When we created this line many years ago, it fit the purpose of The Concierge Collective perfectly; we are truly committed to giving you time to live. Because it’s your time to live! See what I did there, double meaning – clever huh!
We have been talking for years, literally, about carrying ‘busy’ as a badge of honour. Nowadays when someone asks how you are, we no longer say “I’m fine” or “I’m really well”, we say “Good…. but so busy”.
In fact if you don’t say you’re busy we think that people will assume that we’re lazy, not-the-same-as-them, or we’ve become redundant and have kept it a secret! To be honest I’m kinda over it!
There is zero benefit to you or anyone else in accepting that ‘busy’ is the status quo and we seek social proof that is now what modern life looks like – I’m calling BS on that.
Sure life can be busy, if you want it to be, but it doesn’t mean that YOU have to be busy. The only person who misses out from this state of being is you. Your life, your time, your goals, your hobbies, your kids, your partner, your everything.
So you can either (a) stop over scheduling yourself like a crazy person; or (b) if that’s impossible get some help.
It IS your time to live – you won’t get a second shot at it
]]>Q. What does a regular day look like for you?
In an ideal world it would begin with me waking up and doing 20 minutes of meditation. In reality my day starts at 5.30am with any one of my three teenage sons standing at our bedroom door pleading for us not to be late in taking them to training. If I win the game of paper rocks scissors with my husband on who does not have to drive them I will hop straight onto Instagram and post to our Est Living and Est Essentials Instagram account – all the while promising to myself I will not get distracted by the feed of images I have not seen for the past 12 hours.Social media just it sucks up so much time if you let it.
I am usually at the desk at 8am and start plowing through emails – marking those I need to come back to and happily deleting any of those that do not address me by name. I try to set time each week after I have sorted through the admin issues for writing, whether this be at night or during the day. If I have things hanging over my head I find it very hard to concentrate and struggle with creativity. I work until 5pm, which is when the boys need to be picked up from school. We have dinner around 7.30 pm and my husband and I will do another hour or so before we head to bed to watch an episode of something we are following on Netflix (currently it is The Outlander). I could not tell you the last time I watched the news or even free to air TV for that matter.
Q. Do you feel as though you have enough ‘time to live’ in your week for things that you like doing?
No not at all. I have even forgot what it is that I do like to do – other than read a book or watch a movie. And there is definitely no time for either of those during the week! I do love cooking when I have the time but mid week it’s the chore that I despise most of all.
Q. How do you manage work/life?
I am not really managing it – I am just doing it. We do have a bit of a routine going on but it’s a routine I would like to change, as there definitely needs to be more time in our week that is spent ‘off the tools’. Finding a better work/life balance for us is a continual work in progress.
Q. What are three things you can’t live without?
My family and friends first and foremost as I would be a complete basket case without them. Then my iPhone and Macbook.
Q. Do you have any ‘guilty pleasures’ in regards to your time?
Yes – watching the Real House Wives of NYC. It’s embarrassing but I love the mindlessness of it – and the NYC backdrop of course. I don’t watch it every week but I save it for those weeks for when I really just need to switch my mind off from my day to day. I have to say that the women on these shows fascinate me as I just can’t imagine ever wanting to expose my life to the world like they do. It is just so intriguing to me.
Q. Do you have any outside help?
No. But I really wish I did. The boys are all really good when it comes to folding the washing and unpacking the dishwasher etc. I would mostly just like someone to come and clean the bathrooms every week – and wipe down cupboards and kitchen drawers, as teenage boys seem to leave marks on everything
Q. How has having them changed your lifestyle for the better?
I can only imagine how much tension it would release from my shoulders to have someone come in and cook dinner each day and clean the house twice a week.
Q. What next big exciting event is on your ‘list’?
The launch of the new Est Design Directory filled with products, resources and information for anyone looking to furnish or design their home is really exciting. We are looking to launch it alongside the September issue of EstMagazine in a few weeks and I am really excited as I have wanted to create this design resource for consumers for years.
]]>“There’s just too much stuff!”
The way out of feeling overwhelmed by stuff is to reduce the amount of it. If there is just too much stuff, it’s time to remove some. Whether you donate it, hold a garage sale, advertise on online auction sites, or just throw it away—the goal is to reduce the amount of stuff.
“I don’t know where to start.”
Just pick a place to start and go for it. Don’t try and do it all at once, as the saying goes “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”.
“I don’t have time”
Lower your expectations. It took you longer than over night to get where you are now and making it go away won’t happen overnight either. Be realistic. Set a time or plan a schedule and take one step at a time.
“I don’t know how to go about getting organised.”
You could get advice from books such as our own book HOME. There are also many other online resources to help you. If you need the support of a professional, we can connect you with a caring and understanding professional organiser.
“My spouse won’t toss anything.”
So, start somewhere else and don’t worry about your spouse’s belongings just yet. You may get a surprise when you start achieving organising success in other parts of your home, the rest of the family may just get on board!
