My ideal portfolio career day

Today was one of those days where I said to myself ‘I’m really lucky – I’m living the life I wanted to live when I dreamt of having a portfolio career’.  I thought a post was in order to mark the occasion as there will no doubt be days where I don’t feel like that at all.

Spud like me having a portfolio career

I was at my desk by 8am, tried but happy after a productive evening’s teaching and catching a few hours with my lovely husband the day before, during an otherwise very busy week for both of us. That lovely, crisp, pure morning light of early Spring was streaming through the blinds in my study. I checked a few emails and scheduled in timeslots for some writing and editing projects I was commissioned for earlier in the week. I then got on with some follow up from meetings with new clients. After a couple of hours I took our dog, Spud for a quick walk. He’s a happy dog, probably because since we got him a few years’ ago I’ve always been a home-worker so he rarely wants for company. It’s a real pleasure to watch him run around Epping Forest, which we’re fortunate is on our doorstep.

I then trundled down the road to meet up with a former colleague from my old nine to five job for a quick coffee. We swapped stories of post-regular-employee life and exchanged handy contacts and ideas. I then made by way down to the library and spent a few hours there researching community mediation for a project I’m working on. Then, for a change of scenery, I checked out a new local café for a spot of lunch while tapping away at my laptop and Blackberry. After that I happily trotted home, enjoying the sun on my back and then set about finishing up some writing for the afternoon.

At about 6pm my Mum called and we had a nice natter. Then I happily kept working into the evening as my husband (a teacher) had a parents' evening at school. It sounds a simple enough day, I know, and others recently have been more glamorous and exciting, others much busier and full-on.

Today just felt to me like the sort of balance that portfolio career life can offer. Not every day is like this but it's lovely when it is and there's enough time to have a productive day but also to do a bit of that all-important stopping and staring and being grateful. I used to think it was a distant dream but now that’s how my life is and I just wanted to say to any aspiring portfolio careerists out there who have a similar dream – only you can make it happen and I promise it will be well worth the effort on days like these.