secretary day. That's my day! My profession is secretary. part time. No
duo job. No, it's me trying to keep all the secretarial balls in the air in “my region”. The other half of the time I try to keep everything running at home. I'll show you that a secretary and a mother seem to have quite a few similarities.
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Some find this combination spicy. Others take it a bit easy. And I? I
just do it. I like it and find it all basically one pot wet! How? Read through and find out that being a secretary in my case has many similarities
with the home front.
Let me start at the beginning. I work for a large family business. Its roots are in South Limburg. Once upon a time there was an enterprising father who started a small business. Later his sons came to work for him. The company has since become an internationally operating holding company and a grandson has joined the board of directors.
Although I'm not related, it kind of feels that way. Finally, I work for one of their
companies. I also met my great love here. He works for the same holding company.
We have now set up a “small business” together:our own home!
Four mornings a week I work as a secretary for a number of managers, or “my” men. They ensure that the facades of our customers are sparkling clean within our region. So they are on the road a lot. I try to make sure that everything goes on behind the scenes. It is no different at home as you can read in the comparisons below.
As promised, here are the similarities between my work as a secretary and my 'job' as a mother.
As a secretary I manage the agenda of “my” men. I schedule the appointments. As efficient
as possible. As little travel time as possible may be lost and I combine where necessary.
It's no different at home. Training sessions, play dates and (children's) parties are all
accurately coordinated. Our own appointments are planned around the music lessons and
sports competitions of the children so that we also have quality time with the family.
A flower for a colleague's birthday, a card for a sick employee. As a
secretary you know better than anyone who should receive which present. For any
occasion.
Mum also arranges the birthday cards at home. Or a bunch of flowers
for grandma who is always ready. And let's not forget the presents for the parties.
A phone call to a relationship to check how things are going, a cup of coffee with that colleague who needs to tell his story, it's all-in the job!
A call to a friend who is having a hard time. Planning a drink date with friends we haven't seen in a long time. This is also on my to-do list at home.
Reserve a hotel stay for one of “my” men, a business lunch or dinner.
Arrange a barbecue, drink or meeting. That's my job.
Of course, this also continues at home. Organizing a children's party or girlfriend's evening, the reservations of a restaurant or hotel. This is also my domain within our family.
I see a lot of e-mails coming in and there are quite a few outgoing e-mails from me.
On behalf of myself, of course, but also on behalf of “my” men. A “slip of the pen” is not
desirable!
At home, this goes through in one effort. Emails to and from school go through my inbox, just like correspondence to music lessons or health insurance.
Discretion is “my middle name”. Some of the emails I see are quite confidential. Like the secrets of my fellow mothers, all confidential information is safe with me.
You must keep certain things that you hear or see within the company to yourself. And believe me, as a secretary you hear and see a lot. Very much. Of course, some things do need to be told. You make this choice based on gut feeling and not from a script.
At home it is sometimes very useful to keep certain secrets between you and your child, or between you and the teacher. Dads or children sometimes better not know everything.
Because I work part-time, I have to be flexible on a regular basis. If there is a meeting in the afternoon, I shift my hours. At home then automatically. Does that bunch of flowers come in handy for grandma ! Just like for my love, I am also not always available for "my" men. Quite difficult.
That's why I sometimes take a phone call or send an email outside working hours.
The other way around as well. During working hours, a doctor's appointment is sometimes made or a private app is read from lief.
As befits a good family (business), lunch is taken together. I arrange the
messages. Just like at home, I decide what's on the table. But I also go out for
plants, crockery or office supplies. For my work family as well as for my
own family. Lucky for both families:I love the sale!
Twice a year I am honored for my services. On both Mother's Day
and secretary day I'm "shining"! On both days I always get a present. Really not necessary at all, but very sweet. I'm just doing my thing. And usually with great pleasure. There doesn't have to be a special day like secretary day for that, but it is fun!
This year I'm not getting any flowers on secretary day. On behalf of one of the “padres de familia”
my secretary-sisters and I are offered lunch. We will have a chat with all the secretaries of the various companies while enjoying a snack and drink.
Compare it to the lunches I regularly have with my dear fellow mothers. Then we catch up with each other about the home front, we brag about our children and complain about the household.
The secretary lunch will be no different. We exchange tips, whine about some
downsides and catch up on the latest company news. Because there is plenty to
tell. Some of “my” men are like children:sometimes you can stick them behind the wallpaper, but you can't live without them!
