Seeing the Light

A few weeks ago we decided to have a "no electricity" night! It is amazing how dependent we become and how we take for granted brilliant inventions. We were also taking the kids out of their "comfort zone" which I recommend everyone should do occasionally.  I couldn’t even tell them the name of the person who invented electricity!!!  Yet we are so dependent on it, which begged me to think – why do we strive for innovation? … it certainly isn’t for the fame!  This simple idea of having a night of candles and torches made me re-evaluate my career and refocus my direction – my aim is to improve the way we live by being influential.  It is amazing how clearly things appear in the darkness in order to lead us to the light!!!

My Diary

My Diary is essential for organising work and family.  I record phone calls, names and numbers, meeting arrangements, school appointments  - I would be lost without it.  I-phones and Blakberries are excellent, but the trusy good old diary is flawless (apart from the big dint on the front of mine)!

Awards

My daughter got an award at school today!  She has been waiting all year to get an award!  The confidence gained from a little encouragement was amazing.  She was beaming with pride.  If only our industry offered more feedback through awards, or if more people said “Great Report” “Fantastic Work on your Project” “You’re a real asset to the Company”.  I am sure a large percentage of us haven’t even heard those words, or if we had, it was a long time ago.  Let’s make a change and consciously make the effort to infect our industry with some praise.  If someone has done a great job, please tell them and watch them beam!

The Red Bag Rule

To separate work and family, I had a rule when I started working from home – no home phone number and no home address, so no strangers at the front door.  But this leads to a bit of a problem when people want to meet you and you don’t know them and they don’t know you.  My office for meetings is Coffee Club and my line is “I’ll be the women with the red handbag” (very James Bond 007 isn’t it)!  At first I asked men to describe themselves so I would recognize them, but after the first two said “I am tall, dark and handsome” and they were not – I decided the Red Bag Rule was the only way to go!

The Clock

There are no time management courses that can prepare a woman for motherhood – time just flies out the window.  A tremendous amount can be accomplished in a few minutes.  Whilst we think we can’t start a new job or task with only 5 minutes to school pick up – we can.  Every 5 minutes can add up to hours.  Next time when you think you don’t have time – you do have some time – start something, be productive and become more efficient and less stressed!!!

Disney Detail

In a recent work trip to Disney World in Florida for a Conference I was amazed to see that even the sewer man hole plates proudly displayed the mickey mouse brand symbol.  The attention to detail at Disney is incredible!  Whilst people were initially staring at me photographing the sewer (?), they soon moved when they could see the logo of Mickey's ears and appreciated the attention to detail that Disney provides.  Disney does detail, branding and logo's like no other business.  It is worth looking beyond the magic and down to the brown to really appreciate great business branding and attention to detail.

Adding Value

 The filing was piling, the desk flooded with work!!! As a resourceful woman it was time I realised (as stubborn as I am) that I needed help! My wonderful Mum completed 4 hours of filing and archiving - just awesome!  My amazing husband took the children to the pool and did washing!  I was able to focus on completing my reports.
Whilst as engineers we aim to "add value" to all our projects, I feel that by accepting help from the team, I feel I have actually added value to my relationships.  By involving my family in my work and allowing them to participate and contribute, I have enhanced our realtionship and I am so grateful for their help.  At the end of the day projects will be forgotten, but relationships will be treasured forever!

The Cuppa

The concept of tea and coffee is essential for business and staff.  When I worked in London we would take turns in making the team their tea or coffee.  You knew the cups, you knew the milk and sugar amounts, it was essential social interaction.  Since working from home and being a mother I have acquired the necessary taste buds for cold tea and luke warm coffee.  On occasssions I have quickly picked up the half empty cup (assuming I'd drunk it all... time flies when your busy) only to have centrifugal force get the better of me and spill over!!!  Whilst I do enjoy a hot cuppa, it's a small sacrifice that is made when becoming a working mother.  As they say... "You can't have the rainbow, without the rain!!!"

Site Visit Adventures

It's always interesting to undertake site inspections, particularly in rural areas. This week my site visit was to a gravel road, with piped culverts and a one lane bridge. It was hot and remote. The long grass was rustling, a wallaby was bounding in the adjacent property, a 2m long, fat, black snake was slithering from the roadside into the bushes and when I went to inspect the one lane bridge, something splashed in the water... something big!!! I was on edge, turning at every sound - when I finally completed all the inspections, the wallaby returned, bounding in front of me, shear millimetres from the car!

That night my children loved hearing the story about my day at work!!

Site Visit Adventures

Woman at Work

Couldn't help but doodle on this road works sticker!



The Brave Beginning...

I have been thinking about sharing a blog for some time.  Tonight I am feeling brave.  Women in the professional industries are... well... so professional, that I have trouble imagining them as real life women, particularly mums.  I'd like to share the ups and downs of combining business and homelife - I am going to call it Professional Domestic Engineering!  It is possible to do, it is tiring, exhausting, amusing and extremely satisfying and I hope there are some fellow "domestic engineers" out there that will relate to my experiences.  I hope this blog provides inspiration, support and reassurance that anything is possible and you are not alone.  I will end with a quote that I remember seeing at the commencement of my business, it went something like this...
"Imagine what you could achieve, if you knew you couldn't fail".