Why I Quit My Job | Journal
18 August 2016
Leeds, UK
This post is going to be reeeeaaaaaaallllly long. The minute I left school, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Work in a standard nine-to-five and continue my passion for blogging while earning a steady wage. Well, after a year of that life; I decided to give it up.
I remember the moment I applied, it was December 2014, and by January 2015, I was a Customer Service Advisor in the Head Office for one of the biggest building societies in the country. The job seems ideal at first, but I found it very difficult to fit in. After a month, I figured the team and managers are like this with all the newbies, eventually they'll be my good friends and going to work will feel like The Office. I was wrong. As my time there progressed, I began to realise I really don't fit in with this team and the managers have made it very clear they don't appreciate my work. But, this is common in workplaces so I continued working.
When I was hired, I was a temporary member of staff for three months. To my leaving date, I never finished as a temp, my contract was just "extended" every so often, even though I didn't receive anything in writing to confirm this. In my view, as long as I'm getting paid, I'm happy to work. As ISA season rolled in, the workloads became unnaturally heavy and it was obvious the entire investments department didn't have a clue what was going on. After having the most successful ISA of 2015, this particular company didn't plan work thousands of pieces of work to flood in, which resulted in more temps being hired and staff moved all over the place.
I was treated like a slave and workout from 7am to 6pm, with one break and plenty to do. Others didn't do as much as I did but they still one achievement awards. I was denied holidays and opportunities because my manager didn't like me or appreciate my skill. After a while, I sensed this isn't right. I approached HR and they did absolutely NOTHING.
It was hard to handle the harsh reality of the nine-to-five, and the even harsh reality of dirty and unprofessional businesses. During the summer, there was no work - as in I would sit and stare at my lock screen all day. During the winter and spring, work would flood in and it seems to startle the managers every year even though it's a building society... of course ISA season will be busy. No one was ever prepared, and the department was incredibly corrupt. Managers had favourites, seniors were inappropriate with temps and the entire team would argue and gossip all day. How it still stands today is beyond me, thank goodness I never opened my own account with them.
My mood was greatly affected by work, and friends and family began to notice. It started with headaches, and they were never subtle. The headaches were from the moment I woke up until the second I fell asleep. Nothing could shift the pain, and doctors put this down to stress and tension. In general, I was never in a good mood and unenthusiastic about everything - even Chris Evans. I never looked forward to the day and each moment was a countdown to 5pm. I'm a strong believer in happiness and doing whatever makes you smile. This job is the one thing that stopped me from smiling. Joking about an evil boss and nosey coworkers is fine, but dreading everything about employment is not normal.
In many situations, quitting a job isn't an option, and this is something I considered all the time. "I bet there are loads of people that hate their job" was my reasoning and stopped me from crying at my desk every morning. However, I slowly realised, I have the option to leave this place and if it makes me so unhappy, why don't I take it? It's silly for me to feel guilty (even though I still do) about the circumstances of other people when there's nothing I could do to change them.
After a long chat and plenty of tea, my mum and I constructed my resignation letter and I handed it in the next day. I can tell you, the moment I handed that letter in, my mood lifted. Towards the end of my notice period, the headaches went away. Even though my boss started to act nicely towards me because she knew the one employee who banks millions a day, would be gone.
I now work with my mum, helping her to build her two amazing charities, Clothing Solutions & Beaneezy - please give their Facebook pages a like if you can, it would really help us! I've never been happier and can not blog basically all the time, and avoid the tension headaches and 6am trains to Leeds.
Have you ever quit a job?
Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation | Review
15 August 2016
Leeds, UK
For as long as I’ve been wearing makeup, I’ve struggled to
find a good foundation. There have been some that work really well, but are
slightly too dark, a little too light or have the wrong tones in. I’ve even
mixed foundations to see if that works, but it is way too much effort for an
early morning. My skin has also become a lot oilier since suffering from acne, which
will also be due to the increase in moisturisers and creams I use on my face. After
a while of struggling, I almost stormed into Debenhams in search of a new
foundation.
My first stop was MAC, an obvious choice because it seems to
be one of the most popular makeup brands in the world. One of the first reasons
I didn’t buy from MAC is because the assistants are incredibly rude – they didn’t even help me! I asked for the most mattifying
foundation and the young woman showed me some eyeliner. So immediately, I
walked off and was kindly greeted by Lizzie at the Estée Lauder booth.
“What’s your most mattifying foundation?” I asked. Well,
this was the beginning of something special. After using the foundation finder
I received the best-selling Double
Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup foundation, skipping home to try it out. My first
impressions are really good, I like how well the product spreads and the
medium-to-full coverage it provides. The great thing is, that you can build on
each layer of the foundation, to provide full coverage. I used a brush to apply
the liquid foundation, and one thing I’ve found is that it doesn’t stick to the
fibres of the brush, making the brush easier to wash and the foundation easier
to apply.
