Time Indeed Flies So Fast

Originally published on 20 February 2011.

It is now past the middle of February and my initial posting for this blog is already long over due.  2010 was a good year for me, I should say, but not very challenging as in the past years.  I am so used to working.  I was happily and gainfully employed for 31 years in one of the most prestigious commercial banks in the Philippines. I was still surpassing (not just hitting) the targets set by management.  I was still enjoying receiving very high targets, confident that I will attain them. I was still enjoying leading, managing and motivating my people.  I was still enjoying receiving a good pay for what I was doing for the bank.  But, for personal reasons, I had to quit my work.  And, quitting while one is still at the top is really hard.  Time and again, I had to convince myself that the decision to leave the bank was right.  It was a choice between my career and my personal life. 

Since 2008 until the end of 2010, I felt that my life was not as challenging as it was before.  Of course, the readers would say that this depends on my definition of challenging. It’s weird because most of us want to quit work to get rid of the stresses and pressures we get from it but I kind of miss them after my resignation from the bank.  I felt that I can still manage some pressures and endure some stresses.  Aside from this, I felt I was not productive as I was before.  Again, challenging and being productive would depend on one’s definition of them.  For those who are working or who have been working for a long time, I am sure you would agree with me when I say that my definition of being productive is something where I can collect payments after fulfilling or submitting my deliverables.  Being employed was a steady source of the 15^th/30^th income and quarterly bonuses.

Though I did a lot of planning before I left the bank: psychologically, emotionally, and,  most of all, financially,  I would admit that it wasn’t so easy to accept that quitting while I was still at the top is better than quitting when you are at the bottom.  It was kind of a difficult adjustment for me.  I never thought that it would be that difficult.  Thanks to my husband and my daughters for their continuous understanding, support, and love.  

Time really flies so fast.  I started planning for 2011 during the last week of December 2010 but until now, I haven’t even written my plans yet and the things I have to accomplish this year.  They are all in my head, though, but I am not used to having them just there.  I am starting to cram.  What I usually do is to write on a long bond paper my plans using the bold tip of a pen and paste it on the mirror of my bathroom.  This way I get reminded (everyday!) of the things I have to accomplish.  Anyway, aside from this, I break the plans into several items and prepare a schedule per month.  Just like what we do in the bank during the last quarter of each year.  I also did my budget (financial) planning for 2011 during the last quarter of 2010.  Obviously, I am a very systematic person when it comes to goals and financial planning.  This way I don’t get to worry about many things.  I know if we are overspending or not.  These perfectly serve as our guide for the entire year.

I have to cut this for now.  I have so many things in mind but I will try to break them into parts so that each part will be something interesting to read.  I created this blog-site to share with my friends, relatives and the readers my thoughts, reflections, musings…  on everyday life.