We are now half way through the year and time to take a look back and see how I am progressing toward my goal for 2022. My goal for this year is to Cultivate routines to expand my knowledge and experiences. I think I have made a pretty good start but there are definitely areas where I can do better.
Areas where I can stack a new habit onto another consistent part of my routine are working much better for example:
- I have added reading to my night time routine and lunch / afternoon tea breaks meaning I don’t really have to think about it fitting it in, it just happens now.
- Curating my podcast and viewing feeds so there is significant indigenous content for me to watch and listen to means I don’t have to go looking for it or think about it.vWhen moments arise when I can watch or listen to something they are an easy choice to make.
Volunteering was going well when I had a commitment but once that finished I have been struggling to get it done. I will lock something in by the end of this week and make it a regular part of my routine so it happens.
Going to new events and attractions works well when I plan them in advance but my approach at the start was a bit ad hoc. I am now allocating time each Sunday to review what I have coming up and look for new things to do after I write my weekly master to do list each week.
This technique is also known as habit stacking. Stacking habits can make it much easier to establish new habits. It works because you don’t have to think about when to do the new habit, you know it is something you do after you do another activity and you don’t have to expend mental energy trying to remember to do it. When you attach the new habit to an existing habit, you have a much greater chance of doing the new habit regularly too.
For example, if you are trying to start a new habit of practicing gratitude, stack it on top of your nightly tooth brushing habit. Have your journal or notebook and pencil in a draw in the bathroom so it is easy to access and take five minutes to write down what you are grateful for after you have brushed your teeth.
If you are interested in reading more about habits, you might like to check out these posts on the blog:
- How to change a habit
- Why tracking your habits works
- When to keep or discard habits
- My habits and changes over the last 9 years
Read for a minimum of 15 minutes per day
Connection to goal – Cultivate routines to expand my knowledge and experiences – There is so much to learn from both fiction and non fiction books. I have a huge list of books that I have wanted to read for some time, so this year to help expand my knowledge I am committing to read more. My target for the year is to read 25 books.
Quote to connect to – “Think before you speak. Read before you think.” – Fran Lebowitz
June performance – A better performance this month and I finished three books.
Four Thousand Weeks – Time and How to Use It by Oliver Burkeman
I really loved Four Thousand Weeks – Time and How to Use It by Oliver Burkeman. I wrote a full review which you can find here but in short, it is about accepting that you won’t have time for all the things you want to do and understanding that even if you could you wouldn’t want to. It is about understanding that to live a meaningful life you need to embrace its finitude – we have limited time on this earth – we cannot control that but we can control what we focus on.
It is not your typical time management book. There are no quick hacks, no schedules to follow, and no secrets to optimising your focus. If you are feeling constantly overwhelmed by all you have to do, or think that if you could just get more organised you would be able to get everything done, then I highly recommend reading Four Thousand Weeks – Time and How to Use It by Oliver Burkeman. 4/5
This One Wild and Precious Life – A hopeful path forward in a fractured world by Sarah Wilson
I had been waiting for This One Wild and Precious Life to come in at the library for some time. Wilson is asking us to wake up to what is happening around us – the climate crisis, racial injustice, politcal polarisation and the list goes on. This can sound overwhelming and at times when I think about it, I do feel overwhelmed by how much work we have to do. Wilson aims to break it down into actionable steps you can take to make a difference.
It is a long book and is written with a yarning narrative. There are moments of humble bragging and where Wilson is definitely talking from a position of privilege – which she acknowledges and you are left feeling that you are really not doing enough. And for me this was okay and I do think I can be doing more. The trick is to do more without driving myself crazy in the process. 4/5
Everywhere I Look by Helen Garner
This is the first book from Garner that I have read. I cannot believe it has taken me so long to read one of her publications. I adored this book and it was quite a contrast to This One Wild and Precious Life by Wilson. The book is a series of essays, diary entries and true stories spanning more than fifteen years. It isn’t pointedly flagging the big issues of the time but looks with love and detail at places, people, and objects of significance and preciousness to the author.
Garner has an amazing way of helping us see what is below the surface. I loved her writing style, her honesty and her humour. Super keen to read more of her books. 4/5
Invest one hour a week learning about our First Nations Peoples
Connection to goal – Cultivate routines to expand my knowledge and experiences – Reconciliation NSW recommends learning and understanding more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ histories, Cultures, Languages, technology and land management techniques as educating yourself is the first step in the journey towards reconciliation. My knowledge and understanding are severely lacking and I want to change this.
Quote to connect to – “Knowing is not enough; We must apply. Willing is not enough; We must do.” – Bruce Lee
June performance – After a big month in May I did less in June. Highlights for the month were watching the following:
- You can’t ask that – Indigenous – I really like this series and this episode was a reminder that within the Australian Indigenous community there are different views and feelings, songlines and nations. It was also a reminder of the constant stereotypes Indigenous Australians come up against on a daily basis.
- Dhakiyarr Vs The King – 70 years after the controversial murder trial of the great Yolngu leader Dhakiyarr Wirrpanda, his descendants tell the story of two laws, two cultures and two families coming to terms with the past. This is an extraordinary example of how healing can happen in this country.
- Redfern Now – I am a couple of episodes into this series which was made over 10 years ago. It follows six different families in Redfern and is still impactful today.
ABC iview has a special collection at the moment for NAIDOC week that you can find here.
Volunteer on a weekly basis
Connection to goal – Cultivate routines to expand my knowledge and experiences – Volunteering is an activity where you can be of service to others and learn so much from the experience. It has been some time since I have volunteered outside of schools etc and I want to get back into it for 2022.
Quote to connect to – “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi
June performance – I didn’t do any volunteering throughout June. I need to find something that I can slot into my weekly routine. I need to lock something in and get back on to it in July.
Spend one hour a week planning and visiting new attractions
Connection to goal – Cultivate routines to expand my knowledge and experiences – There are so many great attractions and experiences in Melbourne both free and paid and when the kids were younger we used to visit them frequently. Since the kids have stopped wanting to do this, I have stopped going too. But there is no reason why I cannot go on my own or with Phil or with friends!
While I have allocated one hour per week, this can be averaged out across the month as my overall aim is to visit two new (to me) attractions per month.
Quote to connect to – “Fill your life with experiences. Not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.” Unknown
June performance – A definite highlight for June was Lightscape at Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne you can see my full review here. It was truly spectacular and we both adored it. If you haven’t heard of Lightscape it is a 1.8km trail through a section of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne featuring installations made up of over half a million dazzling lights.
Also in June I went to a football match at the MCG with some of the family, a career expo with one of the kids and had some business mentoring which was new for me.
How are you progressing towards your goal for the year?
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