It’s oh so quiet….

No, I’m not going to post my own version of a Bjork song for you (anyone who knows how terrible my singing is will be sighing with relief right now), but I am going to talk about quiet patches.

It can be difficult not to feel a bit lost when you finish a big project and you suddenly have loads of time on your hands again. When you were working flat out, all you could think of was having time to catch up on those little jobs that you’re constantly putting off, and as soon as you have that time, you instantly feel a bit adrift, swimming in all that free time.

Well, I do anyway. It’s an odd mix of emotions really - relief that a big project is finished on time and that the client is happy; pride at a job well done; and a sudden sinking feeling of oh god where’s my next work coming from?

I’m getting better at dealing with that, and trusting that something will come along to fill the void (so far it always has). And trust is a big part of being a freelancer. But so too is keeping on top of all those little jobs that need doing but get pushed to the bottom of the list.

Don’t panic

Rule number one when work goes quiet is don’t panic! It’s so easy to start thinking about taking a bar job, or signing up to a temping agency, or even searching for a ‘proper’ job, but don’t (unless you really want to and have decided freelancing isn’t for you, of course).

I’m a big believer in putting positive energy into the universe and being rewarded for that - whether you think that’s hippy bullshit or not, it’s worked for me. So while you’re focusing on not panicking, also focus on you.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not always great at taking care of myself, but the times when you’re a bit quiet with work are the ones more than ever when you need to look after yourself. For me, my go-to is to fit in more yoga (like I’ve been meaning to for weeks) and to take longer walks with Franklin.

Be proactive

While I’m all for pumping positive energy out and reaping the rewards, no amount of meditating on positive thoughts is going to magic up work for you. You need to be proactive as well. I’m learning that there are peaks and troughs of work as a freelancer, but as long as you’ve got enough money in the bank for the next bills, you’re ok.

When I first started freelancing, I’d go a bit crazy looking for work when I got quiet. Endlessly trawling sites like People Per Hour and Upwork to see if there was anything I could do. Often times that was a waste of my energy.

There’s nothing wrong with using those sites (I use both), but you can’t rely on them. So, as well as putting in the odd proposal on freelance job sites, I also look for other ways to make connections. I’ll check out what local networking events are coming up and sign myself up for a couple, I’ll take a look at my LinkedIn connections and see if there’s anyone I should get back in contact with, or I’ll reach out to my friends and see if anyone knows of any work. Usually something will appear.

Stick to your routine

When you don’t have a specific deadline to get up for in the morning, it can be so very easy to stay in bed, but don’t! I’ve found having a dog stops me doing this, so I’d recommend that if you need help getting up each day.

If you’ve got yourself into a good working routine, try to stick to it. You don’t need to be super regimented, but if you usually sit down at your computer by 9am, make sure you continue to do that when you haven’t got lots on, even if it’s just to check your emails for half an hour.

And instead of spending your normal working hours doing project work, think about what jobs you should do for yourself - like writing a blog post (or two, or ten), updating your portfolio, or keeping on top of your accounts - and fill your day with those. Even if you’re not earning money by doing these things, they’re likely to lead to more work in future. Plus, you have to do them at some point so it might as well be when you’ve got a bit of time on your hands.

The point is, you want to end each day by feeling as though you’ve been productive. And doing productive stuff doesn’t just have to be work related. It could be deep cleaning your kitchen or putting up that shelf you’ve been meaning to do for months. As long as you feel as though you’ve accomplished something, you’ll feel upbeat.

Just remember that quiet periods never last that long - and you’ll be drowning in work again before you realise it. Freelance life really can be like the tempo of the Bjork song I used for the title of this post, so make the most of those periods when it’s oh so quiet, and so peaceful until…..

Inspiration is all around (you just have to look)

I’ve recently been writing about mentoring and it’s made me really think about who in my life I’d consider to be a mentor and also who’s had an influence on me without me necessarily noticing at the time.

If you’d asked me about whether I had a mentor (let alone mentors) a couple of years ago I probably would have laughed. But now that I’ve really considered what a mentor is, I’ve realised that there are a couple of people in my life who are informal mentors to me now, and there have been others in the past too.

Firstly, I think I should probably explain how I’d define the kind of mentor I’ve been lucky enough to have. I’m not talking about a formal mentoring arrangement, more a personal relationship that inspires me.   