“I get it organised, but it doesn’t stay that way.”
…And it won’t unless you put routines in place to help you maintain it.
It is much the same as maintaining a weight loss program; you have to consistently monitor your calorie intake and exercise regime. Once you achieve your weight loss goal, you won’t maintain that weight if you return to your old habits. Likewise, establishing routines ensure that you maintain new, beneficial organising habits.
“My children undo whatever I do.”
No matter what age your children are, they can have responsibilities around the home. Hold a family meeting and discuss all of the things that need to happen to keep your home running smoothly. Let your children choose which age-appropriate chores to do. If they choose them, they are more likely to complete them. Let them know that they can re-negotiate which chores they prefer at the next meeting.
Remember, you are the parent; you are in charge. Teach them what they need to know to be a functioning, responsible adult.
“But, I might need it someday.”
The reality is that you won’t miss much of anything that you part with at all. In fact, you may not even remember that you’ve tossed it. The goal right now is to clear the clutter and regain your life. The value of creating an organised and functioning family home is far greater than potentially having to replace an item that you may have gotten rid of in the process.
“I don’t know what I should get rid of.”
In short, there are two simple questions to ask yourself when making that decision: 1. Do I absolutely love it and 2. Do I use it—regularly? If you answer yes to both questions, that item should be retained. If not the item should be thrown away, donated or sold.
]]>What are other reasons for rise of concierge services?
Has sexism really led to the popularity of concierge services? We beg to differ. Want to know the reason why? Most of our clients are professional women. Women without children, and women with children. Women who have lots of spare time on their hands but don’t wish to undertake the task at hand, and women who are time-poor. If the end of sexism was the reason for the rise in concierge services, wouldn’t it be the other way around. Wouldn’t the men be calling us – ‘I need help! My wife is working all day and there’s nobody to cook my dinner and iron my shirts!’
No, we think the rise in concierge services is because we’ve come to the conclusion that our time is valuable and we deserve #timetolive
“Once upon a time, people had wives or secretaries who performed concierge-style tasks. The end of sexism is a compelling explanation for the concierge explosion, but hardly the only one. Baby boomers, known for their sense of entitlement and lust for instant gratification, are also pushing the trend. However, those attitudes aren’t confined to one generation. “People want to be recognized,” says Vertu’s Woolff. “They like to reward themselves. It feels good to have people do something for you.”
]]>Let’s take a look.
What do you need a system for? No, I’m not asking why, we actually know the reason why is to make the task simpler. The “what” is the nature of the task and that is what we are looking for.
Let’s say you want to create a system to take the stress out of dinner preparation and to make grocery shopping easier and faster.
Key requirements of your system? Let’s try the meal planning system. The key factors might be:
Major shop once a fortnight
Mini shop alternate weeks
Time allowance is 1.5 hours
Best time to shop is at 8am on Saturday morning.
Your budget
Nutritionally balanced meals
Fast to prepare
Everyone likes them!
What skills or information will you need to create the system? OK … the information and/or the skills need to match your key requirements. In this instance it could be something like this:
Researching recipes that fit into the key requirements above (ie nutrition, fast and favourites).
Look into cooking classes, ie learn new skills.
Create a meal planner template that you can write in all the meals you plan on preparing each fortnight (or you can find one on the internet).
Maybe you want to leave one night for “treat” night? Consider some healthy home delivery meals as a back up for when you’re working late?
Check what time your favourite super market, butcher, fruit shop opens.
Which is the best day to go shopping. Perhaps it’s not Saturday, maybe it’s after you drop the kids at school each Friday.
What about shopping online? It’s a great way to keep to budget as you can see what your spend is before you hit the checkout!
Ask others for advice – you would be surprised how many people plan their meals in advance.
Pulling it all together? This is the fun part – pulling all the pieces together. Here is an example of what your new system for meal planning might look like:
Saturday 1
With a coffee, browse cook books for meals for the next fortnight.
Fill in the fortnightly meal planner
Write matching shopping list
Order groceries online
Monday 1
Delivery of groceries – and you didn’t have to leave the house, yay!
Saturday 2
Double check meals for the next week
8am grocery shop for fresh produce
Update meal planner with any remarks or comments (Johnny hates rissoles!)
Note: Once you’ve made a few meal planners that every one is happy with, just keep rotating them, no need to keep developing more. Perhaps change them with the seasons or when your favourite produce is in season.
Maintenance Every system needs maintenance or updating from time to time. Now we know that Johnny hates the version of rissoles you’ve made, take it off the list and look for an alternative. If you can’t get what you want from the online supermarket, search for alternatives.
Don’t give up! If the first system you have created doesn’t work – just work through the procedure again and see if you can fine-tune it OR perhaps you just need more practice!
Practice! For any system to work you need to practice – think of the sportsmen who train at football each week – they want to make sure they improve and really hone their system to perfection …. not to mention their skill level. This only comes with practice.
