Okay, so this will be a pretty short blog post, but I just needed to get this out my head. Last week, I started to spiral. I’d been working most weekends, constantly thinking about what needs doing, deadlines, emails… and, of course, tax year end. And somehow, it suddenly felt like there was this huge pressure over me that hadn’t been there before.

I know a big part of why I was spiralling. I’ve written a post about it, which I’ll share on Friday. But if I’m honest, part of it went deeper than work. Deep down, I knew I wasn’t spending enough time with my boys, and that thought had been quietly lingering at the back of my mind for weeks. So over the last few days, I decided to take each of them out individually, just me and them. No big plans. Nothing fancy. I just wanted to go somewhere different and spend some proper time together, one-to-one. And you know what? I actually feel a lot better now, even though there’s still a ridiculous amount of work waiting for me.  

Jessie helped me untangle my thoughts on Friday. Poor Jessie, I was so wound up she must have been exhausted after our session. But it helped calm my mind. And then this weekend, I just made a decision: I can’t work. Not this weekend. There’s plenty I need to do, sure, but for my own well-being, I just can’t.

It’s so easy to lose sight of what really matters sometimes. Our minds scream that everything is urgent, but is it really? Is it really more important than connecting with the people you love, the people who give your life meaning?

People often talk about “work-life balance,” and honestly? I don’t think it exists perfectly. What does exist, though, is perspective. Because I don’t want to be the person who looks back and realises I was too busy to notice the small, ordinary moments with my boys. I don’t want regret to be the price I pay for productivity. I will never get this version of them back. These ages. These conversations. Work can wait. That never-ending to-do list can wait. But these moments can’t.

So here’s the thing: sometimes, you just need to step away. Step away from the stress, the work, the pressure. Slow down. Be present. Focus on the people and moments that actually matter. For me that meant spending some proper time with my boys - wandering around, talking about things I barely understand (Jujutsu Kaisen, anyone?), and just being together in the moment.

Sometimes, the most important productivity isn’t about work at all, it’s about life. 🩷