense of failure from school and carry it throughout their lives. 

I advocate a whole curriculum not one segregated into artificial divides (think GCSEs, A levels, T levels, apprenticeships etc.).  No one I interview for a job, or someone I manage, is expected to work by sitting silently alone under intense pressure and write things down, they instead have to demonstrate the widest possible range of interpersonal, problem solving, social, and teamwork skills.  There aren’t A levels in that.  There should be.  Indeed, such qualities need to be developed and integrated into all routes through education and employment.  If we value and assess all types of skill, then we are most likely to include all the talent and have the teams we need to succeed. 

Always learning.

The opening up of university education for almost half of all young people has been a true revolution, considering the numbers were more like 10% when I was that age.  Such traditional routes are privileged and out of reach to those dealing with the realities of low economics and/or disadvantage.  Many children have more to worry about than school, their lives are temporary (in terms of housing, jobs, and relationships), the future or the long-term is an alien concept.  Learning is not an essential then, but that does not mean never.  Social mobility needs to enable people wanting to study or develop careers later in life, such as after having children.  We have experienced a dramatic downturn in the availability of lifelong learning being an option for people that want or need to study at a different time.  This needs to be reversed.

What does success look like? 

People talk about the ‘working-class boy that did good’, the traditional ‘rags to riches’ or ‘American dream’.  Successful ‘poster people’ (boys, girls and others) are often lauded for their lack of qualifications gained at school, and their material wealth or fame gained despite it.  Again, well done them I say.  But they are the exception and not the rule.  They were most likely to have had other advantages, I suspect.   

Sticking out, being different.

I worry that many efforts appear to be applied in the misguided attempt to make people ‘fit in’, to be ‘people like us’, rather than bring their true selves, their lived experiences and their difference to add to the mix.  I have shared how it feels when you don’t fit in, but there is a health warning here.  Positive discrimination and accelerator programmes are helpful, but only if there is a hospitable environment to welcome people in, and properly and fully include them in career progression at the same pace as others, and to hold a fair share of the power, and the pay.  I flinch at the idea of dress codes, school ties, and the like.  Yes, let’s help people to not make mistakes, but please let us open up our horizons and attitudes so we don’t assert our own unnecessary identities and social codes on others.  I don’t think an event discussing social mobility needs a dress code either.  It is a contradiction. 

Empowerment is a four-letter word.

Disadvantaged people don’t want or need to be empowered.  Instead, they want and need those with power to not misuse it, and let go of a fair share of it, so the rest have a more equal chance.  Their fear is driving an inability to let go and to extend their network and world in turn.  Others have the power, skills, qualities and a voice and the ability to take it, given anywhere near an equivalent opportunity to do so.  This is where we need to improve. 

Some people don’t move without data.

I agree that data collection is essential and that it should be used to inform longitudinal studies, identify trends, and track impact.  It requires informed consent because if a subject feels safe to participate, they will.  But data needs to be augmented with qualitative findings – individual stories are powerful, they bring data to life on a human level.  So let us have both.

Let’s talk about class.

We need to talk more about class in learning, education and employment. Is it gaining traction to become a protected characteristic, I wonder?  I am pretty certain it was always a category in traditional equal opportunities policies.  Upon what measure though do we identify and describe and understand the subjectivity of class, or is it one of those issues we all have a right to self-identity.  I am told it is not included in the Equality Act. 

“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”… 

…said my parents constantly throughout my years in education.  That sounded like a discouragement to learn and to advance my academic journey at the time.  It eroded any sense of achievement in exam results.  It is clear those holding power and privilege have exceptionally effective networks forged across family, friends, school and work/business.  The problem is, when things are not levelled up, and communities are disadvantaged, then any chance of networking or ‘knowing people’ are hugely diminished.  So that doesn’t mean much when you are in a small town.

Cash in my pocket.