And that’s what I think is so wonderful about what I’ve come to realise - there are people all around us who inspire us in one way or another, but if you don’t know to look for them you don’t realise what they’re giving you.

When I was writing about mentoring for a client, it was more focused on a structured mentoring relationship, but the way in which mentors inspire and help you up your game made me realise that I have people like that in my life, they’re just not necessarily involved with me from a professional perspective.

My mentors

I have a fantastic friend who I teach SUP with. She’s an inspiring woman at the best of times, but she has definitely been a positive influence on me, and has been nothing other than supportive since I first told her I was considering leaving a full-time job and going freelance.

We’ve had a few conversations about work while we’ve been out on the water - incidentally, it’s a great environment for a mentoring session. I think if I ever become a mentor to anyone I’m going to suggest we meet on the water. Anyway, I’ve never asked her to be my mentor, but she’s definitely inspired and encouraged me. She’s challenged me to be better and taught me to trust in my abilities.

Then I started to think about other people who have had a positive influence on me, and who I’d also consider to be something of a mentor.

I had a particular friend at university who is probably the person I’d consider to be my first mentor. Her name was Bengu (Ben). She was incredible. She was so motivated, so driven and eternally kind. Sadly she passed away a few years ago. I still miss her.

There were many amazing things about her, but one of the things that stuck out for me was that she didn’t just want to succeed herself, she wanted to help others succeed as well. She pushed me to do so many things while I was at university that I’d never have tried myself - she dragged me out of my comfort zone, at times kicking and screaming, but she was always right, I enjoyed it in the end and it made me better at what I did (journalism at that point in my life).

Even after we left university, she never stopped challenging me. Whenever we spoke on the phone or met for a coffee (far too infrequently really), she’d ask what I was doing and then make suggestions about other things I could try. She could sense when I wasn’t quite happy with where I was at and would always give me a nudge in the right direction.

And to me, that’s what a mentor is all about. Formal or informal, deliberate or accidental, it doesn’t matter. There are people in our lives who inspire and encourage us. We don’t always realise they’re doing it until we stop and take notice, but they are - and they’re so important. Personally and professionally they make you better. I only hope I can have that effect on someone one day.

Ben and I the day we graduated

Yoga and me

I spent three hours yesterday afternoon at a fantastic yoga workshop focusing on the spine. Before I left home, I was in a bit of a crappy mood and wasn’t sure going out was the right plan (movies, chocolate, the dog and the sofa were all calling). But I went and it was a wonderfully challenging and relaxing three hours - just what I needed as it turned out.

When I first started practising yoga about five years ago, I was amazed at how I was able to completely switch off when I was on my mat. Working through different postures and focusing on my breath allowed me to disengage my thoughts in a way I’d never managed before.

I’ve practised various kinds of yoga since I first started and without exception they’ve all helped me focus my thoughts and stop worrying about day-to-day life.

Yoga and focus

Currently I attend power vinyasa flow classes and I love them. They are some of the most challenging and advanced yoga classes I’ve ever been to and they are fantastic when it comes to my focus.

During a class, I’m concentrating so much on my posture, the muscles I need to be engaging, my breathing and often my balance that I don’t have time to think about anything else. I think it’s really good for me to completely disconnect from the other aspects of my life - and I have yet to find many other ways to really switch off (scuba diving is another one that works, but more about that another day).

But this enhanced focus when it comes to my yoga practice can transfer into my work. I often feel energised after a class, or indeed my own practice, and that gives me renewed energy and focus for my work.

When I was still working in an office, a friend and I started doing yoga on our lunch breaks once or twice a week. On those days, my afternoons were often much more productive because I’d taken the time to disconnect mentally and move physically.

Yoga play at the seaside is fun too

Yoga and relaxation

As well as stretching me mentally and physically, I also find yoga incredibly relaxing. While relaxation won’t be on my mind in the middle of a challenging flow, or while I’m trying to hold my body in some seemingly impossible position, the sense of calm I feel at the end of a class is incredible.

When I let my whole body relax after working so hard - and similarly allow my mind to relax after focusing so much - a great sense of calm and relaxation comes over me.

Although it’s hard to replicate that during a working day, I’ve found that certain breathing techniques I’ve learned through yoga can help me calm down when I’m getting stressed. And with a little bit of time, they can also help me focus my mind and come back to the task in hand, rather than letting my mind wander.

Yoga is all about presence in the moment, finding balance and letting go of the trivialities that hold us back.

