I’m not joking. She said, “How long does it usually take to write a blog for the UnAwards website?”. I bobbed my head for a bit, thinking, before replying “About two hours, give or take.” It was then her turn to have a good think, but I already knew what was coming. “Could you write it for me please? I’ve got some other work I need to catch up on.”
by Harry Loney
“No problem,” I said. “What you working on?”
She hesitated. “Honestly, I want to watch the Barbie movie. I just need a break.”
I couldn’t argue with this. We all need breaks, and sometimes it’s to do some strategising, finish some employee assessments or just to watch a good movie. So here I am, writing a blog for her, which is my job anyway. At Sorted, we take on tasks like this to free up time for our clients. But it got me wondering – what else could you do in two hours? “A-ha!” I thought to myself. “I feel a listicle coming on!”
Top 10 things you could do in two hours instead of writing your blog
10: Clean your inbox
Let’s be honest, your inbox is probably a mess. Unread emails, unanswered emails and how many unsent drafts? Take back two hours and spend time getting everything in order, and you can start tomorrow with a clean slate.
9: Lunch with a colleague
Lunch at your desk whilst working is not something recommended by health professionals or, due to crumbs in keyboards, IT managers. So, take a longer lunch and spend it reconnecting with colleagues. Networking doesn’t just happen at events; it happens at work, every day. Make the most of the expertise around you and see where it takes your life and career.
8: Take a stroll outside
Whether you’re at home or in the office, getting outside during the day is beneficial to your physical and mental health. It’s even better if you have a person for company or, even better than that, a dog! It could be a walk round the local park or just along the road and back. Taking time to be outside and existing in a world outside of work is really important to avoid burnout.
7: Start a new project
Sometimes, when faced with a blank screen, we panic and look for something else to do instead. It can be hard to write the first few words of a project. Where do you start? It might be that thinking about this leads you onto other things you should be doing and those get prioritised instead. However, try to set aside some time. Just. Start. Writing. It gets easier as you go and before you know it, you’ll be on your way. And if you struggle, you can always give us a call at Sorted Communications for some help.
6: Learn how to whistle with your fingers
Have you ever wanted to be a shepherd? I have, but only in the warmer months and without having to leave my house or touch any sheep. So, I learned to whistle loudly with my fingers, and you can too! Check out this video.
5: Do some blue sky thinking
Creativity and innovation can regularly be put on the back burner when faced with competing deadlines to actually deliver work. However, that’s why Sorted Communications is here. We take your deliverables and we… well… deliver them. This frees up your time to undertake novel thinking about future strategy, staff priorities and marketing plans. Think how much you could do with just two hours of free thinking time.
4: Run a marathon
The men’s world record for running a marathon is currently two hours and thirty five seconds. That’s 35 seconds too long – get your running shoes and see how much better you can do.
3: Have a long bath
If you’ve just run a sub-two-hour marathon, a long bath is probably high on your to-do list. However, taking some time for yourself, without the bother of anyone else, is important for your health. Scroll on Facebook, read a book, or just relax with some lavender scented oils, safe in the knowledge that your work is being done by us and you are prepping yourself for the next big challenge.
2: Prepare for your meeting
Do you prepare enough for all your meetings? Perhaps you find yourself dashing from one meeting room to the next, or clicking on myriad Teams links trying to find the correct faces. Let us give you some time back by writing for you, and you can be organised with everything you need for your meetings throughout the day.
1: Family time
It’s regularly said that the most important thing to a child isn’t money – it’s time. Are you struggling to give enough time to your kids or partner? We probably all find this difficult to do now and again. It can be hard to do when our work life is so busy and stressful. Sorted Communications can take the load off and allow you more time with those you love. After all, we want to work to live, not live to work, don’t we?
Final bonus inclusion: The boss said Barbie was really good and you should all watch it. It was one hour and fifty-four minutes long, so she had six bonus minutes. I told her to go whistle and am now facing HR disciplinary action.
If you want some time back, Sorted Communications can help with your writing, editing, proofreading or design projects such as blogs, articles, press releases, case studies, interviews, reports etc. Let’s talk – just get in touch with your requirements: projects@sortedcomms.co.uk
UnAwards attendees can also claim 25% off our ‘Flexible’ 50-hours package. Just mention ‘UnAwards discount’ when you get in touch. www.SortedComms.co.uk
Harry Loney is communications manager at Sorted Communications Ltd
Sorted Communications are an official sponsor of the UnAwards 2023
*Sign up for the comms2point0 eMag*
The comms2point0 eMag features exclusive new content, free give-aways, special offers, first dibs on new events and much, much more.
Sound good? Join over 3.4k other comms people who have subscribed. You can sign up to it right here