Be kind to yourself, your barista probably took months or even years to perfect that cup of coffee, but I’m sure he kept trying to get it just right for you – and look how much your appreciate it! You should do the same, practice makes perfect (to use a very old cliché!)
]]>This is one of the main reasons de-clutter projects never get finished because you simply don’t know how to sort or what to do with all the stuff. It can be totally overwhelming.
ou may get through a few cupboards and boxes easily, but then you run out of puff because you have struck a problem – what do I do with this??
Why bother sorting stuff out? Can’t we just throw things into keep and chuck piles? Well, in theory that might sound logical, but you need to factor in other things such as items you might want to give to charity, items that you need to return to friends, items that need to be stored in another area of the house, and of course, those items you want to keep.
Sorting into categories is essential, or you will simply end up with two piles that seem even more overwhelming than the original clutter.
Sorting starts to bring some kind of sense to your de-clutter project and really cuts down on your workload toward the end of the project.
here are a number of different sorting methods and we are sure that one may resonate with you when working out how to actually sort your clutter.
The methods we have listed below are by no means a comprehensive list of every single type of sorting method; these are the methods that we have used and been most successful.
This method involves a number of tubs or large boxes labeled very simply; Donate, Throw, Keep. You may want to add a few more in such as “MOVE” , ie move to another room, ‘FAMILY” meaning that the items is going to be given or returned to a family member. Adding extra tubs is often useful when you are doing a really large Sort. However don’t get too carried away and create too many tubs! That could just as overwhelming as the clutter!
Create three tubs labeled, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.
“Yesterday” – is for all items that were relevant to your past life, but no longer have a place in your life now. The Yesterday tub can also be the garbage bin and/or the donate bin! “Today” –for all items that you need to keep because they are essential to your life today, right now in the present. Things that you use every day or at least every week. “Tomorrow” – are items that you would like to keep and most importantly, will use, in the future
Sounds a bit strange doesn’t it? However, this method is fantastic for people who really treat their belongings like friends or “people”.
Lay out 3 tubs and label as follows: Strangers, Acquaintances and Friends. “Strangers” – is for all those items you hardly ever use, see or are really that bothered about. These items really are strangers; your life has gone on perfectly well without them. “Acquaintances” – is for all items that you don’t see often but quite enjoy their company (or use) when you do. “Friends” – is for items that you really cherish, just like a true friend. These items are always useful, helpful and certainly required to help you in everyday life. They can also be special items given to you by important people in your life.
Who would have thought that de-clutter could involve a treasure hunt? This method is particularly good for those of you who are super-overwhelmed.
Lay out 2 tubs and label as follows: Hunted or Gathered. What do they mean?
“Hunted” – treasures you have hunted down in the space you are de-cluttering and you absolutely have to keep. “Gathered” – are items that are left behind
Don’t waste time, this is not the time to reminisce over photos or mementos. Handle each item once and don’t put it down until you have made your decision (“I don’t know” is not a decision).
How much stuff is going into the rubbish pile, this should be fastest growing pile when doing a sort. The bigger the rubbish pile, the less work for you later on.
Don’t stop until you are finished, and when you are, move all the items for rubbish or donation out of the house immediately. (You can put the donation items straight into the boot of your car.)
If you are working with family members and you can’t decide jointly what to do with a particular item, don’t argue about it now, set it to one side to calmly discuss later on.
If you hire a Professional Organiser to help you with your de-clutter project they may well have a different method entirely.
It really doesn’t matter which one you use, as long as you get the result or reach the goal you have set for yourself
]]>What does a regular day look like for you?
Monday to Friday for me are work days which are typically fast paced and demanding. I’m an early riser and more often than not, I’m also early to bed. I travel frequently for work and inside my role, my day can vary considerably. On the weekends, I like to operate at a very different pace; taking time to reconnect with friends and family and ground myself in the natural environment.
Do you feel as though you have enough ‘time to live’ in your week for things that you like doing?
No, not really. I’ve become more present to this recently and so I’m trying out different things to help make a difference in this area.
How do you manage work/life?
This is a work in progress for me as work and life become increasingly more fluid through the advent of technology /smart devices and what seems to be growing societal expectations of 24/7 accessibility. To help me achieve an equilibrium I’m comfortable with, I try to quarantine weekends as ‘my time’ and as such, I will only engage in work activity if its critical to the success of my employer, our customers or fellow team members. Everything else can wait until Monday.
What are three things you can’t live without?
Red wine, music and perfume.
Do you have any ‘guilty pleasures’ in regards to your time?
A traditional Thai foot massage combined with a neck and scalp massage is my go-to guilty pleasure.
Do you have any outside help?
Absolutely! I don’t have a problem asking for help when I need it.
How has having them changed your lifestyle for the better?
Asking for help gives me the ability to have time to do the other things in life that are important to me.
What next big exciting event is on your ‘list’?
