I've been ill with a virus over the last few days but have still had to work late because, while half my team's out, the volume of work hasn't decreased commensurately. On top of that, I've been doing my best to ensure that something I've been working on for one of our largest clients goes without a hitch.

And guess what? Last week, I got a call from one of the guys in senior management who just said "good job!" when we ended the conversation. I didn't think too much of it. After all, he's American, and I find Americans are prone to saying such phrases (such as "awesome!" and all that) even when things really aren't.

Then, yesterday, after I had sent an e-mail updating them of where we stood, he replied - thankfully, to all, including my manager - that I'd done well. My manager later told me that that guy's not an easy person to please.

It's not much - just words, after all - and may not translate into too much come bonus time given the competitive environment and just how uncertain I've been feeling about how I compare to my peers (which is what determines the bonus), but I really do love knowing I've done something well.