Junior Magazine – One year on as Editor

Where has the last year gone? I know we say it over and over when a new baby arrives about time going fast but really this last year has whizzed by for me work wise.

This time last year I started as Editor at Junior Magazine – and the last 12 months has meant changes, not only on the work front but, for me learning to juggle being a working mum (although part-time), getting into a routine with he school run and generally trying to do it all.

One thing I have learnt in my first year working at Junior is that you really cannot do it all. I really don’t understand where the saying ‘you can’t have it all’ comes from because to be honest I don’t want to. I just want to be able to do a good job at work, at home and here on my blog. That being said I quickly realised you cannot do it all.

So, for a little while my blog suffered – which I’m really trying to sort that now. And, daily, seriously, I try to get better at my work, life, school run, mum, wife, laundry pile, house admin stuff.

The thing is I am kinda an ‘all or nothing’ kinda girl. I have to give something my all otherwise what’s the point? So, I threw myself into my role at Junior and I think its paid off. I am going to toot my own horn here a little bit because… well, I’m damn proud of what I have done.

Besides giving this heritage magazine brand some much needed TLC – I care so much about the legacy of Junior as did my predecessor and I want to continue this. I’ve really tried to raise the brand awareness, lift the social following and continue to build on the established Junior Design Awards programme.

You can go to work day in and day out and hope our doing the best you can and sometime this gets noticed and sometimes, sadly it doesn’t. I felt like this towards the end at my previous company where I was for 15 years. But, at Junior or more correctly at Immediate Media I feel I have finally been noticed.

As I was beyond thrilled to be nominated for our company awards for Best Newcomer – and not only that – I went and WON! This was a massive personal high for me and really cemented how finding a job that you love, that suits your life at that moment and where you are genuinely happy to go each day is a privilege. What’s the saying?

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”

This got me thinking about the other things I have learnt about myself and my career since I started working at Junior Magazine – want to hear them?

• Being treated like an adult really has helped my confidence. In previous jobs I often felt I was treated like a ‘child’ and it kinda makes you act like one.
• Loving, caring and being passionate about what you do is the only way.
• Having a supportive team, an understanding manager and the powers that be – WANT to help you learn, improve and grow is good for everyone, not just you.
• Being respected and trusted to do the job you were hired to do rather than being told ‘you can’t do this job’ (even if you have been doing it for many years) is good for the soul and your productivity.
• Working with fellow parents means everyone understands when you need to work through lunch so you can leave early, that appointments come up and snow days happen.
• That working part-time is not really part-time. Especially in creative roles, learning to say no and not trying to do, go and be at everything is key.
• This also goes for emails, phones calls and social media – you have to have a cut-off point where work ends and life begins. This has meant I’ve have to learn to stop checking my phone and I’m working towards switching it off at a set time or on weekends/holidays.
• Getting dressed up for work and putting on make-up has moved up my priority list some what. This means I am putting myself first now and again – and finding my work style again.
• To take my lunch break. When I was working from home I never really did this – but getting outside, meeting a friend or even popping to the shops in that precious hour means you can beat that PM slump.
• Commuting sucks. No matter how I wrap it up getting from A-B is the worst part of the day but I am trying to use this time to do something that I love – read. I haven’t really read that much since having my daughter and I want to make use of this time.

So, I’m going to be bold and say “Happy 1st Work Birthday” to me!