Having relocated to 18 months ago after considerable time away, I’m enjoying re-discovering and all it has to offer. I’m particularly enjoying connecting with like-minded people and building my network by learning more about the local start-up scene and the growing support networks for fostering entrepreneurism. It’s an exciting time to be in and I’m keen to understand how I might be able to contribute in some small way.
]]>1. Clean the top and underneath the microwave.
2. Clean the shelf that the microwave sits on.
3. Clean the top of the fridge.
4. Clean the top of the cabinetry in the kitchen.
5. De-crumb the toaster! *This should be done weekly
These places are low on the “to do list” of regular household cleaning and over the year accumulate a lot of grease residue and crumbs; both can attract creepy crawlies to your kitchen.
6. Clean out your pantry, check for opened dry goods and expired items.
7. Clean the fridge and throw out anything passed its expiration date.
8. Line the bottom of your meat and vegetable trays with wax paper. When it needs replacing just throw it in the rubbish, or if it’s not stained with juices put it in the compost pile.
9. Clean the oven. If your oven racks are too big for the sink wash them in the bath or on the lawn.
Out of date or residue of out of date food is not something you need in your kitchen. Whilst cleaning out the fridge and oven may happen at other times of the year, not just Spring, it is a good time reminder to give it a thorough clean to make sure bacteria doesn’t have a chance to take hold.
10. Rotate mattresses and / or flip and vacuum.
Rotating mattresses is great for creating even wear – even better if you can take the mattress out into the sun for a day to get some fresh air into the fibre – vacuum to remove dust mites.
11. Clean dusty lampshades by rolling a lint remover over them.
12. Wash mini or Venetian blinds by putting the in the bath and rinse off with the shower hose.
Any activity that removes dust from the home, particularly the bedroom will increase the “health” of your house and those who live in it. Extremely dusty homes can lead to allergies.
13. Place winter clothes in plastic zip up bags after dry cleaning or hand washing. Prevent moths from attacking them by using vacuum packs or add mothballs.
14. If your bedroom walls are a neutral tone, try painting the wall behind the bed in a shade to match your mood of the new season.
15. Declutter bedside tables.
Nothing says Spring like a bit of decluttering and the bedside table is one such place clutter gathers. Put all the books that you “started” to read back on the shelf, put the medications back in the medicine cabinet and give the surface a good clean. Dust close to your face whilst you sleep is not a good thing.
16. Extra blankets and throws can be made up on a spare of guest bed.
This is a perfect solution if you are short on storage for blankets. If you have guess over the warmer seasons, fold them neatly at the base of the bed.
17. Tired of sticky or creaky drawer Runners? While you are giving your bedrooms the once over you should give these a little attention too.
Remove each drawer from the runners and clean and polish the back and sides well. Rub the runners with soap or dressmaker’s chalk. Unless the drawers are warped, the result should be smooth sliding drawers.
18. Change batteries to smoke detectors.
In fact you should change the batteries in your smoke detectors at the start of every season – don’t’ risk your families’ safety to flat batteries.
19. Every 3 years have electric blankets serviced by the manufacturer, and check the label as sometimes those with detachable controls are now washable.
Like all electrical appliances these will eventually fail, and it is a high risk appliance much like a heater. Tip: If you need to get rid of an old electric blanket, rip out the wires and give it to your local stables, perfect for horse blankets!
20. Clean out makeup drawers.
Unfortunately most make up doesn’t have used by dates, but as a rule, Concealer 12 months, Powders 2 years, Cream and Gel Cleaners 1 Year, Eye Line (if you can sharpen it regularly) will last around 3 years.
21. Wash Make up Brushes and Sponges
This should be done every few months, not once a year, but it is a timely reminder that brushes should be washed in mild detergent every 2-3 months and sponges should be washed weekly or simply discarded.
22. Clean out medicine cabinet and safely dispose of expired medicines.
A green way of disposing medications is to put old tablets and liquid medications into a dish of kitty litter or old ground coffee. This will ensure that no one accidentally take the medication. Never throw away medications in their original bottle as it may fall into the wrong hands.
23. Clean the bathroom extractor fan grill
This has probably had a lot of use over the winter and will be full of dust and fluff. Cleaning it out will make it run more efficiently and of course remove lots of dust from the bathrooms ventilation system.
24. Clean the shower heads
Rinse with a 50/50 solution of water and white vinegar. Rinse well. Unblock stubborn deposits in the holes with a needle. Will make you feel like you have a new shower and increase the life of the head.
25. After winter get your boots cleaned, resoled and heeled ready for next winter.
This is a great way to assess if the boots have seen their last season and save you a bit of storage space. I may also act as a reminder to look at the end of season sales to replace them.
26. For the boots you are keeping; keep them in shape
Inserting 1L soft drink bottles into each boot. For added padding put a couple of socks on the bottles. This will preserve the leather increase the life of your boots.
