As someone who lives with depression, I am used to the feeling of dark clouds looming towards me from the horizon. That feeling – sometimes arriving as suddenly as a thunderbolt or as gradually... Read more
IMy daughter went back to school today and I am at a loss. Sad. Anxious. Lonely. Missing her. Miss J has gone back to school and taken a little piece of my heart with her. I have been reading... Read more
To all the dads and grandads out there; happy Father’s Day. Like many people who are reflecting on their paternal relationships today, I am incredibly grateful for the role my dad has played... Read more
It was a normal Friday night. Mrs J and I had dinner, put Aoife to bed and sat back to watch the TV. We were flying to Ireland the next morning so we had done some packing; even as Aoife approaches... Read more
I hate being late. I don’t dislike it; I don’t have a little downer on it; I completely and utterly hate it. I get hot sweats and a racing heart when it happens. Almost worse is the anticipation... Read more
Mrs J and I are 20 months into our toughest job. Just when we thought we were doing ok we got the reality check that every parent knows about. There is nothing in this post that is unique to us;... Read more
I got some great news last week. I achieved a long and deeply-held ambition. I fulfilled a dream. I completed a circle. I received a call from the Irish Embassy in London telling me I was to be... Read more
I am now nearly three months into working for myself. There is lots to like and very little not to like. I was asked the other day, “what’s the best thing about it?” That’s easy. Getting the... Read more
It has taken that picture; that gut-wrenching, nauseating, deeply unsettling picture to remind me what this is all about. It is about my fellow human beings; often young boys and girls not much older... Read more
Today marks the end of the first month of working for myself. A month of AMJ Comms. It is hard to imagine how it could have gone better. I have two fantastic clients. I am having great conversations... Read more
I’ve lots of experience helping others to build, maintain, sometimes to salvage, their brands. Now I’ve had do it for myself – or as one of my old colleagues from the States would say (to... Read more
Once I’d decided to start my own business – the more I thought about it, the more sense it made – so I could focus on the work I really love doing (and focus less on the... Read more
I have just set up my own business. It’s called AMJ Comms – amjcomms.com . More of the name in a later post – BTW, it’s harder than you think to pick one! As well as my usual posts, I... Read more
I have been thinking about this post for the two weeks or so since our daughter, Aoife, was born. It has taken until the last few days for me to commit pen to paper, well, finger to iPad screen. Why?... Read more
It has been a hugely rewarding start to the year. I am now two weeks into my new job at PwC and enjoying every minute. It is so invigorating and energising. It offers that brilliant combination of... Read more
I do not normally write about health. I work for the General Medical Council and try to avoid talking about health to avoid any perception of a conflict of interest. But I am making an exception. I... Read more
Having listened to David Cameron’s speech today in Manchester, it is very clear who he is, and what he stands for. The theme of ‘family, community, country’ ran throughout the speech, as did... Read more
David Cameron and his whole family are in my thoughts and prayers today on the loss of their son, Ivan. I have written to David this morning and offered my condolences on behalf of Halton... Read more
I have been writing a blog since the summer of 2008. I use it to share my experiences and views on mental health – I had a breakdown in 2014/15 and live with depression and anxiety – and work life balance.
I am passionate about working on my wellbeing and helping others to achieve and maintain the right work life balance and wellbeing approaches for them. My blog – along with my Twitter feed – comes with one health warning – if you read it you may have to hear about some of my other passions – my family, golf, Liverpool FC, communications, the Boston Red Sox, politics, the West Wing, and horse racing!
This blog was previously hosted on Blogspot and now sits here. I am proud to work at Liverpool John Moores University, where I am the Head of Communications. All the views expressed here are mine.