Estée Lauder promises the Stay-in-Place Makeup (SPF 10 – bonus!)
has the ability to stay flawless for fifteen hours; through heat, humidity and
non-stop activity. So far, so good. I’ve used the foundation during a busy work
day, with and without powder, and it’s managed to stay in place the entire
time. The best thing about Double Wear is that I never have to top up, which
means I’m never worrying about creasing or any coming off. It was quite common
for previous foundation to come off on clothes, and as I have dark skin, I
never wore any white. Times have changed. Now I have Double Wear, I can wear
what I want!
The only downside to the foundation is the price, it is
£31.00 per bottle, quite steep in my opinion. I’m not much of a spender, so
when I have to really splash out on something it’s worth it. I’m on my first
bottle, so depending on how long it lasts, I’ll decide if I’d like another. The
lid is very simple but doesn’t have any sort of applicator inside, so it’s all
down to you. Luckily, not a lot of product stays in the lid (unless you tip the
bottle upside down), so I just tip a little only my hand – apparently you’re
not supposed to but it works for me.
My rating: LIFE CHANGING
I have to give this product five stars as it’s become my holy grail of makeup products. There are a crazy amount of shades available, and with the foundation finder – it must be impossible not to find the one for you. It’s without a doubt the greatest foundation I’ve ever used, no wonder it’s the best selling in the UK! Despite the opening, I love everything about this foundation, especially the way it dries so perfectly and can be applied even easier. The price is totally worth the product, and it’s Estée Lauder – how can I say no.
Have you tried out this foundation? What did you think?
How I Became a Morning Person
11 August 2016
Bingley, UK
A lot of the posts on Anika May begin with “I’m very lazy”, and honestly that hasn’t changed. I still like laying around and doing nothing. When I was working full time, I was never (ever) a morning person; in fact I dreaded the sound of an alarm each daybreak before the same routine into a chilly train station and miserable march to the workplace with a whole bunch of strangers. Since changing my environment, I’ve found it beneficial to get up earlier and get used to it, giving me more hours in the day and a head start on the healthy lifestyle I’m aiming for.
A protein-filled breakfast
I could easily have a bagel, pilled with Nutella and
marshmallows for breakfast everyday but I know it’s not the best start.
Although it tastes great, it’s stodgy, fatty food that only makes me lethargic and
feel even lazier. Not only am I introducing myself to a firmer diet (which I’ll
be documenting), but discouraging my love for no-no foods. A new breakfast
cereal I’m becoming obsessed with is Weetabix – super simple. I could easily
make a fancy Instagram-worthy acai bowl, but I just don’t have the time on a
morning and I like something warm too.
Yoga, pilates and running
I’m growing more towards working out, but it’s still not my
favourite thing in the world. I like to motivate myself using Pinterest boards
and YouTube videos, some of my favourites include Yoga With Adriene, Blogilates and Fitness Blender. Working
out in the morning gives me energy for the day, and a much better mind-set. I
can listen to my favourite tunes while watching the sunrise and warm up easily
in the winter. I used to work out in the evenings which meant taking off my
makeup from the day and lazily doing sit ups until I ended up on my phone – not
anymore.
Pep talks
Don’t get me wrong, waking up at 6am or before is not stress-free.
Especially during the winter months when it’s a lot darker at that time in the
morning. Although my body clock has adjusted now, I really struggled to abandon
the warmth of my humble bed. To this day, I still have to give myself around 10
minutes to actually come round for a night’s sleep, but in the beginning it was
all about pep talks. Pep talks lead to motivation and that’s the best method
for me to actually start moving. Giving myself a real reason, really helped me to get up… “Let’s do this.”
Extra time
I’m forever complaining about the lack of time in a day. Sometimes
there’s just so much to do and never enough time to do it! One of the biggest
benefits of becoming a morning person is having the extra few hours in a day. I
don’t work out every day so being able to get up and hop onto the computer to
schedule a blog post of finish the odd report is so much better than lazily lying
in bed trying type with one eye shut. The sense of accomplishment after a long
day is unbeatable.
A better diet
As mentioned earlier, I’m really trying to bring in a newer,
healthier diet and waking up earlier is incredibly advantageous. In the
morning, I don’t eat an enormous meal so I’m already feeling better. Lunches
can be a bit of a hit or miss, sometimes I just really need a burger.
However, as I go to bed earlier, I never want to fall asleep on a full stomach
so my dinners are much lighter – a massive improvement. I still need to work on
the Sunday roasts… but I’m getting there.
Warm baths and showers
Isn’t being cosy just the best? Whether it’s day or night, a
steamy shower is just what I need. I love to go all out when it comes to baths,
and usually take them before bed if I have the time. Baths are amazingly relaxing,
especially with a solid playlist and scented candles everywhere. A shower is
the perfect wake-up call, as long as you can bare stepping into the ice cold
artic that is anywhere outside of the bubble of happiness.
