So Christmas is upon us and the festivities are in full swing. However, while friends are winding down and rolling into work hung-over, I've been busy taking everything in at my new job.

I've enjoyed getting back into a routine of working hard and doing what I love. Between Christmas and the new job, I'm a tad excitable at the moment. One thing I do miss from the last few months though is sleeping in - especially on these cold mornings!. Ironically, I do my best work in the mornings, I simply hate the shrill of an alarm clock in my face and it's not something I've ever got used to.

While at school I was dragged out of bed sulking and was scolded many a morning for showering and rushing out the door in twelve minutes flat, usually with wet hair and no breakfast. At college I welcomed the chance to live by own hours, I learned fast that I could sleep in and still work hard, studying in my own time to achieve the results I wanted.

Working nights for many years took me totally out of the alarm clock loop until I started my first PR job a few years back. I soon realised that being as organised as I like to be, and in order to get the most out of the day and do a good job, then I had to give myself time in the morning. I preferred to be early and get a head start on the day and by the time the recession came around and I found myself back under the covers I had matured enough to even make breakfast a regular occurrence.

Now I've returned to early rises, and my boyfriend is surprised at just how much time I take in the morning - I like a full half hour to sit watching the news over breakfast. Don't get me wrong, I still hate that first minute when the alarm goes off, it's forever ingrained and I half expect my mam to appear ready to pull the quilt off me.



It's only a split second and once I'm up I'm fine, thankful and excited for my new job. There's plenty of time for lie ins over the Christmas break anyway - but if I don't stop enthusing over my job I'll have everyone else asleep as well!