Pop quiz! Where can you find a group who go from discussing business to food choices to miscarriages and relationships? The answer is the Assist Network Podcast Club. The range of topics we discuss is endless and to be perfectly honest, the podcasts we listen to loosely hold our discussions together. Within our groups we have company directors, freelancers, sole traders, employees and consultants. You could not find this group of women anywhere else – except the Assist Book Club!
This time around we were listening to ‘Steven Bartlett – Diary of a CEO’ and ‘Deliciously Ella’ as we explored the idea of ‘Work/Life Balance’. It’s a topic that literally every wellness practitioner will talk about because for a lot of us women, it is the root of a huge amount of stress. Interestingly each of these podcasts took a very different approach. Steven Bartlett’s podcast seem to come armed with a whole host of ‘if you’re not willing to sacrifice everything, you probably won’t make it’ tid-bits. This really spoke to me! For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be in charge of a company and as performing arts has been my one true love all my life (don’t tell my dog!) it seemed clear to me that I would run a performing arts company. I have always come at my work with a ‘career first, everything else second’ mentality. I once told a chap that he would “never be as important as my career” – pro tip – not a great ice breaker on a first date!! Also, listing yourself as a female company director on Tinder will distinctly decrease your matches!
Listening to Steven made me feel somewhat guilty, because in recent years I have started to prioritise other things over work, I’ve even replaced myself for shows so I can attend birthday parties, something I would NEVER have dreamed of doing at 21! The great thing about this group of women though, is that there is no judgement and listening to all of them discuss their tips for Work/Life balance, they were a lot more in line with Deliciously Ella, who is also vastly successful but also enjoys a huge amount of family time. It was so amazing to listen to these women talk about how difficult it is for us, as the traditional maternal figures at home, to allow ourselves time just for us. As a woman who lives alone and has no plans for children, I have always thought to myself that I have no excuse to not be working every hour that God sends, because surely Work/Life balance is for working mums? Right? Wrong!! Everything the mums of the groups said was the same as those whose children were grown up or who didn’t have children. So why am I still giving myself a hard time every time I take a break from the laptop to have a walk or a coffee with a friend?
Debate is a huge part of our Podcast Club, but what is fascinating about this club in particular is that although we’re all from different backgrounds, work places, etc. we all seem to take something different from each Podcast. I have yet to experience a group with anyone who feels they gained nothing from our Podcast choices – although if anyone reading this has felt like that and was too polite to tell us, please WhatsApp me and say, I always want to hear feedback and I am not easily offended – the range of topics for the podcasts has been discussed and we have some really cool stuff to discuss in the way that only the Assist Tribe can!
Anyone who has spent more than 5 minutes with me, knows that I talk too much, I often say the wrong thing, usually because the idea is formed in my head but only half of the thought comes out. My boyfriend tells me that I have half a conversation in my head before I speak! I have strong opinions, I get overly excited and I am LOUD! In any other group, I would be ostracised, in Assist I have been embraced. Join us! Next topic is all about being a boss woman and self-teaching. It’s gonna a very interesting discussion. It always is.
Big love,
Joanna xx
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