For me, it’s an important tool to help me focus on what’s important in life, not just work. It also gives me an outlet for my body, which as a writer can be neglected. I’m guilty of sitting in a bad posture and not moving enough during the day, which is why I find making time for my yoga practice at home so important.

Namaste.

Why you need a grammar pedant in your life

I will freely admit that I’m a grammar pedant - obviously that’s a bonus in my line of work - but I feel like we often get a bad press.

I understand that griping over misplaced apostrophes and innocuous typos comes across as trivial and, well, pedantic, but that’s not how I like to look at it.

I see my desire to correct these errors as a positive thing. For me, it’s about making the copy I’m working on as good as it can be - and as a business why wouldn’t you want something you’re paying for to be the best it can?

Why is it important?

Like it or loathe it, grammar is important. Everyone’s familiar with examples like:

“Grammar: the difference between knowing your shit and knowing you’re shit.”

And:

“Let’s eat Grandma” rather than “Let’s eat, Grandma”.

Using an apostrophe incorrectly or misplacing a comma can change the meaning of a sentence. Now, there are those who argue that many people simply don’t notice any more, and that the context of what you’ve written will allow people to infer the correct meaning. But why rely on people’s interpretations when you could make it clear with a simple piece of punctuation?

We have these wonderful linguistic tools at our fingertips and I think it’s a real shame to disregard them.  

Who cares?

The other thing I often hear when grammatical errors are mentioned is “who cares?”. And I accept that the majority of people don’t flinch inwardly when they walk past a sign advertising “DVD’s for sale” (just typing that made me cringe).

But I can tell you now, for those of us who do notice, it really does matter. If I see basic grammatical errors on a business’ website, I start to wonder what else they’ve overlooked. And I can guarantee you that given a choice between a company that has correct grammar and spelling on its website and one that doesn’t, I’d choose the former every time.

Of course, no one is perfect and when you’ve got a large website and many contributors it can be challenging, to say the least, to keep on top of things. But that’s where grammar pedants like me come in.

We’re happy to take the time to proofread any copy you’re going to print or publish online. I enjoy correcting copy, not because I like finding mistakes, but because I like making something the best it can be.

I get a lot of satisfaction from knowing that I’ve contributed positively to something. Finding a typo, noticing an errant apostrophe, picking up on an incorrect job title, whatever it is, it isn’t about showing someone else up, it’s about working together to make a piece of content great.

So don’t take offence if someone points out errors in your copy - chances are they’re just trying to help you improve it, and that’s got to be a positive thing.

On the Sea

So, yesterday was National Poetry Day and I thought I'd share my favourite poem with you.

On the Sea

It keeps eternal whisperings around
Desolate shores, and with its might swell
Gluts twice ten thousand caverns, till the spell
Of Hecate leaves them their old shadowy sound.
Often 'tis in such gentle temper found,
That scarcely will the very smallest shell
Be moved for days from where it sometime fell,
When last the winds of Heaven were unbound.
Oh ye! who have your eye-balls vexed and tired,
Feast them upon the wideness of the Sea -
Oh ye! whose ears are dinned with uproar rude,
Or fed too much with cloying melody-
Sit ye near some old cavern's mouth and brood,
Until ye start, as if the sea-nymphs quired!

John Keats

There are lots of things I love about this poem - as someone who adores the ocean and the coast, I love that it captures perfectly the different moods of the sea, from its calmest days to its most blustery and stormy.

As someone who enjoys language and playing with words, I really appreciate how Keats uses such vibrant descriptive phrases. One of the wonderful things about poetry is that it can capture feelings and paint pictures succinctly yet beautifully. This is a little over 100 words long and it fits so much in. It's eloquent, beautiful and just a wonderful use of language.

One of my favourite spots to watch the sea

Networking: things I’ve learned

Before I made the decision to go freelance, I’d never been to a networking event. It wasn’t ever something I’d had to do, and it wasn’t something I’d thought a great deal about.

But with the prospect of unemployment looming on the horizon, I decided it was time to dip my toe into the world of professional networking. Now, the first event I attended was definitely at the informal end of the spectrum and I was wholly unprepared. I went with a few friends, which made it easier to turn up, but then more difficult when it came to mingling. I also hadn’t managed to order business cards by this point - big error.

Despite all of that, I still managed to make one good contact out of that particular event, which for me was a huge win. With my confidence boosted, I went to a few more networking events and have found them incredibly useful. Here are a few of the things I’ve learned.

