Adventures of a Laura: New Year; New Job!

This week I started my new job after five weeks of unemployment. Last year I was on a part time temporary contract and commuting 125 miles a day. This year I am on a full time permanent contract, commuting at most 20 miles a day (but more like 10). I can FEEL the life/work balance coming!

I have started working as a Project Officer with The Conservation Volunteers (TCV). I will be leading volunteer work parties carrying out conservation tasks and food growing projects. I will also be helping with large scale projects later in the year. I am anxious about starting a new role but I am excited for what the next few months will hold and the things I’ll be working on.

The biggest thing I have really noticed this week is that I have absolutely no idea what to do with all this time I now have. I am no longer spending 3.5 hours (minimum) in the car each day on the M42. While part of me misses the drive (my driving playlist is well good), I reached a point where I just couldn’t do it anymore. Now it gets to around 7pm in the evening and I just don’t know what to do. I haven’t really had free time, evening time, a social life, or anything while I’ve been commuting and I’m determined to start having that again – but seriously, what do people do?!

So this week, in my evening time I have:

× Started hula hooping again

× Had a bath at 5:20pm (it felt very indulgent)

× Watched movies

× Actually made and had dinner from scratch (a massive improvement on last year where I would just skip dinner completely as I couldn’t be bothered to make anything)

× Crocheted – I have finished another section of Cosmic CAL and I am caught up on my temperature blanket. I also picked up Sweet Caroline CAL to do a few rounds on

× Spent proper quality time with David

This month is going to be a financial struggle as at the end of January I will have had two months without an income, so I am living off my overdraft. Hopefully from next month I will have that fabled “disposable income” I hear so much about, and I will be able to go out for meals! See my friends! Go to gigs! Buy new clothes! Ugh, it is so weirdly brilliant to me that I'm not spending £250 a month on petrol anymore.

I am so excited. I loved working at Rushcliffe but the life/work balance thing was none existent. This year I am determined to get it back.