27. Clean out your handbags and rotate them for the season.
You might rotate your handbag daily, but like your shoes you should give them a little love and care. If they are leather give them a polish with shoe polish (most good boot makers will polish your handbags). Pull all the pockets inside out and clear all the crumbs and dust. Return them to their dust jackets if they have them.
28. Group your garments. To save time, arrange your trousers, coats, skirts, dresses etc in groups colour coding them as you go.
Seasonally edit your wardrobe. What’s taking up space and what do you need. Sell good designer garments on eBay or give good quality items to charity.
29. Arrange to have your Air conditioning serviced.
At the change of each season the filters need to be checked to ensure they are fresh and the unit isn’t drawing more power than it needs to efficiently heat or cool your home.
30. Outdoor furniture, check for wear and tear and repair or replace.
Inhibit mildew grown on outdoor plastic mesh furniture with 2 cups white vinegar and 2 tablespoon of liquid detergent in a bucket of water. Use a soft brush to work it into the grooves of the plastic and for scrubbing seat pads. Rinse with cold water and dry in the sun.
Clean cane garden furniture with 1 part white distilled vinegar and 1 part hot water. Place the chairs out in the hot sun if possible to dry.
31. Give your garden an instant face lift by covering the soil between plants with bark or mulch.
A great time to start preparing the garden, particularly if you’ve sewn bulbs in the Autumn!
32. Check the garden hoses and all attachments ready for summer watering.
A wheel rim attached to the wall of your garage or shed provides a perfect storage place for your hose and stops it getting tangled.
Place a piece of soap in the toe of old tights and tie to the hose fitting. You’ll always be able to find the sop for muddy hands after working in the garden.
33. Create your unique garden statue, buy a new one and make it look old.
Smear it with natural yoghurt and algae will quickly grow over it!
34. Get ready for summer pests.
Keep ants out, sprinkle powered red chilli pepper, paprika and dried peppermint, or borax where the ants are entering.
Check the fly screens for wear and tear and organise to have them replaced. Fly screens are a very inexpensive way of keeping summer bugs at bay!
35. Don’t just wash the car, vacuum it.
Even better if you can have your car professionally detailed. If you have kids in your car you know how much food and grit gets buried in the back seat. Avoid any nasty surprises and get in with the rubber gloves!
36. Wash the dog’s blanket
Add and add ½ cup white distilled vinegar to the final rinse cycle.
37. Give your best “furry” friend’s collar a wash.
Wash with a solution of baking soda dissolved in hot water to remove grease and grime. Soak nylon collars in a solution of equal parts baking soda and vinegar in hot water. The collar will soak clean in 15 minutes to half an hour.
38. Remove fur and lint from clothing from clothing and furniture.
Simply wipe a damp sponge over the item. Run your finger over the sponge and the unwanted fuzz will come off in a ball for easy disposal.
39. When you don’t think you can clean anymore….slide a sock over a wire hanger and use to dust hard to reach narrow areas such as a bookshelf and a wall or the back of a radiator.
…. and relax – it’s Spring!
]]>Picture this:
You’re on holiday in Bali and you’re sooooo relaxed and only need to focus on cocktails, romantic beach walks and your sun-kissed kids playing happily. This could totally be your reality forever. Then, a week later, you’re sad to leave Katut and those cocktails behind, but when you get home you know you’ll all have an amazing sleep in your own bed with clean sheets, ready for work tomorrow.
Now back to reality:
When you get home, your kids are tired and whingy… You just need to get inside then you’ll be ok. So, you drag your suitcases past the overflowing mailbox, over the crunchy lawn and open your front door to a waft of God-only-knows what! Is it a dead possum? Nope. It’s your freezer that’s been off since your power cut out on the Monday after you left.
Turns out your neighbour Dennis (not his real name!) had a stroke and has been in hospital so was unable to put your bin out so now you don’t even have any bin space for the rotting meat until next week. Dennis was also going to water the pots on your patio but they’re now wilted and are in serious need of attention. He did collect the mail for the first few days though, so now you have to figure out how to contact him to retrieve it
All this before you’ve even started your unpacking and washing
I know this sounds like a far fetched disaster, but actually, it’s not. This is a true story.
Turns out you don’t need a holiday to get over your holiday; you need a Concierge!
Leave your keys with us so we can check on it and deal with anything that arises, as it arises.
Amy Smith
Concierge
Finally, I had clarity. My husband is amazingly supportive and has always backed me no matter my choice, but at 35 I realised it was Time to start living. So straight away I got my whiteboard out and started a running list of all the things I wanted to do, soul fulfilling adventures which include a champagne seafood lunch in the waters of Bora Bora, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef and lunch with Richard Branson. Whilst I had made a start, how was I going to implement these dream adventures, well it started with my husband gifting me a Bucket List Journal which not only has a space to include an inspirational photo of my dream adventure, but a timeline of when I want to achieve this and how was it going to make me feel.