Rewards and treats
It can be really hard to get up sometimes, really really hard. I don’t always like it, but
know it needs to be done. On the days where leaving the duvet seems impossible,
but I managed to get through it, I give myself a little prize. Why not? On
occasion, it may be a cheat meal, or rather a new dress from ASOS – just something
to make me smile. It’s so important to treat yourself whenever you can, and I
much prefer to do it when I feel like I have actually done something reward-worthy.
If I plan a treat in advance, it helps put me to bed on time too.
Are you a morning person?
A Little Like Goes A Long Way
9 August 2016
Bradford, UK
Many of my followers already know this (mainly because I
never shut up on Twitter), but
this year, I quit my full time job and started working part time to make life a
little easier and blog more frequently. Since quitting the worst job in the
world, I have been working for two amazing charities that help the community in
an awesome way.
Along with my mum, we run two charities, Clothing Solutions
and Beaneezy. Although both
these organisations have been operating for quite a while, we have recently
launched social accounts for them and are working really hard to re-launch the
Clothing Solutions website. One social network in particular we have been
putting our focus on is Facebook. Personally, I was never a big fan of
Facebook, but it's proven as a really easy way for customers to be able to find
our charities. Check out the Twitter pages for Clothing Solutions & Beaneezy too!
Want to know what the charities do? Well, Clothing Solutions
(for Disabled People) is a registered charity that designs and alters clothing
for disabled people. It's very difficult for some people with a disability to
find clothing that fits them just right, or clothing that they can wear and put
on by themselves, allowing them more fashion freedom. Clothing Solutions also
designs bespoke accessories such as bibs, hats and even slippers to suit
everyone's needs. Using a unique computer system, our customers are able to
have their very own design and finally wear any piece of clothing they choose.
Many of our
happy customers wouldn't having the correct fitting or comfortable clothing
if Clothing Solutions wasn't able to create and adapt for them!
Beaneezy
began as a group of beanbags within Clothing Solutions, and slowly grew into
its own charity. Beaneezy has a line of beanbag
products available for an amazing price, but can also create unique and
bespoke beanbags and cushions to suit the needs of all our customers. Recently,
Beaneezy just completed an enormous order of our most popular beanbag, the
Large V Arm Support for some of the biggest organisations in the country,
including NHS, British Red Cross and MacMillan Caring Locally. Beaneezy is also
able to produce memory foam cushions for our customers, out of some our cosiest
fabrics. Beaneezy has also become immensely popular for athletes, children and new and feeding mothers too!
Clothing
Solutions and Beaneezy
both have Facebook and Twitter pages which really need the support of more
people. We don't receive government funding, so it's very important to us that
we can spread the word through social media and keep our work alive. We rely
solely on the donations of our lovely customers and wonderful funders, but aim
to get our Facebook pages to at least 100
likes... and we're halfway there! With more likes, the pages are able to
show up in search results and customers can find out details easier. The charities are not just for disabled people, children and elderly people love our products too! 
So, if you have the time, pretty (pretty) please could you
pop over to the pages and hit the little like button? And feel free to invite
others, the more the merrier! We have plenty of photos and information on
social media, which is updated regularly! 
Clothing Solutions Facebook Page Beaneezy Facebook Page
Each like or follow means so very much, and is incredibly
appreciated.
Thanks!
Super Lazy Day | Wishlist
3 August 2016
Ilkley, West Yorkshire
The T by Alexander Wang tank top looks like it's the perfect tee for lounging around in. I don't tend to explore colour when it comes to a lazy day because I don't really have anyone to impress, nor do I need to stand out - so the simpler the better. This sleeveless piece is a linen blend, which means it's guaranteed coziness. Similarly, the Old Navy shorts look crazy comfortable! I've had them in my 'liked' list on Polyvore for as long as I can remember, and have always decided I will one day feature them in a wishlist. Although I have heard a few bloggers and vloggers discuss Old Navy and buy from there, I've never bought anything from the site myself. After having a brief browse, I think the store has the potential to be a new favourite! The clothes look to be a of really high quality, and are available for amazing prices. As much as I adore tracksuit bottoms and leggings, shorts are an ideal alternative because it means I can totally and completely surround myself with blankets upon blankets.
Anyone that follows my blog, knows that I am totally and completely obsessed with stationary. It's actually kind of scary. I once considered even signing up to a stationary subscription box, but sadly £40 a month was just a little too high for me. The Campus Gifts notebook is one item I would love to own. I think the font is really cool, and stands out well against the darker text. The phrase is unique and something I've never seen printed before; the large book would be amazing for jotting down blog post ideas or even write out posts on a snug day at home. I'm a huge fan of UGG boots, despite knowing a lot of people don't like them. Personally, I don't mind the style and love how warm they keep my feet. When I spotted the UGG Australia Knit Slippers, I knew they had to be featured on a cushy-themed wishlist. From wearing UGG boots for years on end, it must be made certain that these slippers must be crazy cosy. The colour suits this overall wishlist brilliantly, and although the price is high, I'm sure I could make an exception.
To check out the rest of items in this wishlist, click here!
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