I do wonder about writing pledges this year as is there any value in it? Are the pledges sufficiently inspiring or innovative? Do they motivate me or does failure to progress against some of them at the rate I had hoped lead to demotivation? How accurate can I be in terms of making predictions as to what I will or won’t have done by this time a year in the future? Does setting some pledges lead to narrow focussing on these meaning I may miss other opportunities or may not fully take in what I have achieved? Why is early January any better a time for setting pledges than any other point of the year?
In all of this I recognise the world is a complex and ever-changing place, and that my views and priorities are also complex and ever-changing. I recognise the important of short, medium and long term goals and that maybe pledges set in January have a place within these goals. Also, everything we do exists in a balance so any benefits which might be associated with having pledges need to be weighed up against corresponding risks or drawbacks; A pledge which might serve as a motivator when things are going well, might equally prove to be a demotivator in periods of struggle. January also marks the start of a new calendar year, so with a new year maybe it is a good time to set targets and pledges, a new beginning as such. So given this, I think for me personally pledges do have a place and are worth doing.
So what are my pledges for the year:
My focus for the year ahead is very much about me as an individual. It is also, in parts about self reflection and answering some questions about myself rather than doing X or stopping doing Y. Now whether this approach will work and help me, I am unsure, but this is maybe a question for a year from now.
Doom scrolling
Over the Christmas period I noted periods of doom scrolling and also of passive TV watching. Now I think a bit of downtime is fair, and some scrolling through social media or binge watching of TV has its place however this is something I want to do a little less of in the year ahead, focussing more on activities which involve human social contact or other less passive activities. The average screen time my phone showed for the last week in December was 3hrs 20mins which feels for me to be on the high side so I would like to see this drop to below 3hrs by March and then get down to 2.5hrs per day, although I note the high average may be the result of the festive period and other issues so it may be I achieve this goal quicker than I plan. I note that the main aim is not so much the actual screen time but more about me feeling more comfortable with my usage as a part of my life in general. I feel at times I am drawn to check my phone more out of habit or compulsion than out of any reasonable need. Linked to this I want to get out and about more, building more opportunities for social interactions with others rather than sitting consuming content as an individual, influenced by the algorithms of content solutions whose aim is to keep me staring at a screen for as long as possible.
Fitness
This is on my pledge list once again as I feel fitness is an important part of life. My 5km running has continued although not with the consistency of previous years and also not with the same pace. As such for the year ahead I want to try and build on the consistency and build on the pace. My thinking therefore is to aim to achieve 2 runs per week through most of the year, so with that I should be able to achieve 500km. I would also like to try to build up to a longer social run this year, likely something around the 10km or similar mark as I suspect a half marathon is a bit beyond my abilities; Maybe a park run or two possibly? It would be good to maybe get at least one social run before the end of June and the middle of the year, and hopefully a 2nd longer run before the close of the year. I also want to consider other exercise beyond just running so maybe looking to a cycling or rowing machine; I considered the gym but have never been much of a gym person hence have discounted this in favour of continued solo running, home gym and some social running.
Exploring
The last 8 years in Somerset are the longest I have spent in any one location outside of my childhood and teenage years. Now I have been abroad during this period however have generally opted for the same holiday locations rather than venturing outside my comfort zone and trying something new, so this year I want to explore and try new things. Now this relies on having the money to do it, however assuming I can make this side of things work I would like to explore 3 new locations or maybe countries in the year ahead, giving myself some new memories. I have lots of thoughts as to places to go, so the key now is simply putting the time and effort aside to actually make it happen.
Happiness
This relates to a very big question of what makes me happy, which is something I would like to answer in the year ahead. I remember reading something about a study where people were asked about their perception of their happiness in holiday or leave periods versus work periods. Unsurprisingly perception was that most were happier in holiday periods, however the researchers didn’t leave it there and instead sought to measure happiness randomly during periods of work or leave, and this is where the results showed a surprising trend; that although perception looking towards the future was that holiday would be a happier time period, people actually recorded generally higher levels of happiness when engaged in work, when assessing happiness in the moment, than when sat in periods of holiday or leave. Now for me my work keeps me busy and engaged and provides me a sense of autonomy and challenge, all which mean it does keep me happy, so the question here is focussed on what makes me happy outside of work? What should I spend my downtime doing? How do I achieve autonomy, challenge and a sense of achievement when not working? So, this is the question for me to address in the year ahead, what is it that makes me happy.
Achievements
2023 was a very busy year and I feel I achieved a lot mainly in terms of my job and also my wider involvement and contributions to education and technology discussions. The autumn term of 2023/2024 was particularly busy. This is something I want to build on, to continue to contribute to technology and to education but beyond my day job, sharing ideas and thoughts as to what works but also as to what, in my experience, hasn’t worked. Now this will be through continuing to blog, maybe a podcast again, engagement in social media and speaking at events and conferences. One thing I would also like to explore is maybe writing a book. Now am not sure if that particular aim maybe just a little beyond me but it is something I would love to explore in the year ahead.
Conclusion
2024, a fresh year and, to be honest, due to events of 2023, it will be quite a bit different for me. This difference is something I will need to adapt and adjust to, although at the moment am finding it difficult. But it is also an opportunity to push myself forward, try new things and hopefully get to end of 2024 in a better, happier and more positive place. It’s the old “positive mental attitude”!
So with that, onwards to the rest of 2024 and I hope everyone reading this has a great year!
Technology and Learning
Nice post ✍️
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