Pay gap is one measure, pay equity and reasonable rates for the value of jobs and contributions are another.  How can it be just for younger people to have a lower minimum wage when rent or a coffee costs us all the same?  It is not fair for a CEO to earn 100 times that of its lowest paid staff members. 

Wish list.

So, I would politely ask for all that to be sorted please.  More specifically, an extended early years learning offer of at least 25 hours for every two-, three- and four-year-old, with more family support and mentoring wrapped around it.  For school, I recommend a well-rounded curriculum looking at developing the people we need to work and learn into adulthood.  A triple focus on school, life and work readiness.  And a reinvestment in lifelong learning for everyone to have the opportunity to feel successful in education, when the time is right for them.  Finally, a hospitable environment everywhere, created by sharing of power and the letting go of all those unhelpful social codes and behaviours that get in the way. 

The Complete Companion for Teaching and Leading Practice in the Early Years.  Jarvis, P., George, J., Holland, W., Doherty, J. (2016).  

Let’s have a word about communication in ‘the office’ (whatever and wherever that is).  I think things are going awry.  Let us settle into a pattern of doing things better.

It’s been two years since the beginning of the pandemic and everything at work and in life has either been technologically fast-forwarded 15 years, paused temporarily, or stopped altogether – forever.  It has been a huge process of change.  Thank goodness for something new I say – as I have always loved reinvention.

If we are honest, none of us are sure what rhythms or behaviours we will return to next.  That is open to speculation.  In the meantime, I must admit there have been lots, I mean tonnes of really good things to come out of this process of change – for me and our business.  We have become closer to everyone in a time when we have been further apart.  Quite the contradiction. 

We accept that during any period of change and positivity there will be a downside.  That is what has stimulated today’s thoughts.  Because I would like to politely ask we stop for a moment and consider what is going on with communications at work. 

Today I had a 30-minute Teams meeting scheduled.  Requested by a client.  I agreed of course.  Having blocked out half an hour in my diary, it turns out the discussion lasted three-minutes max.  I was left wondering whether this Teams meeting could have been a telephone call (planned or impromptu), or even a quick email.  Then I reminded myself I used to promote calls and human contact over and above email as the default option. I still do.  Why would I not like this quick video call I asked? 

Well, here is the rub.  I have started to notice a trend.  One from client-side and one from mine.  I should, could, and do have complete control over my worktime (even when considering the needs of the team and of clients).  The challenge for all of us is how we choose to do so.  I have noticed the emerging trend in my diary is that it is filling up to the brim with meeting-after-meeting.  Technology and being bound to the office, or wherever I lay my device (paraphrasing Paul Young there for you eighties kids), is allowing me, facilitating me, nay trapping me, to say yes to every meeting it seems – too many at least.  This reality means I can attend a meeting with Newcastle the same day as one with Cornwall, Dubai and Hong Kong.  That was last week anyway. 

I have long been of the opinion that it is an unhealthy position to say ‘yes’ to all meetings.  Not every meeting is essential or effective, and the world does not stop spinning if you miss them – trust me.  Anything important will reach you soon enough.  The work mostly gets done in-between meetings.  I am wary of those that cram too many into their schedule.  Not only does it diminish their ability to do the work, but it also provides the perfect camouflage or excuse to why work isn’t being done, or for being uncontactable, people say “I am too busy to do that – sorry!”  For me it is a sign of not being able to say no, not letting go, an inability to delegate, and a bad case of presenteeism.  We should be accountable to outcomes and impact NOT inputs. Harsh, but true.

My ask is that we think again about how we are managing our days, weeks and months.  That we apply the method to the task at hand – whether that be a text even, an email, a call, or a Teams meeting, maybe even a trip for a face-to-face.  That we maintain human connections, but also be respectful of the time of others, allow people to choose and not attend everything, and achieve balance in our use of time so we get the work done healthily and safely.  I hope you don’t mind me saying.  It might help us with what might happen next.

We are being told by so-called industry experts that 2021 was one of resilience and rebound for childcare businesses.

