In today's instalment of the Life at redk blog, we will meet Deni Angelova.Originally from Bulgaria, Deni's adventure began at redk 4 years ago as a Business Analyst in the Brighton office.
She was quickly promoted to Project and Team Lead roles, and now she is back in Bulgaria working remotely as the Regional Manager of the UK Professional Services Team. Today, more than ever, it is critical for workers to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Deni has a few tips and tricks for how she does this in her new role at redk.
Managing the Shift to Remote Work
Working remotely hasn't been a challenge for redk as a company. We had all the infrastructure in place to make it happen overnight. But for me, at first, working and living in the same space didn't go well. My computer was in my bedroom, and I spent all day there. I needed to physically isolate work from personal life. When I found a new flat, I made sure I had a separate office and bedroom. Also, I created specific mechanisms to set clear boundaries on my time. I block my calendar for personal time, and I make sure I don't accept meetings outside working hours. I used to work line-by-line through my to-do list, as I had to get everything done until the list was empty. Now, I prioritise things better.
“You want to always be a team player and available, but I also learned to value my own time and space.”
Mental and Physical Health: Investing In Your Own Happiness
I am passionate about fitness. This helps keep my mental health where it needs to be, so I will be a better professional overall too.
“Especially after remote working became the norm, I needed to find a way to not sit on my butt eight hours a day.”
My solution required some financial investments. I bought a walking desk, which has been a dream. At first, I felt a little embarrassed – the treadmill was so obviously different, it made noise during meetings, people looked at me like I was crazy – but I saw it as another challenge. I got a noise cancellation microphone, people stopped getting distracted, and I'm happier.
Avoiding Burnout: Organising Personal Time
I suffered from burnout in previous jobs. I wanted to do everything for everyone, and wasn't as good at seeking out support from others or delegating tasks to make time for myself. Now, I actively manage my personal time the same way I do professional activities. For example, I plan holidays well in advance. On a daily basis, at 5:30 I force myself to close the laptop, put on my trainers, and go to the CrossFit gym. I tried exercising during the day, but it didn't work, because I have to switch off from work and then I can't switch back on. But creating this routine to consistently and fully disconnect at one specific time trained my brain to adjust better to each task.
Professional Growth Within redk: A Supportive and Collaborative Environment
From the very beginning of my time at redk, I was working closely with people outside my Professional Services team. This close interaction with the finance and compliance departments, for example, meant that I got a more complete view of the company. It helped me learn how to more effectively streamline internal processes and customer solutions. Overall, I love working at redk because of the people. The level of support I have seen from higher management has been very high. There is a lot of challenging work, but you are not alone. And institutional processes are in place that enable teams to effectively work together.
“These four years have been consistently challenging and interesting – there is always something new and more advanced to be learned.”
We at redk are grateful for our staff and love hearing their stories. If you’re interested in joining the redk team, reach out to us today. As Deni describes, we hire team players who are focused, trustworthy, approachable, and eager to learn and get better. And make sure to stay tuned for more redk stories to be featured in our Life at redk series.
