A Juggle of Jobs - What do I actually do?!

If you’ve been reading my blogs for a while, you may have discovered my previous blog ‘My Next Career Steps’, where I talk about my previous position in the financial services and my desire to have more freedom for training. So, one year after I left my position, what do I actually do?

 I wish that I could answer this question with a simple answer but that’s simply not the case. The self-employed career I have made revolves around 8 different jobs, with multiple organisations.

 Priorities First – Training

 At the forefront of my reasoning for a career change, was the need to train and even now, that is my priority. It’s always a balance between having enough time to train, rest but then also have a stable financial position to be able to train!

 In January 2018, I was very fortunate to form a relationship with Essity, the parent company of some fantastic brands such as Tena and Cushelle.  I have the honour of educating and speaking with members both internally and externally within Essity. I am extremely grateful to the support that Essity continues to give me and I am very proud to represent a brand that is clearly working towards making people’s lives better.

Being an athlete isn’t all about the training don’t forget: It’s allocating time to organise your diet, events, booking travel and accommodation for events as well as sharing on various social media channels to inspire others.

 Passion Second – Speaking Engagements

 As well as speaking on behalf of Essity at conferences, I also do a lot of work within schools, colleges and organisations as a motivational/public speaker. Travelling frequently to speak, I thoroughly enjoy speaking about a number of different topics including disability, sport, LGB, transgender training, discrimination and accessibility.

 Recently, I have been performing speeches for an NHS trust, focusing on creating an inclusive environment for their staff and patients. This is certainly an area that I really enjoy. Previously purely relying on self-referrals, I often spend my ‘free time’ looking through my emails for potential speaking opportunities.

 Don’t forget to get in touch if you feel that your organisation could benefit from a speech! 

Money While You Sleep – Air Bnb

 For those of you who may not be aware of Air Bnb, it’s essentially using your home/spare room as a hotel! It can be very hard work with demanding guests however, as I travel frequently with work, it allows for financial rewards while I sleep/compete.

 As an owner of a 1-bedroom flat, in order to rent out the bedroom, I sleep on the sofa bed while my guests have my bedroom. It’s a big price to pay but I’m so busy that I hardly notice my guests and I’m often training in the evenings. On average, I tend to have my flat booked out 80-90% of the month so I’m very used to “sofa-life.” If I’m away competing, I also rent out the whole flat, which is fantastic.

 I get to meet some incredible people and pay my bills at the same time – what more could you wish for?!

 Keeping Up Skills – Accounting

 As a trained accountant, who also hated being stuck behind a desk full-time, I now only just do a few days a month of accounting just to keep my skills ticking over. I like being part of an office environment for a few days a month and it’s great because I can wear shorts whenever I wish (every day)!

 Social Skills – Part Time in a Shop

 After moving to Hampshire, just three years ago, I realised that I didn’t know any other young or local people. As a self-employed individual, I spend a lot of time on my own so I wanted to gain a position where I felt my social skills would be used. After having passion for the products from LUSH, I gained a position as a sales assistant and have since made some great friends.

 For just 8 hours a week, either over one or two days, I am in the shop helping customers and making local friends. From LUSH, I met my best friend and some other great people.

 Helping Others – Life Coaching

 I started life coaching a few years ago after a number of followers identified a need. With just a few clients to start, but growing, I help individuals with a number of issues in order for them to fully fulfil their potential. It’s very rewarding work as it’s fantastic to see the progression of others and I love having a personal connection with my clients.

 Maintaining Professional Standards  - Personal Training

 Mostly online coaching-based, I offer personal training sessions to clients who are wishing to progress with their sport, nutrition or general fitness. Working on a sliding scale of affordability, I like to offer, mostly adaptive individuals, a chance to improve their situation. As you can imagine, it’s a very rewarding opportunity, which I thoroughly enjoy.

 A Snippet in the Corporate World

Working as a administrator consultant, I get an insight into the corporate world as I work with a few small organisations to improve their processes and ensure that they are meeting various legal requirements. Although it might sound boring, it can be really exciting as every day and every company is different. As well as administration consultancy, I also work on their social media platforms to help engage their market through marketing and branding.

A Brighter Future - Amputee Research

 If you follow my social media accounts, you may have seen that I am often involved with PhD and MSc studies. The studies are mostly looking at either prosthetics, stump structure or biological differences in limbs – really interesting work which is essential to make a better life for those with limb loss.

 AND THAT’S IT!

 Being an athlete, being a successful person goes far beyond material value. Am I busy? Yes. Am I challenged? Yes. Do I thoroughly enjoy what I do? Yes. It’s busy, it’s hectic, it’s difficult to balance and it’s certainly not your average job(s) but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’m happy, I’m healthy and I am myself – nothing else matters.