Always have business cards

That might seem incredibly obvious, but I found it really easy to procrastinate when I was ordering my first batch of business cards. Essentially, I was swamped by choice, didn’t really know what I wanted and as a result didn’t order any in time for my first event.

Now that I’ve got business cards, I’m never without them. I have them in every handbag, and in my wallet, because you never know who you’re going to meet. A chance meeting while you’re grabbing a cup of coffee or chatting to someone on the train could lead to work, and if you’ve got a card to hand you can easily swap details.

Of course, when you’re networking, you need to take a good supply with you so you don’t run out.

I wanted colourful business cards that would stand out

Make notes

The other thing that’s always in my bag is my notebook. Carrying a notepad everywhere is probably a hangover from my time in journalism, but it’s a great tool at a networking event. Picking up people’s business cards is all well and good, but when you get in touch with them you want to make it as personal as possible - if you’ve got 15 cards in your pocket, will you remember which person shared your love of cake? Or which person has the same hobby as you? Or who wanted help writing a brochure, and who needed a proofreader for web copy?

It’s easy to think you’ll remember everything, but you meet so many people at networking events it can be hard to keep track. I make little notes about everyone I meet throughout the evening - just their name and a couple of key points to jog my memory, so when I send them an email or LinkedIn invite, I can make it personal and hopefully reinforce the connection I’ve made.

Don’t just talk business

While networking is a tool for connecting businesses, most people don’t just want to talk about work. In fact, chatting about something a bit more personal can be a great way to help people remember you. One thing to keep in mind is that people like to buy from people, and whether that’s a product or service, it holds true.

If people to like you they’re much more likely to work with you. Of course, you need to deliver on a professional front as well, but if you can make a good personal connection with someone, you’re halfway there.

Smile

This sounds obvious, but smile. You need to be approachable at a networking event, and you need to jump in. Most of the people there will probably be nervous about it too, so don’t feel intimidated. It’s fine to walk up to someone and start a conversation - smile, introduce yourself and see where it goes.   

Find a wingman (or woman)

You need to be approachable when you’re networking, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go to these events with someone. If you know someone else who might also benefit from networking, go together. It will calm those nerves of walking into a room full of people you don’t know and if you work together, it can mean you cover twice as many people in the same time. Split up and chat to different people - if you’re talking to someone that you think could be useful for your friend to meet, introduce them.

Why having a dog helps me get creative

Working in a creative job is brilliant, but it can also be difficult. There are some days when you just don’t feel creative - it doesn’t tend to be something you can turn on and off at will.

There are definitely days where I struggle to engage with my work - where I write but the words don’t seem to flow. And there are other days where I wake up brimming with ideas and am able to fill page after page with no difficulty at all.

But what does having a dog have to do with my ability (or not) to write creatively? As it turns out, quite a lot.

Meet Franklin

Franklin (my dog) gives me a reason to step away from my computer for at least a couple of hours each day. Not only that, he makes me go outside, away from all the distractions at home.

Generally, our routine involves getting up first thing in the morning and going for a walk by the beach or along the cliffs. We’re normally out for close to an hour and by the time I get home, I’ve woken up properly and usually feel ready to get on with work.

While I’m out walking, my mind has been running through the things I have to do during the day and when I’m working on projects, I usually find myself thinking about them and how best to approach them. I’ve had some of my best ideas while I’ve been walking Franklin early in the morning.

Aside from our morning walk, we go out again around lunchtime and often once more in the late afternoon. I find it incredibly beneficial to get outside into the fresh air and to have a change of scenery.

My mind is free to wander when I’m walking - after all, I can’t be doing work and I don’t feel guilty about having a break because Franklin needs to go out. That complete freedom really helps me take a step back because it removes all the pressure. For that hour that we’re out, there’s nothing I can do work-wise, so I stop worrying. As soon as I stop worrying, it becomes easier to think creatively because I have time and freedom.

Of course, you don’t need a dog to take yourself off on daily walks - but ask yourself honestly, if you don’t have to go out, will you make the time every single day, come rain or shine? I know I wouldn’t.

I recently read this interesting article about how a good morning routine can make your days infinitely more productive, and how having breaks is really important. As I was reading it, the penny dropped and I began to understand why my dog walks help me so much.