Sometimes our headspace is too busy doing the Do, rather than planning the what and when, a great reason why my client’s come to me as they are busy living their lives, and are able to achieve most things purely because someone else has done the planning.
Time for Me is a poorly used phrase, it is about stopping and doing something that will bring about a sense of calm where you get to do what makes you happy.
What’s on the top of your list?
Angela Shelton
The Concierge Collective
“It’s not the amount of time at work, but the amount of commitments that employees are conflicted by”
According to a recent global study, countries that have shortened their usual work hours to improve work-life balance have noticed that it has not made a positive impact. Interestingly, the percentage of employees who are reportedly unhappy with the conflicting work-life commitments has increased.
The findings are “give people more of something and it increases their expectations, which creates greater dissatisfaction when experiences do not meet their standards.”
I propose that perhaps it’s not the amount of time at work, but the amount of commitments that employees are conflicted by. Presumably they still have the same amount of work in their day job, then in the time they have regained for life, they are probably expecting to spend more time catching up with friends, starting that exercise program, joining in school activities, chauffeuring their children to and from activities, and noticing the jobs that need doing around the house.
All of these things take time, energy and head space.
What if the time they have been gifted by a shorter week was just better managed?
More time is a double edged sword when expectations are shuffled instead of reduced and expectations of gratitude are high.
What if instead of reducing the ordinary work hours, staff who are struggling to maintain work life balance are offered a service that gets things done for them? The things that weigh us down and distract us from reaching goals and potential. What if they had someone they could just send their to do list to, and instantly free up the head space? Now that sounds like a solution!
A Personal Concierge could provide a solution to this issue. An “old school PA”, who can take your to do list and cross off the distractions without the cost and commitment of staff. We are best placed to take care of the ebb and flow of your distractions, whatever they are, and create time for you to live, and most importantly, head space.
]]>Q.What does a regular day look like for you?
Being in sales, the priority is responding to our clients as quickly as possible and working with multiple time zones means the morning email time is essential. Client meetings and customer facing tasks are generally during business hours and I try to keep admin jobs early or late in the day. I am part of a national team so conference calls are also regular.
Q.Do you feel as though you have enough ‘time to live’ in your week for things that you like doing?
I discovered Pilates at the beginning of the year and though this means certain nights of the week I have to “push” to leave work on time, the hour of being in “the zone” rewards me with a completely clear head afterwards and find I’m a much better person at home & work.
Q.How do you manage work/life?
I need to work at maintaining the balance but recently have found a new focus on doing this and you know what – the world is still turning! For a long time, my husband and I were in the habit of talking to each other about what we had to do at work the next week on Sunday night! We were robbing ourselves of an entire weekend evening – we now make plans for movies or dinner out on Sunday nights and work talk is taboo!
Q. What are three things you can’t live without?
1. My husband (love of my life & essential support team)
2. Coffee in the morning
3. Laughing
Q. Do you have any ‘guilty pleasures’ in regards to your time?
When I travel for work, I always have a plan for getting some work done on board – I generally end up watching movies & reading magazines!
Q. Do you have any outside help?
Sometimes for work events I will engage a facilitator for extra support. At home, we are very happy to outsource various tasks we struggle finding time to do properly.
Q. How has having them changed your lifestyle for the better?
When using external assistance, the reduced stress & extra time reward far outweighs the costs.
Q. What next big exciting event is on your ‘list’?
A luxury holiday to Thailand & Singapore in November 16, the benefits of working for a global hotel & resort company!
]]>Whilst I love the countdown to Christmas, I am mixed with feelings of excitement and apprehension and while I feel like there is plenty of time, I realise that it is the end of October and the festive season is drawing nearer.
Lose the stress and start your planning early so that by the time Christmas comes around, all you have to do is pop the bubbles and have some fun.
Do you know what you need to get organised?
Fundamentally Christmas never changes, but it is the small things like creating a new menu, shall we go with the classic red, green and gold or what about some fun pinks and blues for the decorations that need consideration.
The one thing that gets forgotten are those little household handyman repairs, so by getting in early you don’t get caught out. A handyman can help hang your Christmas lights, clean your BBQ and entertainment area, so you can tick off multiple To Do items.
No time like the present to start creating your present list and this is where my love of online shopping comes into play. Be mindful of delivery times and get in early so you will be sure to receive your parcels in time. There will however be some gifts that are store bought, so set aside a day for gift shopping and indulge yourself with a new christmas outfit.
Take up any Free Gift Wrapping offered in shopping centres; it’s a saviour! When the last thing you want to stay up after the kids have gone to bed wishing you’d bough extra paper and cellotape!
And then before you know it, Christmas Eve is here and the festive cheer has settled all around you. This is the time to cherish without the pressures of organising last minute presents, this is time for you.
We’re seasoned organisers and have our handy checklists to get you started, so If it is all too much, we’re here to help.
]]>In July this year we launched our Corporate Concierge Service where organisations provide their employees with Concierge services as part of their employee benefits and wellness programme.
