Update – June 2016

This weekend I decided to sit and write my June update for you all. So much has happened over the last 6 months, and even the last month and I wanted to share as much as I could of that with you.

I have been travelling a lot, speaking at events for lawyers and law students on social media and blogging, and the benefits of these. I have been running lots of training sessions on these topics as well, as well as writing lots of content for law firms, whether that is blog content or website content.

The last few months I have also been writing social media strategies, content strategies and also speaking on panels. As well as managing a couple of social media platforms.

I have also been helping lawyers, law firms and law students with their LinkedIn profiles and company pages. I have been creating reports containing ways to improve your engagement as an individual or company. I have been rewriting summaries, and also company pages, and showcase pages. I absolutely love helping lawyers with improving their LinkedIn pages both individually and their company profiles. LinkedIn is a great resource for sharing news and updates, making connections, potentially finding jobs, and lots more!

Read my full update here.

I have also travelled a lot as mentioned above and there will be the odd blog post going out about my travels, such as must sees in various locations, and some of my business travel tips. Don’t worry though, this blog won’t be turning into too much of a lifestyle blog, just sharing the odd insight in between my law related posts. Places I have been to for work so far this year: The Hague, Berlin and Barcelona. Places I am going to this year: Hong Kong, Melbourne, Boston and Washington DC.

By way of a random update can you believe that it is exactly a year ago since I spent 3 weeks exploring the west coast of America. I had an amazing time and will try and reshare some links to posts and photos over the coming weeks, especially the amazing law related things I got up to, such as The California Women’s Law Center – Pursuit of Justice Awards, Alcatraz, visiting Santa Barbara Courthouse to name a few.

Don’t forget to hit the subscribe button so that you never miss a newsletter or important update. I have a big update coming this week which I am extremely excited to share with you all.

Let me know if there is anything else you would like to know about the work I do.. how I run the sessions? locations? Costs?

Rebecca x

Why everyone needs to take some time out?

Time out is crucial, whether you are a student, parent, company owner, employee etc.

I am very conscious that I spend a considerable amount of time working, blogging and studying, and this is something I have done for many many years. However, since running my own company it is so easy to get into the habit of working 24/7.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not moaning about that, I love my job and I love working and being able to work to my own schedule, but sometimes it takes over.

I am someone that finds it very hard to switch off, and stop working. I am that girl that will respond to emails late at night sometimes and will get into a full blown conversation with clients, I am the girl that will be writing content for clients on a Saturday and Sunday – and once again, that is my choice and the reality of working and I am fine with that, and the geek inside me actually loves it.

I love my job, and I love what I do, and the ability to work when I like (which seems to be most of the time!). I am also aware that this is the same for most people, whether they are employed or self-employed, it is just a matter of fact and whilst I am not complaining about working long hours (it was my choice, and it still is) it really is important to take some time out.

I have always been a hard worker and that won’t change, and whilst I am happy with my working patterns, I don’t mind working late nights and weekends, every once in a while it is great to switch off and have a proper weekend to yourself. Not even a weekend, even just a day or an evening, where you can put the phone away, the laptop (or in my case my Mac), disable emails if you need to do so, and just be you.

Do the things you enjoy doing, catching up on boxsets, going out for dinner, having people over, have a duvet evening, run a bath, do nothing, – do whatever it is that makes you you, and make sure the focus is on you and not your work or job.

I am strong believer in taking some time out, and whilst I am not very good at doing that myself, whenever I do, I am always so much more productive for it. It never impacts negatively on my work, and very often I come away with some new ideas as well!

It is far better to take 1 day, 1 evening or a weekend out a month, where you say no to work, you put everything work related to one side and just switch off. So often you see people reach that burn out point, where they are over worked, stressed, unhappy, tired and that impacts on home life as well as work life. Wouldn’t it be better if we didn’t let ourselves get to that point, where our bodies are forcing us to take a break?

Schedule in some time if you need to, where you can be you, do the things you love, and not feel guilty that you are not working! I am going to be making a conscious effort to do this more often.

I will also be sharing some of my top tips and some of things I do to switch off so keep an eye out for that soon.

Rebecca x

CenterParcs – a weekend away to switch off and spend time with the family.

I am so excited for this weekend, I am just off to CenterParcs (Eleven Forest) for a long weekend with my mum, two sisters and Benji the dog.