And that the childcare business is booming in 2022 and will do so beyond that. Beware, I say, is this another case of the emperor’s new clothes?

Yes, the childcare sector has been remarkable in its survival against unprecedented pressure and unpredictable social and economic conditions. Anyone that has led a setting during recent months has my full and unyielding respect for that. Sustainability has so far been supported by full payment of early years funding throughout the most difficult months of lockdown. That isn’t the case now of course. But that is only half the picture. All types of settings rely upon paid-for childcare fees to balance the books of their business models, and not all services are fundable as early years, not least babies, pre-twos, and out-of-school childcare for the over fives. 

Demand and ability to pay for childcare reduced significantly in the early days of the pandemic, disappearing completely for some, and it has slowly and steadily started to return to pre-pandemic levels. But many families are rethinking their working patterns, locations and preferences, and are reprofiling their childcare needs to suit, all within the context of fast rising costs of living.  

No one knows for sure how the dust will settle, and when. There are areas and indeed settings that have bounced-back well, grown even, some have plateaued, and some have yet to see recovery anywhere near what is needed for their long-term sustainability. Clearly, we have some winners and some losers. For some this is luck, the toast has landed butter side up, others haven’t been so fortunate.

These factors all result in further squeezes to the financial margins and realities of operating childcare businesses, and the emotional and physical resolve of those charged with leading and managing them and what appears to be a weakening workforce. Settings can become constrained, tired, stressed and trapped in a whirlwind of workforce capacity, financial pressures, and operating restrictions. 

Step forward the new money. The opportunities have been growing for those concerned with expanding their chains and using the funds of global and/or equity fund investors to reap healthy pay-offs in the future.

We are told £500m plus was the value of acquisitions last year, I think that is an underestimate and the tip of quite a large iceberg that has broken away from the arctic shelf. It is the voices of investors that tell us the market is booming.  What they are saying is their businesses are benefiting from these market trends. There is little doubt this will continue as more and more settings reach the point of no return, and the top chains grow and grow as a result of taking them on. 

Now, I am all for change, for market forces, and for settings adapting and developing their models to best suit what is needed and demanded. 

I welcome chains and their contribution to the sector. I can see the merits and the more sensible features of them like overarching management, training and development, and quality improvement. But there are caveats, I worry what this could be masking and what the risks are when what could happen next actually happens.  

Location, location, location will be vitally important as market demands shift. Some settings are more able to move nimbly towards geographical needs, others cannot. And so, we will see more openings and more closures. All this whilst the sector becomes even more polarised in its diversity. 

How can you compare a home-based childminder with a multi-national multi-million-pound operation? You can’t. 

In the longer term I wonder how sustainable this all is. Will we see the collapse of the sector in isolated or low-income communities and will we see the demise of the community pre-school?  

Will this occur concurrently with the rising dominance of a nationalised sector run by the private sector?  

And what would happen if one of them was to fold? Whatever next, someone somewhere needs to be thinking the long-term implications through very carefully because we could be storing up lots of trouble for later. 

This blog was first published by https://www.cypnow.co.uk/blogs/article/nursery-market-hype-is-hiding-an-inconvenient-truth

We have all heard of the importance of wellbeing and our own self-care.  Our own understanding varies of course, as do the ways we plan and prepare for our wellbeing and what we do when things go awry.

We are used to change.  We have to be.  But change is unpredictable and has many effects on our physical and emotional wellbeing.  Change that we can brush off one day, can feel impossibly difficult the next.  Recently, we have all been through a prolonged, unprecedented and traumatic period of change.  We have all navigated new risks, uncertainties, and worries about our health and that of our loved ones, our jobs, money, and climate concerns add to sky-rocketing levels of anxiety, piled onto already stressful lives.  All of this has resulted in us living and working in different ways.  We may have stayed in much more, and worked or lived in greater isolation.  We have absorbed all of this, together with the ripples of the responses of others around us into our emotional containers.  Those imaginary bucket-like vessels we carry around us that get topped up with the emotions and feelings others share and we take on consciously or subconsciously.  We may not yet be fully aware of the toll it is taking. 