Imagine being about to flick your personal to do list to an expert after you put the kids to bed or on the bus on the way to the office. You arrive at work with a hot coffee and a clear head ready to start the day.
How often do you get distracted by those things ‘you really hope you get to do at lunchtime’ or stressed-out about the likelihood of the telco guy arriving closer to 8am than 12noon God-Willing! ….. all. the. time.
How cool would it be if you could have someone else take care of that for you – for nicks, nada, nothing?
Well, this is what we are doing – right now – everyday. Yesterday our Concierge picked up a wedding dress to have cleaned and boxed, the day before they were researching driving lessons for a clients teenage son (yikes) and before that, taking care of a car and kayak rental in. Yep, a Concierge does all that and more.
So when you think of Concierge, forget about the guy in the lobby who does tickets and taxi’s we are all about your lifestyle and everything that we can do to make it better. We are all about creating #timetolive
So you want in right? We thought so.
Perfect, but first we need your help. Let us know who we need to speak to at your workplace (someone in HR is a good place to start) about how we can add true value to your workplace.
PS If you are part of the leadership team, imagine how productive your team would be; you’ll be feeling the love from your people – we know, we’ve seen it happen.
*Services provided to employees through our Corporate Concierge programme are funded by the organisation meaning that employees do not pay for our service. Employees are liable for any costs associated with third party expenses.
]]>We always talk a lot about ‘one day I’m going to do x’, but want effort do we put into actually making it happen?
We know, life gets busy and our ‘must do’ list becomes more dream than reality. Thinking about this, I’ve come up with my own list. What would you put on yours?
The Office site of Times Square says it so enticingly “… as the clock nears midnight on December 31, the eyes of the world turn once more to the dazzling lights and bustling energy of Times Square. Anticipation runs high. The world holds its breath, and cheers as the clocks strike twelve.” Who doesn’t want to be a part of this, just once in their life.
Ever wanted to learn how to play chess or ski the Mountains of Hokkaido? It is about taking the first step and setting realistic expectations. It’s very easy to become frustrated and disheartened when you first start and it won’t happen overnight, but again it’s about making it part of your routine, chip away at it slowly.
What’s on your List? Maybe the The Hamilton Island Triathlon or walking the Great Wall of China? Easier said than done I know, but when you know your workout and exercise goal that is the key to staying motivated. And when you make fitness a part of your routine it becomes achievable. You could even turn this into an extended holiday.
What a fabulous opportunity to better understand other cultures and different ways of thinking. There has also been numerous studies across the globe that have linked the ability of leato mention it can be used as a stepping stone for when you jet off overseas for your dream holiday.
There is no doubt about it, even just the idea of going on a trip is enough to excite many people but this is The Holiday, the one you have been dreaming of for a very long time. There has to be a work life balance so that you can recharge, but who says it can’t be a working holiday. Go ahead, just book it!
]]>Senior Associate | Minter Ellison
President | Women Lawyers Association of Queensland
Winner | 2016 Emerging Leaders in the Legal Sector | Womens Agenda
Q. What does a regular day look like for you?
Alarm for 4.55am, gym from 5.35am to 6.30am. Breakfast at my desk, reading of newspapers and updating of social media until 7.30am. Days can be filled with meetings relating to (apart from work) Women Lawyers Association of Queensland, Squash Australia, and generally with legal students who have asked for a catch up. I try and leave the office by 5.30pm one day each week (or in Summer I use the “get home by sunset” timeframe). If I don’t have soccer coaching or training, or a meeting, in the office until about 7pm. I try and get to bed by 9.30pm, but that never happens as I am also doing my Masters of Law at the moment so my nights are taken up with reading.
Q. Do you feel as though you have enough ‘time to live’ in your week for things that you like doing?
Certainly do. I am all for scheduling in time for myself. Saturday morning is always “Cassandra time”. I go to boxing and then take myself out for breakfast and reading the Australian. I won’t lie, my days are jam packed but that is a choice I have made. I know I have the ability to say no to things, but at this stage in my life I would not have it any other way.
Q. How do you manage work/life?
I always find this difficult to answer. But I think it comes down to discipline. I know what commitments I have, I know where I need to be and when, so I make sure I just do it. As I said above, I am all for scheduling; I even do it for phone calls with my Dad!
Q. What are three things you can’t live without?
iPhone, parker pen and my mini soccer ball I am constantly throwing around the office.
Q. Do you have any ‘guilty pleasures’ in regards to your time?
Yes! If I don’t have a meeting, once I have grabbed my lunch I spend 10 minutes reading Daily Mail. It is good to take that time out and read something “light”.
Q. Do you have any outside help?
A cleaner, and I use Doctor’s Kitchen for meals (usually lunch and/or dinner).
Q. How has having them changed your lifestyle for the better?
Yes. There is nothing worse than dealing with the return to work stress of a Sunday night, while realising cleaning needs to be done. I say it’s an investment for my time.