It’s well worth a read, particularly the section about how people get creative insights, which explains how these usually occur during “indirect reflection” - or in other words at times when your mind is free to “loosely wander”. And that’s what having a dog gives me - time for my mind to wander.

Of course, that’s not why I have a dog. I welcomed Franklin into my life long before I went freelance (which is a whole other story) and certainly without thinking about how he’d benefit my creative process - I just love dogs and fell in love with him. But I really like knowing that he helps me in so many ways.

Franklin 'helping' me with my work

Everybody’s Free (to Wear Sunscreen) - advice to live by

If you’re around my age, you may well remember a hit song from the late 90s - Everybody’s Free (to Wear Sunscreen) by Baz Luhrmann. If you don’t, you should give it a listen, it really is excellent.

I don’t quite remember what prompted me to seek it out again a few months ago, but listening to it properly and paying attention to the lyrics, I found myself taking on a lot of the advice (even if advice is just a form of nostalgia, and dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth).

So, here are some of the little gems from this song that particularly resonated with me:

“Don’t worry about the future, or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.” - This one is so true. It can be really easy, especially when you’re making a big life decision, to focus on the potential negative outcomes, but you really don’t know how anything is going to turn out and trying to second guess it will only make you stressed, and hold you back from making changes that can really benefit you.

“Do one thing every day that scares you.” - Defining what scares you is interesting, and incredibly  personal. Someone else recently told me that if you don’t get butterflies in your stomach before you do something, it’s not worth doing. Obviously that doesn’t apply to mundane tasks like washing up (unless maybe you’re scared of bubbles?), but it does fit into a surprising number of situations. I get butterflies in my stomach when I dive into rolling surf, but I also get butterflies when I’m meeting new people at a networking event - it’s a good test of how much something means to you.

“Don’t waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long, and in the end it’s only with yourself” - It can be so easy to get caught up in what other people are doing, particularly with social media there to remind you exactly what everyone you’ve ever met is up to. But it’s good to take a step back and look at what you’ve achieved, as well as to think about where you’re going. The key is to avoid comparing yourself to people in very different situations. Even if they’re doing exactly the same thing as you, they’ll be on their own journey and you don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes, so give yourself a break.

“Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life.” - I’ve always maintained that there’s nothing wrong with changing your path. If you decide that what you’re doing now isn’t making you happy anymore, don’t be afraid to admit that and look for something new. Whether that’s a change of location, retraining to do something totally different work-wise, or something else entirely. When I was 14, I really wanted to be a Blue Peter presenter. By the time I was 17, I’d decided I’d rather be a war correspondent. And by the time I’d graduated and worked in journalism for a year or so, I’d decided I wanted a change again. It took me another few years to figure out that writing was still what I wanted to do, but just in a different form. I’m not sure that’s what I’ll always want to do, but now I don’t mind that I don’t know. I’m happy to change my path again later in life if that’s what I feel I want to do.

While I came across this advice by listening to a song, the lyrics weren’t penned to top the charts - they were written by Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich. But how I found them doesn’t really matter, because I’ve genuinely found it useful. And if you take nothing else from this post, I hope you enjoy the song - and trust it on the sunscreen.

How to switch off

One of the things I’m enjoying most about being a freelancer is having the freedom to work at times that suit me, whether that’s 10pm or 9am. But I’m finding that having the choice of when to work also makes it hard to stop working.

I don’t just mean struggling to turn off my computer and walk away from it. I’ve found it really difficult to turn my brain off, for want of a better phrase, and actually take a day away from work without feeling guilty, or a growing pressure that I should be doing something ‘useful’.

So, what is useful?

In fact, let’s examine the word useful in this context. Logically, I know that having a day or two for myself is useful in that it helps me recharge my batteries, keeps me sane and generally means that I don’t burn out. But when you’ve got the pressure of needing to find your own work, it can be hard to believe that spending a day at the beach is a useful thing to do.

During my first month as a freelancer, I was doing some kind of work pretty much every day, ranging from teaching SUP and working on writing projects to updating my LinkedIn profile and attending networking events.

I started to get really stressed at the prospect of not having any new work coming in (see my previous post about the fear and the freedom), and was frantically looking online to find solutions, but not really focusing on anything and therefore achieving nothing.

I talked to my best friend (of course), who told me to take a day off and stop stressing, I did just that. I watched a movie, walked the dog, pottered around my flat and did some shopping. And I felt better for not having looked at my laptop.