We can cope.  Indeed, we can thrive.  And that means us being boundaried and balanced, with the benefit of our own support mechanisms around us.  We need to recognise the signs when things are out of kilter, and deploy the tricks and techniques to do something about it.  This is where deliberately investing in self care comes in.  I like to call it having a ‘business plan for self’.  You might want to call it something else, like a personal plan, a list – or whatever works for you.

Every plan should start with a review of your pre-starting position.  What has made you, you?  Some people call this your history, patterns, blueprints, scripts; it’s what you are carrying with you from what happened before.  You may need to put some work in here, and help may be required.

Then ask yourself what is ‘now’ – your starting position.  Some helpful questions are:  What would be useful to let go of?  What are the things to process and work out?  How emotionally invested are you?  What physical investment is needed?  What things do you need to let in, or what blocks need to be removed?  And what things can you give out to the world (because lots of songs and poets have told us the more we give the more we’ll have).

A plan’s structure and contents are a matter of personal choice and priorities may change from time-to-time.  There are some key themes that I consider important though.  The first is to be aware of stress and how to notice it yourself and in others.  It is important to also know how to prevent it, which is a key aim of such a plan.  And how you respond to it – what are your instincts and patterns, and what positive directions can you take?  Be able to notice your freeze, fight and flight reflexes.  If you are unsure about all of this, read, do some online training or attend a course.  It is worth the investment. 

All of that gives a great foundation to setting your response and resilience mindset.  And then there are all sorts of actions and behaviours that I find key.  A plan needs steps along the way, small victories and achievements, or milestones to celebrate and remind you of progress towards whatever the end goals might be, if there are goals. 

I love everything about managing time.  It gives me great comfort and muffles all the noise around me.  Therapy has made the realise why that might be.  Time management is about taking control and making time for the things that you want to spend time on, creating new routines and variety, and (more or less) social interaction.  And that includes making time for sleep and making time to get ready for sleep.  In our earliest years, our parents may have used all sorts of sleep-readiness-routines to help us have a good night’s sleep.  In our later childhood and early adulthood, we may not have needed to apply such efforts, but the older we get and the busier we become, we perhaps (I am pretty sure we do) need to put conscious and determined efforts into managing our sleep.  That’s a key element of the part of your plan that acknowledges your age and stage of life and what changes that brings – not only in terms of health, but activities and responsibilities too (such as elder care).  All of these changes should not be unthinkingly merged into what you are doing.  I don’t think you can merely add all of that to your regular ‘to do’ list, instead they need to be factored into your regular review and planning cycle.

Investing in self and treating ‘you’ as a business includes considering what you are putting in, like food and drink, learning, growth, experiences, physical exercise, and emotional care.  There needs to be a budget, it doesn’t need to be big, but like any budget it needs to be quantified and managed.  Not just a budget for the objectives and activities in the plan, but for all of life and work.  Because all of that increases your ability to manage expectations and take benefits from the business, things like your health, friendships, interests, happiness, relationships and romance, for example.   

Health is an obvious consideration, that should include physical and emotional wellbeing.  This is about managing and responding to existing health.  But it is also about managing your health in the future by taking preventative action through things like diet and exercise.  A good social life is vital.  There are times in life when we should evaluate and review who in our friends and family circle are needed or wanted moving forward.  Is it time to change the frequency and type of engagement you have together?  Are there people in your social circle who aren’t good for you, and distance would help?  When it comes to romance and relationships, it is entirely possible and acceptable to have a plan that doesn’t require being in a relationship, whether that be a short-, medium- or long-term one.  But every plan should feature solid, supportive and rich relationships with others.  Even if it is with the dog.   

We’ve heard about the importance of learning in the nourishment of life and feeling good.  There should always be something in your plan that is about learning something new.  It need not be a PHD in neuroscience, or circus skills.  It could be a new recipe, a new dance move, or reading a new book.