Elveden Forest CenterParcs (taken from CP website)

When we were younger we used to go there a lot, and I went 2 years ago with friends. I always find CenterParcs a great place to switch off from the world. When I was there 2 years ago I couldn’t get phone signal. and the wifi was limited to restaurant areas (and it wasn’t very good), so I am not sure if I will have signal to share photos on my Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or Snapchat accounts (Snapchat name: rebeccaalice91).

I will update you all on my return with photos, stories and some of the things we got up to whilst we were there. I am so excited to spend a long weekend with everyone, as the 4 of us haven’t been away together in over 8 years!

The ‘out of office’ is on, something I rarely do, but I typically tend to work weekends, and I thought at least this way I do not have to worry about emails Friday-Monday, and part of me is hoping I don’t get signal/wifi so that I don’t notice how many emails are coming in, and I won’t be tempted to quickly respond.

Wellies packed, blog posts scheduled, it must be time to leave soon?

I am heading off in about half an hour and will meet my mum, sisters and Benji there for a day of exploring before we can check in to our lodge.

Expect lots of blog posts, photos and stories to follow. CenterParcs really is one of those places where you can relax, get active and just make the most of being outdoors, in a home from home environment. Whether you cook your own meals or eat out, spend all day partaking in the various sports activities or just lounging around watching TV and Films in your lodge, playing crazy golf or bowling, going on lots of walks and enjoying the animals that surround the forest, or making the most of the subtropical swimming paradise (which I love because it is so warm!) and having a giggle on the rapids – you always seem to have a brilliant weekend, come away feeling relaxed – and it makes a great location for blog posts and photos!

Have a brilliant weekend everyone.

Rebecca x

Loyola Law School | 2016 Fashion Law Summer Intensive Program

I am so excited to say that I am off to Los Angeles, and more specifically Loyola Law School for their 2016 Fashion Law Summer Intensive Program(me). Excited is an understatement right now. So I will be heading to LA at the end of June, and coming back mid August.

You may remember that at the start of the year I wrote a blog post introducing Fashion Law and potential scope for that in the UK, you can read it here if you haven’t. I do have a keen interest in exploring the topic of Fashion Law and to be able to learn in the US is amazing.

Fashion Law Summer Intensive Program

Loyola Law School run a number of fashion law related courses and programmes, under their Fashion Law Project umbrella. I will be there (as mentioned above) for their Fashion Law Summer Intensive Program.

You can read all about the amazing Fashion Law Summer Intensive Program here but briefly “The Fashion Law Summer Intensive Program is an annual weeklong immersion into the law behind growing a fashion brand; this year’s installment will focus on viral marketing. This program is designed for students in the fashion industry, practicing lawyers and fashion industry professionals seeking to develop and deepen their understanding of the relationship between the law and the business of fashion. This year’s session will run July 28-August 5, 2016.”.

I will upload a couple of blog posts over the coming weeks all about Loyola Law School, The Fashion Law Project that they run, the Summer Intensive Program and some of their other courses under The Fashion Law Project.

I was just very excited to get a place on this course, and wanted to quickly share the news with you!

Rebecca x

Just to make the reader aware this is all my own content, I have not been asked by anyone to write about this, I am not being paid to attend the course or write about.

Uniqlo | Women Ultra Light Down Jacket

So you may all be wondering why I am sharing with you a link to a jacket, but a lot of you have asked me where my jacket was from that I took to San Francisco last summer… and it was from Uniqlo. You can check it out here.

I was looking for a small jacket that would fold away nicely in my bag in case it was slightly chillier in San Francisco but I didn’t want a bulky coat as I was heading to Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego and Las Vegas after! As it turns out this jacket is amazing, I have the blue one, and it was great when on the boat trips in San Francisco and visiting Alcatraz!

San Francisco wasn’t overly cold, and I found it to be quite sunny and warm but it was windy at times and a coat was definitely needed.

This coat was recommended to me by Monica from The Travel Hack and it was definitely a great buy! I even wear it in London and it has also become a staple for being left in the car for spring/summer/autumn times! It is perfect for city breaks too!

It keeps you nice and warm and it has a high neck – and it folds away nicely! Plus it looks good with jeans and is a great extra layer for a plane ride! Here are a couple of photos of it: