Lessons from a nine-day fortnight

At the start of this year, I asked to switch to a nine-day fortnight. Technically, it's part-time but my favourite description of it is most-time. I've had every other Friday off and it's been my work experiment for 2018.

I've been curious about working less for some time. 2017 was especially busy, with extra responsibilities and travel. So when I was asked to work on a short-term project at the end of last year, it seemed like a good time to ask for my ideal hours.

Originally, I planned to use the extra day each fortnight to work on my blog and pitch stories to my favourite food magazines. But the time off also taught me some things about myself that I didn't anticipate. I wanted to share them here:

1. It made me get my finances in order

When I opted to work a day less every fortnight, I was given two options: work an extra hour on the days I was in to make up the time, or take a pay cut. I wanted more time for myself, so I decided to earn a bit less.

In between working full-time and transitioning to most-time, there was the Christmas break, which helped me prepare. I bought a copy of The Barefoot Investor.... and felt a bit embarrassed about it! But it helped me set up a system that kept my spending in check. If you're curious, it's essentially this: you set up automatic transfers that allocate different percentages of your pay to everyday expenses, long-term and short-term savings, as well as spending money.

Over summer, I got rid of my credit card and stuck to the amounts that were allocated for each category. It helped me manage the change in income (a privilege in its own right), while still saving.

Two small adjustments: I now buy gifts that are less extravagant (but no less thoughtful I hope!), and 90% of the books I read are reserved and borrowed from the library.

2. I learnt how to relax

I have a habit of packing a lot into my weekends. Usually they're a mix of things that have to be done (food shopping and meal prep), and fun stuff like trying out new recipes, seeing family and friends, and doing yoga. Trying to fit it all in means that sometimes I'm exhausted by Sunday afternoon.

Having an extra day meant that I could do all of these things and still have some spare time. Early on, I used this time to pitch stories, and apply for an exciting-looking job that popped up. When I interviewed for that job and got it, my focus for the year shifted.

I put less pressure on myself to be creative or productive on my long weekends. Having that extra time helped me see that being well rested helped me feel happier, clear-headed and possibly more creative overall.

It's also changed my expectations of regular two day weekends, which are now less about getting everything done and more about finding things that can wait or be dropped completely. It might sound silly but I've gone from trying at least three new recipes each weekend to cooking once or twice and spending the rest of the time reading, walking and watching movies.

3. I never thought about quitting my job

There have been moments in the past few years where my life has mainly been about work. And so when I've not been enjoying it, or when there have been some big changes like a restructure, it's had a huge impact on my outlook on life and sense of self.

At its most extreme, I considered doing something else altogether. I read books and listened to podcasts about entrepreneurship and overcoming fear. I'd quiz friends who ran their own businesses or freelanced about how they did it. I had this feeling that there was a better way to work and have a life.

Working less shifted the balance in my life ever so slightly. It coincided with my sister's move to Canberra, which made catching up with her and supporting her family in small ways easy. Another highlight was regular brunch dates with my friend who went on maternity leave, and then spending time with her and her newborn baby.

4. And maybe most surprising of all... it didn't need to be a permanent thing

When I started working a little less, I hoped to do it for a year to really give it a go. But lately, I've had a strong sense that I'm ready to return to full-time work, excited about it even. Having some time off has given me time to think, rest, read and get my energy back.

I would totally do it again if it's something I need. Even having the courage to ask several managers for the option (and getting their approval) has let me know that it's a possibility, and one that comes with no judgement.

As of this month, I'm heading back to full-time work. I'm excited... and a bit nervous too. I'll keep you posted :)

A mind trick

My friend Irini introduced me to a sweet little saying that's been keeping small worries at bay. It's super short: the universe decides.

For a champion worrier like myself, it's a good reminder not to stress too much about the things I have little control of - or can't change.

And while we started using it when we were planning a trip we both wanted take but couldn't quite commit to, I've found that it applies to so many other parts of my life, big and small.

P.S I've been experimenting with the Headspace app this week. I'm four days in and enjoying the guided meditations - and the super cute animated vids that explain how it all works!

Remedies

Whenever things get a bit crazy, I have a sudden urge to bake a cake. It's almost always a sign to take a breather. Yesterday, I decided to take the afternoon off to do just that.

I walked into the city after lunch to stock up on supplies, caught the bus home, and started work on a dark chocolate olive oil cake. It didn't look like much when it came out of the oven (I also kept wondering... would it be too olive-oily?) but later that night with a scoop of yoghurt and some berries, it was perfect.

A few hours away from the office helped me realised that as things have gotten busier, I've given up on some of the no-brainer things that keep me sane - like riding my bike. This morning, encouraged by the re-opening of a bike path cafe near my work, I hopped on my bike. I left time for a coffee and a chapter of my book (I'm reading this at the moment), and patted the cafe's pet pug Pudding, who wandered hopefully between customers, in search of a treat.

Two quick things - here's the amazing cake I discovered last year, when I hit a similar busy patch. I also have my eye on Simple Fare, the cookbook that the chocolate cake comes from.

P.S This week I've come to see just how hard the same-sex marriage debate and vote has been on some of my friends. If you can lend an ear, share some cake, take your friend out for something totally distracting - please, please do. X

Canberra bus shelter cake

I made a cake in the shape of a Canberra bus shelter this week for a special city-wide bake off. The theme was Canberra icons, and I decided to make a concrete bus shelter because I'd worked on a story about them earlier in the year and fallen in love with their unusual round design. It also happened to be a super simple cake shape. Here's how it came together:

I wanted the cake to be sturdy so I baked and froze three white chocolate mud cakes on a quiet weekend while Gilmore Girls played in the background. I doubled the recipe and ended up with heaps of leftover batter, so there were cupcakes too.

The last time I made a novelty cake (a rubber ducky no less) it was rushed and messy, so this time I was a bit more organised. Earlier in the week Tony helped me sketch out the basic details of the cake, working from my bus shelter mug. He also mixed the colours for the fondant while I traced the shapes I needed and cut them out.

The next night I iced and assembled the cake with Rocky 3 was playing in the background (Tony's choice). It was surprisingly straightforward, mainly because I followed Joy the Baker's excellent how-to-frost-a-cake tutorial which meant the usual things that go wrong didn't. Eye of the Tiger helped too ;)

My office was hosting a mini bake-off that was part of the bigger event, so somehow I had to get my very tall and heavy cake to work. This was not a good way of transporting it. It almost slid into my lap at the very first turn even though Tony was driving very carefully. The rest of the drive was tense. Thankfully I had a giant sheet of baking paper to gingerly hold it in place. Next time I'm investing in a fancy box.

And here's what it looked like on the inside - like a wedding cake! Because it was such a giant cake, plenty of my work friends wrapped up slices to take home to their partners and kids. It reminded me of the slices of birthday cake I used to carry home from parties, wrapped up in napkins.

The Canberra-themed bake off was in support of PANDSI, a local post and antenatal depression support service. Supporting women's mental health is so important to me and you don't have to donate money to make a difference. Sometimes it can be as simple as texting a friend to say hi, organising an afternoon walk with your neighbour or dropping off a meal to a family member that can help difficult conversations begin.

A big brave change

When someone dear to me passes away it sparks a revelation about how they lived, which is why I was so intrigued by what my friend Kate decided to do shortly after we lost our friend Erina. 

I met Kate and Erina when I was fresh out of uni, we worked together for a few years on a current affairs show based in Sydney. Now Kate lives in Wollongong with her partner Lucas and their two little girls, Grace and Sophie, and she’s just started studying to be a personal trainer. It’s a pretty big shift from being in the media, and I couldn’t help asking how losing Erina prompted the shift, and how it’s going so far.