Happy 2021! I truly hope you all have one of your best years ever or at the very least a bit better than the preceding “voldemort” year so we shall not speak its name. I had a great break and I hope you did too – for some of you it may still be going and if that’s so I say good on you! It took me a few days to wind down and although I did think about work over the break I resisted the urge to do any hands on keys. I had intended to use the break to catch up on things but what I actually tried to catch up on instead was quality time with the family and sleep. So we’ll see what the months ahead bring. The family are thankfully well currently, with Lucy starting Prep in 3 weeks so that will present yet another change to the Morris team schedule. My wife and I have started the year with a new work schedule which hopefully works and is sustainable and I’m thankful for the flexibility now to continue to try new ways of working, ever nudging towards better, or tweaking as life or work changes. I also enjoyed a visit to the cinema for the first time since Feb last year which felt surreal!

I haven’t been doing any long running sadly, but I have been getting my exercise on, and I’m starting the year feeling healthier so let’s hope I can keep that going. My ‘resolutions’ for the year are to keep work between 7am and 5pm as much as possible, sleep more, and care less. That last one might need some context. It’s not new for me to get passionate about things, and unfortunately when you’re passionate about things that other people don’t prioritise, it drains you, so I’m going to work harder to identify those things early and resist over-investing. I need to let go of what I can’t get done and be ok with it, and manage my emails instead of letting them manage me. Hot tip – I have turned notifications off on my phone and it’s a game changer! And finally did you know that today is Orthodox Christmas?! Many Orthodox Christians annually celebrate Christmas on or near January 7 to remember Jesus Christ’s birth, described in the Christian Bible. This date works to the Julian calendar that pre-dates the Gregorian calendar, which is commonly observed. Maybe I have been ignorant or living under a rock but I’m thankful of the diversity in our team that we have a team member who recognises and celebrates this date today so I say “Happy Christmas” to anyone doing so today! 😊

As its been 3 weeks since my last share and there’s been a break in there too I’ve a few more reads and links to share than usual but I would recommend them if you can find the time during your day, lunchtimes, or to and from work on your commute days.

Why introverts are awesome (in case you needed more reasons):

6 Superpowers Every Introvert Has (And How You Can Use Them Too) (fearlessmotivation.com)

16 min TED talk – do yourself a favour

Susan David: The gift and power of emotional courage | TED Talk

More HBR gold:

Emotional Intelligence Has 12 Elements. Which Do You Need to Work On? (hbr.org)

A great read for perfectionists – consider the value of time you put into something to make it perfect vs the time and value you could redirect if perfect isn’t necessary.

Don’t Let Perfection Be the Enemy of Productivity (hbr.org)

19 min TED talk – highly recommend – want to live longer? Sleep more!

Matt Walker: Sleep is your superpower | TED Talk

Happy 2021!

Let It Go!

The Pit of Despair

Mark Morris