Chris Barrow’s Blog

I paid my first visit to a gym last evening and noticed a lot of new and somewhat strained bodies about.

Then read my new clients’ weekly reports on Monday morning and noticed a lot of “started back at the gym” language.

So maybe the first of January does have an effect on people after all – New Year, new start and all that?

My own fitness training and general standards of health care definitely need to go up a notch – I’m entered for the London Marathon in April and have made the commitment to run with a friend. At the moment i would have trouble completing a half-marathon.

There is work to do here.

Well the last weekend has seen me make what could a momentous decision for 2005 and beyond.

You may recall that, a few months ago, I put out a request in the newsletter’s for a driver (in the UK) and a personal assistant to handle the domestic “niff naff and trivia” (NN&T) that bog me down when I do return to base for a few days.

I was blessed by 6 responses from readers who were interested in becoming the “Robin” to my “Batman” (if you get what I mean) but I had to take my time in thinking about this.

December was consumed with client recruitment, delivery of coaching and internal team issues and then the holiday break was upon us.

Client numbers are good but not quite as high as I would have wished – there is a lot of procrastination out there to do with dentists wondering what on earth Options for Change will “do to them” and Barbara has been working her butt off trying to gather clients in. We will hit our client recruitment targets for the year but probably from April rather than January – so we are being careful about expenses.

Jen has faced similar challenges in the USA, added to my own uncertainty about residency (still unresolved) and her own recent (and hopefully temporary) illness.

So I had to press the brake pedal on this project and allow January to come lumbering in – with a mind to restricted cash flows in the early part of the year as we will be building the client base further as 2005 unfolds.

Accordingly I have decided to:

1. Curtail the “driver” until I can afford to do it properly and
2. Sub-contract my personal organisational to a part-time personal assistant who specialises in helping people like me – but working to a tightly controlled budget.

Enter a new member of Team CB (as of this weekend) – Julie Pole, otherwise known as Miss Moneypenny (www.miss-moneypenny.net).

I first spoke to Julie at a presentation I gave to North West coaches a year or so ago and we have kind of kept in touch since then.

I met with Julie over the weekend and described my requirement – a personal assistant who take ALL of the domestic NN&T off my desk and just get it done – leaving me the weekends to rest, travel and think – instead of trying to catch up with laundry, light bulb repairs, sitting in call-waiting systems to get utilities fixed, organising travel – the list goes on.

We have decided to pilot the service on my for a while – see how it works, see how we work together and see what it costs.

I’ll keep you posted as to developments. I’m already feeling a sense of relief – Julie even offered to pick up some shopping for my 77-year old mother so that I don’t have to wander helplessly around a local supermarket looking for microwaveable bacon rashers (don’t ask).

I suppose the last 10 days have been a classic example of home office syndrome.

Every morning I woke at least two hours before the family (6 hours before the boys!) and wandered in to check my emails and see what’s happening.

I appreciate and apologise for the fact that I have intruded on some of your rest space – sorry.

It’s interesting that today, 2nd January 2005, is the first that I have not had any incoming mail.

It underlines why I do not want a home office if we ever get back to Florida – and also why I often spend weekends away from the English apartment because I get drawn in to the same syndrome there.

Is this a lack of self-discipline, poor boundaries? Maybe – I just find the physical presence of the computer and connection irresistible. Probably more based on fear and anxiety than anything else (OMG – I wonder if anything has gone wrong – crazy but true).

Later this morning I will drive away from Como and do not intend to be on-line or contactable again until probably Saturday/Sunday. Geneva, Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, the Eiger and a visit to Bastogne in Luxembourg are on my list. The mountains because of my interest in climbing (especially the Eiger, to see the famous North Face from Grindelwald) and retrace (visually!) Joe Simpson’s epic attempt.

The latter because I have been following the trials and tribulations of the USA 101st Airborne in my reading list recently and I’m fascinated to see where they were held under siege during WWII.

As you may have read in the blog, the trip has been somewhat complicated by the death, yesterday morning, of my Mum’s only brother. This may mean my altering my itinerary somewhat – we shall see.

As a result of this, I will be checking my cell phone messages, so in absolute emergency just leave a message on 07713 644437.

Anyways – I wish you all a fun week without me poking my oar in everywhere.

Thanks for all you are.

Back on 10th January for The Dental Business School’s first 2005 workshop and then three weeks on the road with Barbara and the dental clients.

Much love.

cb

Its a strange thing – after cracking a bottle of bubbly at midnight and offering the toast “good riddance to 2004″ my expectations for 2005 are high.

This morning my Mum called from the UK to inform me that her only brother, Bill Mellor, had passed away at the age of 78 this morning at 5.20am UK time.

All agree (as much as one can) that this was a blessed relief as he has suffered from a long and wasting illness. His wife and only son were with him at the passing.

My feelings go out to my cousin David because I know how much my own father’s death affected me in 1998 – a severe loss and an event which I have never really recovered from.

New Years Day – a time of endings as well as beginnings.

Here’s to the New Year.