We are thrilled to introduce our first guest blog post from Denise Delamain, Personal Assistant to the Managing Director of Hays London City & Midlands and winner of the London PA Award Above and Beyond Category 2017.
As support staff you spend lots of time arranging events for others to enjoy or develop themselves but hold on, what about us? Why shouldn’t we be developed and enjoy our worklife too?
It took me years to feel like that. I was content in my role and didn’t think I needed anything for myself. I’m just a PA and a single Mum – at work and at home everything was always about someone else. This year I’ve started a Business Admin NVQ, won a London PA award and now become part of a committee to relaunch our internal PA network. All these things were just not on my radar a year ago but once I started the NVQ and received amazing feedback from my tutor I decided the only thing holding me back was me. I needed to move out of my comfort zone and a little bit of discomfort is worth the outcome and feeling of satisfaction once you complete something you’ve never tried before.
This shouldn’t only apply to your professional life: do something that makes you happy every day. It doesn’t have to be much – a walk at lunchtime, picking up the phone to an old friend, a long bath; simple things. I find even just staring out of the train window on my way home counts, you’re all alone with your thoughts which gives you time to process what has happened during the day and make sure you don’t bring it home with you.
It’s really important to do things for yourself. You can grow resentful of others if you see their lives changing and growing around you and you are stuck in the same rut. Surround yourself with enablers; people who are inspiring, those who encourage and support you to be a better you. Leave the doubters behind and do what you want to do! You don’t have to make huge changes but it has to be something you want to do for yourself – something that you are passionate about. This in turn will spin back into your professional life making you more confident and able to offer more in your business.
I haven’t studied since leaving school at 16 and yet because of my NVQ I’ve had a personality change – almost! I’ve decided to say yes to anything that comes my way. I’ve said “Yes” to speaking at a networking event, I’ve said “Yes” to writing this blog and “Yes” to getting out more and meeting people. To everyone reading this I can highly recommend saying “Yes” to lots more things. It is quite freeing in a way as you don’t procrastinate over the pros and cons of a situation and deal with it as it happens. Forget about what others think of you and just go for it!
Essex PA Network works to promote the profiles of PAs, VAs and administrative support staff, and to help people make connections and to nurture their careers.