Tuesday 11 December 2007

Message of the Week Fourteen

I‘ve been thinking about my Mum and Dad a lot recently. They brought me up in a working class home, to believe in family, the work ethic, discipline and service. They taught me that I had responsibilities to my family, my community and to others and that is how I live my life...

It has been another hectic week... I started the week having breakfast with Maxine Room, the Principal at Park Lane College and ended it having tea with the Wetherby primary headteachers and Chairs of Governors. I had the usual round of meetings with Cabinet, Cllr Brett, Cllr Harker, Ros Vahey and Dirk Gilleard, David McDermott, Rosie Denison, Bob Vince and Adrian Ringrose from Interserve, Gabby Harris from the Artz Academy and the North East Governors at their area meeting In between we have been wrestling with the Joint Area Review, sustainable schools and recycling and the 14 – 19 review. The highlights of the week were lunch with colleagues from the Families and Schools Together Team, the University of Leeds Student Volunteering Awards, my visit to Meadowfield Primary School and Benton Park School's Celebration of Success Evening.

It's funny how much the world of work engulfs our lives…. I daren’t count the hours I spend working, and the mobile phone, PDA and the internet simply blur the edges between work and life. My doctor is constantly telling me to slow down. It's sad really that many people tell me that the only reason they work is to earn a living. It's not the same for me... this is above all a pasionate enterprise we are engaged in and too important to just be a job. We need to ensure that we all work hard but we must at the same time look after ourselves and our relationships... put simply we need to have a life! This coming week make sure that you go out and enjoy yourself. Use your time well, whatever you do do something creative, imaginative and stimulating. But also make sure that you spend time with those you love and care about and ensure that you find space for yourself.

Whatever you are doing this week enjoy yourself, focus on work but also focus on the priorities in your life and get a life!
Chris

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