What are you working on in 2019?

For me due to some stuff, I’m focusing on employment, mental health, and media consumption. Looking to read more and listen to podcasts while selectively choosing what tv and movies I want to watch. Short goal is to read 15 books this year, I think I can probably read more but we’ll see. Plus seeing what new podcasts to listen to and some to cut back on and delete or just trim old episodes in my que. Still going to listen to MPU but will be a bit selective based on topic or guest.

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Using Goodreads to track my reading and my Moleskin Notebook to write out the tv shows, books, and movies I wanna watch.

For me personally, having been unemployed & sleeping on the couches of friends & relatives for three years due to mental health challenges, this year I’m going to focus on returning to the workforce in some form, get an apartment of my own & keep my close relationship with my son while I’ll hopefully be able to attend more social gatherings in his school.

On a professional level I’d like to learn how to code in Javascript, purely for hobbyist reasons - should Apple release Xcode for iOS I’ll jump ship & start learning Swift coding instead, since I hope to make a career as a Swift programmer (being a free agent is the ultimate dream of mine).

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Less screen time (except for Kindle), more book time. Finally cut the cord on cable (ban all cable news sources from my life) and avoid over-the-air media. Rebalance new sources and points of view so I consume 80% from foreign sources and 20% domestic. Write daily. Finally finish a whole NaNoWriMo cycle.

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Really excellent goals and I wish you all the strength and flexibility that will be needed in the weeks and months ahead :sunglasses: Consitency is KING!

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One thing I’m going to work on is spending less time on this forum :slight_smile:

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With that I wanna spend less time on my phone and browsing Reddit. Hoping to dedicate that to weekends for a block of time.

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I managed to wean myself off reddit several months back. I was on the mechanical keyboard subs looking for relief from RSI issues. Been off Facebook for over a year, so MPU has somewhat replaced it.

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Professionally: Finish studying for a certification and take the exam. Add Juniper support to our network automation system. Try to figure out how to be a better manager.

Personally: Go for a walk with each of my kids at least once a week (if I can convince them :laughing:). Get back out to judo once per week (if I can convince myself). Clean my home office and figure out how to keep it that way.

That’s ambitious enough for one year! :slight_smile:

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2018 was a challenging year for me. I finally was able to start working on my educational program called We are Lefty last year, that is focused on teaching left-handed people with right-handed skills like playing guitar with their left-hand, calligraphy, lettering, crochet, etc. But I was caught up with depression and low self-esteem that I have been dealing with for the past 4 years I had to shelf it for the year. Now, I’m getting treatment and counselling partnered with medication. This year, I’m planning to bring it back up since I already have contacts of skilled left-handed people ready to help me put up workshops.

Last year, a blind friend who lives in another part of the world was asking me for personal stories but I have had a hard time leaving him recordings. When I discovered Anchor I decided to record it into a podcast of folk stories passed on and stories from my childhood. I’m a little perfectionist, so decided to just forgo it from being perfect and just start recording it regardless if I have the right tool (just using my phone and Airpods). I discovered that recounting old tales also helped me cope with childhood traumas in the past. I’m treating my podcast a bit personal and doesn’t really mind if only my friend or 2-3 of my friends know about it. It is helping me heal somewhat. For this year, I wanted to tell more stories regardless if I don’t have many listeners. This is more for me than anyone else. I also bought a better microphone from Rode that I’m planning to plug on my iPad Pro using Ferrite Pro.

This year is also the year that I am all in on the iPad Pro. Bought the latest with keyboard and Pencil and sold my MacBook Pro a few weeks ago. So far, I find myself much more productive on the iPad Pro than on my Mac.

I also started meditating and exercising at least 3-4x a week and planning to at least make it to 5-6x a week for this year. Also, continue with my therapy and counseling. I’m also trying the very best to fit in. my new role (I changed career last year from Art Director to UX Designer). I still have so much to learn. I’ve also cut down on my social media use. Deleted Facebook app about two years ago on my phone, last month I deleted Instagram app on my phone and just check it on a browser at least once a week. I also culled the kind of shows and movies I consume. I try to lower content consumption that only offers entertainment value and focused on content that has cultural value and good storytelling.

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I dropped FB early/mid 2018, talk about clearing out the mental cobwebs.

I’ve been weaning myself off Reddit, but it’s usually my go-to for tech news surfing

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Thank you very much - you’re so right about consistency, without it every challenge turn into a struggle - personally as well as professionally :slight_smile:

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Personally: dropping some weight. I gained a bunch of weight this year by not paying attention to what I ate and a change in some meds. Time to work it off.

Professionally: I think it’s time to look for a new job. I’ve hit a ceiling where I am now and if I want any upward mobility I need to find something new. I’m not going to rush anything but I’m going to start putting out feelers and see what’s out there.

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What has helped you ween off Reddit? It’s compulsive to me and often entertaining or useful/interesting.

On the Cortex podcast, CGP Grey and Myke Hurley like having “themes” rather than resolutions.

I like that so much I adopted the idea for myself.

My theme for 2019 is value my time. And just within the last 48 hours I ignored a rando who wanted to argue with a political post I’d made online. Progress!

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Edit: I’m referring to iOS settings specifically.

I been using the “App Limits” setting under Screen Time in settings. I set the limit to an hour a day. Even though it has a option allowing you to ignore completely or for 15 minutes, I never use ignore completely, and allow myself to extend for only one 15 minute segment per day.

It takes a bet of willpower in the beginning, but you will rapidly refill your lost time with other things.

Nothing against MPU Forum but I spend time here that I believe would yield more satisfaction if applied to site building and writing. Got no other social media entanglements.

Also …tired of reading my own babble.

So…

Immediately disengage until month’s end. Then evaluate.

Mine is #treatyoself

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I implemented app limits and it’s been really useful! Putting a restriction on Netflix and especially Safari has been great. Wish they allowed these options for the Mac as well.

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It’s in my cue to listen to, can’t wait @MitchWagner!

@Centris650 will it be in the same field or different?

@wiredfractal, as a left handed person, your idea is intriguing. Also considering deleting my instagram on my iPad, don’t have it on my phone.

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