The next day I sat down to work and everything seemed much clearer. I was able to prioritise and focus properly on a task instead of jumping ineffectively between three. I felt so much better. A day later I was offered a new project. Now, that didn’t happen because I’d taken a day off, but it did show me that I need to learn to be more patient.

Taking a step back

I have to constantly remind myself that the reason I became a freelancer was to improve my work-life balance. I need to take a step back and look at my work in the wider context of my life and make sure it’s not taking over or negatively impacting it.

That’s not always easy to do, especially when you’re so emotionally invested in a situation, but I’ve found getting that distance is crucial. There are a few things that I’m starting to do now to help disconnect from work. One of them is yoga - I find it incredibly freeing because I focus so much on my practice that I really don’t think about anything else while I’m on my mat and somehow by the time I finish and my mind starts racing again, it seems easier to recognise the trivial things for what they are, when a few hours before they were making me worry.

My friends and family are also incredibly important when it comes to stepping away from work. Spending time with them is always a pleasure and a wonderful distraction. Sometimes we talk about work, but usually that’s far from our minds when we’re together. I’ve also got some amazing friends who help ground me and remind me what’s important - sometimes you need someone to tell you to stop being so stupid and just enjoy life to realise what a state you’re getting yourself into.

Setting tasks

The other thing that I’ve found really useful in helping me switch off is setting tasks to achieve each day that I am working. I’m a big fan of to-do lists anyway, so this suits my personality well.

But if I tell myself that I need to get X, Y and Z done today, then I find firstly that I’m more productive and secondly that once I’ve accomplished those tasks, I don’t feel guilty for walking away from my computer.

Working as a freelancer is very different to working for someone else, but I feel like I’m learning all the time and despite my moments of panic, I have yet to regret my decision to walk away from a 9-5 job.

My Plastic Free July Challenge

As a volunteer at this year’s Ocean Film Festival in Poole, I agreed to have a go at their Plastic Free July Challenge.

There were two options: Avoid the big 4 (single-use coffee cups, plastic bottles, drinking straws and single-use plastic bags) or go the whole hog and try to avoid buying anything in plastic for the whole month.

As I’ve already cut the big 4 out of my day-to-day life, I decided I’d have to go the whole way. I’m going to be totally honest - I failed. But not through a lack of trying.

There are just some products that it seems impossible to buy not wrapped in plastic - examples include toilet roll, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mushrooms and salad.

That said, just by thinking about it, and taking the time to look, there were quite a lot of products where I was able to move away from plastic - ketchup (glass bottle), oats (by purchasing them from a store that sold them in a paper bag, rather than a plastic one), butter (by opting for standard blocks wrapped in foil instead of the spreadable ones in a plastic tub), and teabags (picking the only product in a cardboard box that wasn’t also wrapped in plastic).

What I’ve realised through doing this challenge is just how ubiquitous plastic is in our society - I mean it’s even part of our geological record now. It is, quite literally, everywhere. And avoiding it as much as possible takes a really conscious effort.

There are some steps you can take that just seem like no-brainers to me, such as using canvas shopping bags instead of plastic ones, but when you can’t buy something without having plastic packaging, what do you do? Never buy another toothbrush? Pick your own mushrooms? Use newspaper instead of toilet roll?

It isn’t practical, or necessarily safe, and I don’t know what the answer is. What I do know is that we need to use less plastic and that if, for example, we all made a conscious effort to buy the products in glass bottles instead of plastic ones, the latter would eventually stop being produced.

It’s not going to be a quick fix (if there even is one at all), and much though I’d love it, I seriously doubt there will be any legislation to support plastic-free packaging, which is a shame given how well that’s worked for single-use carrier bags.

One of my biggest problems with plastic is that it doesn’t go anywhere. It may get recycled but more often than not it travels the planet in the oceans or on the wind and it pops up everywhere. I’m a huge fan of the #2minutebeachclean campaign and I do one most days when I’m walking the dog, picking up everything from water balloons and plastic bottles to polystyrene and broken beach toys.

Just one of my #2minutebeachcleans

But all that rubbish still has to go somewhere and sadly that’s landfill. Personally I think that’s better than it drifting around in the ocean and making its way into the food chain, but it’s far from a perfect solution.

If anyone else had a go at the Plastic Free July Challenge I’d love to know how you got on - or if you found any ingenious solutions to buying items that always come wrapped in plastic.