Over the last year or so, I have come to realise that we should all be doing more of what we love.

I realise that’s nothing new. There are memes all over the t’interweb telling us that. We know. We get it.

But for me, the “AHA!” moment hit when I did some soul-searching and realised that the reverse is also true. That it’s ok to admit that this thing I’ve been trying to do for the last 5 years…

The thing I’d also done ten years ago and hated…

The thing I tried to do again because I really should be able to do it….

… it’s ok to admit that I’m just not very good at that thing. I really don’t enjoy it. Worse still, it actually makes me ill.

So perhaps for me it’s not so much “do more of what you love”, but more “do less of what causes you crippling anxiety and stress”.

Duh. *Facepalm*

Let me explain.

I have always enjoyed getting stuff done. I take great satisfaction from finding the most efficient way of doing things, whether that be when cooking dinner or coming up with a process for managing a complex higher education admissions system. For me, it’s not just about getting whatever needs doing done to a high standard; it’s also about getting whatever needs doing done as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Until one day, on my way to the kitchen at work (I remember this moment so clearly), I stopped and asked myself: “What is all this rushing actually FOR? Yes, I’m saving a few minutes here and there, but what am I doing with the time I’ve saved?”

I was hit by a realisation so blindingly obvious that I couldn’t understand why it hadn’t occurred to me before.

If you follow me on Facebook, you might be wondering why I post about slowing down so often on a page that’s meant to be about my Virtual Assistant-ness. Let me explain...

There were lots of things about my last 'proper' job that I loved, but when the relentless pressure started to feel.... well...a little too relentless, I decided to make a change. I started my own VA business because I’d had enough of feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.  I made a conscious choice to put my strengths - and my default “let me help you with that” setting - to good use.