The Doctor’s Kitchen meals has helped – I am not spending as much money at restaurants and buying lunch and it is certainly healthier. Given the way the meals are designed and who is involved, I cannot see ever getting a chef at home, despite some friends having that help. My propensity to skip meals has almost gone!
Q. What next big exciting event is on your ‘list’?
A number of things both professionally and personally! Personally, I am looking forward to learning how to run again (my leg was snapped in half playing soccer in mid-June 2016). Professionally, I am looking forward to what the next few months brings in my role as President of WLAQ. We have a number of initiatives that will be launched and I am excited to see how they will work in helping women in Queensland’s legal profession.
]]>When you ask your family, children or friends ‘how was 20016 for you?’ these holidays are you really taking the time to listen to what they have to say? Are you making use of the slower holiday-pace of living to truly listen, have conversations and connect with them?
We all love to chat about what we are going to do next year – what resolutions – ie what promises, we want to make. It is so exciting to erase the year past and to look forward to the future. We make commitments to improve our lives – that’s what resolutions are for right?
But why don’t we take a moment to look backwards before the clock strikes midnight on 31 December. What would a conversation sound like if we asked “What made me most anxious this year, could I have done things differently and if so what prevented it?”
Now, this is not a mission to start beating yourself up. Ask yourself …”How could I have we worked through that situation – how could we have handled it better – what are we going to do in the future to avoid certain situations in 2017?” What lessons can we take away from 2016 and bring with us into 2017?
This could be as basic as, I didn’t hit my exercise goals this year because I let work take over.
I wasn’t going to let my boss take advantage of me – I really wanted to step up but never felt I could
Your kids might say, I wish you had seen me score that awesome goal at soccer/netball
What are you missing out on because of demands from other people?
Being more connected over the break might give you some personal insights as to how you can truly embrace promised made for 2017 and deliver!
Go on – connect with your family and start the conversation.
]]>This has been an amazing development from the past options of part-time or full-time – take it or leave it. Any other solution was deemed ‘all too hard’ to administer and god-forbid pass the ‘is it fair’ test.
However, we have moved on and happily many companies have been able to develop a flexible work place to support the ever changing lifestyle needs of employees without any impact on their bottom line (because we get that is important too!).
But are we trying to create a fix-all with this one initiative?
There are many situations where offering a flexible work arrangement just doesn’t ‘fit’.
When a project reaches a critical point and it is a case of all hands on deck – a large matter is going to court or a major proposal had a deadline – working away from the team is just not practical.
Flexible arrangements is the only, less attractive, option, purely because of the lack of external support, they would much rather be at work with their cohort – in the middle of the buzz – but they can’t.
Continuity, some roles demand that one person is at the helm for the full duration of their ‘shift’ such as carer givers and educators.
A role that requires a lot of frequent yet irregular travel can be tough to implement flexibility.
So how do you manage these new challenges within your work place?
Ask. Ask your team what would be the most help to them? What would really make an impact and allow them to thrive at work?
Often it’s just the simple things that employees find overwhelming. The mental burden of having an extensive list of things that require attention outside their work responsibilities can be overwhelming. With little or no external support this can be a true stress-trigger. Not everyone has a spouse at home, a sister, nanny, or best friend who can help out.
Sometimes support for employees doesn’t need to be super complex, start with the fundamental needs of your people and see what results you can yield.
]]>The constant state of busy-ness together with a sense of complete overwhelm … and a side serve martyrdom, all adds to the inability to engage the help they need.
Some folks kinda like being busy, it gives them bragging rights in the busy stakes. God forbid they say, “actually life is pretty under control right now” – what would everyone think – but I digress.
Being too busy to outsource is akin to making sure the house is clean before the cleaners come. I must get everything organised, tidied up and a little clean before she arrives – I would hate them to think that I’m a grot.
Same for a concierge service, people think they have to sit and write their entire “to do” list, then they become concerned that we may not be able to do what they are asking and finally what if they don’t do it the same way you would.
*starts to pull hair out*
This is absolutely not the case at all, to start benefiting from outsourcing all you need to do is start with one thing – anything – and see how it goes.
Then, assess the result; did you get the outcome you wanted, did you feel better when you handed over the tasks and did it save you time? If that went well then outsource the next tasks, and then the next. Pretty simple huh? We don’t need an entire list to get started.
Worried we won’t know what to do? We’ll we’ve got 30+ years EA and 10+ years Concierge experienced so we know a thing or two about getting stuff done. We’ve managed 1000’s of requests from the mundane to the down-right bizarre! Those experiences have given us lots of insights into how to look at your request from every angle, ask questions you may not have through of and then tap into our plethora of connections and resources.
Finally, will we do the same way as you? Maybe, maybe not. We are outcome orientated so our focus is to get you to your end goal quickly, efficiently and in a cost-effective way. It doesn’t matter if we turned right rather than left, so long as the outcome is met then we’re good right?
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