Office Hours

e-blogging

Have you ever tried blogging at the office, during office hours? - If you answer no, then you've been missing a thrill. You should try office blogging, imagine how tempting it is to sit on your desk, open your email processor and punch away on the keyboard, I bet you could blog all day long and your boss would not as much as cast a glance at you? of course s/he will think you are emailing a work colleague. E-blogging (publishing blogs by email) is fascinating, the end result is even more appealing - compose your blog as your email body, format as required, specify a subject as the blog title, enter your blogspot email address, hit the send button and get your blog automatically published.

My excitement here is not limited to the adrenalin rush derived from the risk involved in office hour blogging, I 'm also excited that I can get to blog conveniently when ideas are out of my head, fresh and still brewing hot. My advice, however, is to not try blogging at the office if you are struggling with your deadlines, workload or time management.

You see, in terms of performance, I am at my peak during the office hours; fresh and creative, devoid of writer's block. I can just sit down quietly and let my heart out on my machine. If, like me, you always have burning questions on your mind (some of which only God can answer) then you might understand me better. I never intended my blogs to be some sort of a diary of everyday event – no, I wanted to blog my heart out, let the heat on my machine and purge my mind of all burdening life puzzles that I try to find answers to. I am hoping these office hours blogging will bring out the bloggersopher in me.

Burnt Out

I feel so tired after office hours these days that the only thing I want after work is to lay down and sleep. I've been wondering why this is so, prior to coming to the UK, I worked in Abuja, Naija for 5 years and didn't experience (or failed to notice) these after-work fatigue. I can only begin to ponder on these:

• Am I doing more work here in the UK than back in Nigeria - Absolutely No.? as I also worked for International NGO in Abuja and had a similar job description
• Does commuting to work here require a lot more physical stress than back home in Nigeria? Again I would say 'No'. Back in Naija, I drive about 1 hour to work. Here, I just hop on the bus and get to work 15 minutes later
• Do I eat less now? No, my dieting has improved tremendously in this last year. (I'm renowned for skipping meals because I am either too busy with work or cant be bothered to cook)

My ex-boss (british) broke down completely a couple of months ago from exhaustion. He is a good guy and we all (all of us on the finance desk) like him. The department (always) had too much to do and we worked round the clock, as the director, my boss packed on extra responsibities and got completely burnt-out. He was seriously ill for about a month and after recuperation attended therapy sessions before he was nursed back to good health. He left the organization afterwards.
Having seen the effects of over-work and stress, I'm quick to take things slowly and steadily these days. I am learning to:

• Maintain the right work/life balance
• Relax and get enough rest
• Eat even more
• Switch off work completely once I get home
• Go out more often and socialise
• Plan my time and work more effectively and efficiently

Back home in Africa, millions of people work daily without the hope of either a good holiday a quality rest. I wonder how we survive, has poverty given us a thick skin? or did God thoughen us Himself for these challenges? Some of my burning questions.

Today's funny event: My desk at work overlooks the street, looking down a few minutes ago, A woman, whose clamped vehicle was being towed away (for wrong packing), jumped on the towing vehicle and wouldnt come down unless her car was released. I wish I knew how it was eventually resolved, same thing happened to my colleague at the same spot, he paid a penalty of 200 sterling

On a good note: 200 sterling will feed 6 Sudanese orphans for 30 days (Sorry! Remember I work in the charity sector)