Let’s not be too serious.  There’s plenty of time to have fun.  But fun is a serious business.  Having fun isn’t always a spontaneous activity, it needs to be something you plan for.  And allow yourself time for.  Go on, let go, once in a while. 

You may not work, but if you do, what are your goals and aspirations whilst you are there?  What are you taking control of and aiming for, beyond what you are being told to do by others? 

And last but not least, finances.  These can be the bedrock of feelings of anxiety and despair, or they can offer you freedom and control.  Some people love to manage their finances, some hate it.  Whatever, finances are something you cannot ignore.  Get help if you need to.  But make sure you plan them. 

A business plan for self, offers real opportunity to reflect on what has been, and who we are.  It helps us to identify where we are now and plot the direction of travel for our next phases of life and/or work.  And it helps us become the people we want to be, living the way we want to live.  I recommend. 

These days I mostly spend five days a week sat at my desk.  Typing away frantically or attending on-screen meetings.  This is a big change to how things used to be for me.  On a typical week, I might have travelled into London for face-to-face meetings a couple of days a week.  Perhaps on another day I would have driven somewhere else for a meeting, a conference speech, or the delivery of training, for example.  The time in between might have included a little bit of catching up with emails and calls from home.  That would leave about one or two days a week to spend in the office.  That was important and focused time to prepare, wrap up, and connect with colleagues.

With almost all face-to-face delivery still on pause, travel restrictions, our commitment to helping our organisations and colleagues work through these difficulties, and our growing love affair with Zoom and Teams, there is a whole new routine.  And it has many benefits, but like anything good, there is a downside as well.  And that includes a lack of variety, and real feeling of each day being almost the same – just like groundhog day.  It starts and ends with the same commute, and each day is filled with the same faces (lovely as they are), most of whom are appearing one-dimensionally online.  Work patterns and styles have changed and have pushed many of us into new ways of working, some of us are out of our comfort zones and away from our preferences.

Strangely, life seems slower and faster in equal measure.  I am no longer driving on the motorway or travelling on the superfast train, my 10-minute walk to work is contemplative and leisurely.  It is sometimes social if I am lucky enough to bump into a friend, or I can multi-task by shopping, posting a letter or whatever. I will no doubt look back with fondness at this time, so I must take the time to value it now. The office is emptier and quieter, our absence is much more keenly felt in a reduced team, and so being present has grown a bigger value.  Time stretches generously, and it is much more likely I get to complete my job list for the day, for the week for that matter, with greater ease than before. 

Somethings have become faster though.  I can leave a monthly contract meeting (that previously would have been held in London and included three hours travel and some other downtime), and instantly, like a time traveller, like Marty McFly even, I am back at my desk, in my office, in my home town, and only 10-minutes from home.  That sounds super-efficient, doesn’t it?  What a wonderful opportunity to do more!  That’s the familiar (and disappointing) instinct of the dullest of managers.  But wait, where is my recovery time, the time to contemplate what just happened, the reflection on thoughts, the time spent with imaginative ideas, all done whilst I stared out of the train window or when sat in traffic?  All of which are fuel for innovation, creativity and joy. 

In response, I have learned to slow down, to be my own architect of my day – much more than before.  I have built in different breaks, conscious reflection time, physical movement, and a realistic and contemporary approach to workload design and delivery.  I have avoided the temptation to max out my week, but I have taken advantage of the additional time I have available.  That time needs to be repurposed in the plan for ‘me’.  As a result, I have never written so much, and so creatively, which has been delightful, I have rarely had to reschedule sessions at the gym, managing to make it at least twice a week, and I have felt ahead at work in many ways, opening up much more time for planning and strategy and deliberate direction-setting.  I look forward to all that growing and developing more in 2022, and my resisting any temptation (or dull management instruction) to revert to old habits later.  I am going to slow down, to do more. To be more tortoise and less hare.