Just a little thread for us to connect with each other as this week goes by. It’s going to be a regular thing where we can chat, share tips, interesting links - all sorts.
Let me kick off by asking you one thing you did this weekend that you enjoyed, and one thing that you will do this working week that will help you take care of yourself? It can be a tip, something you’ve learned to do, or a recent thing you’ve ready about that you’re trying in your life. Maybe we can learn from each other …
Me? I went to the NZ Society of Authors Regional Roadshow and heard some great speakers, and met some cool, lovely new people at dinner too. And for my week ahead, I’ll be trying to get a couple runs in, starting a programme designed to get me back up to running 10k again by the end of September (I started with getting a 6k run in on Sunday morning).
Essentially, if you want to be appreciated for work you've done without being perceived as tooting your own horn, you could try combining self-promotion with promoting someone else. E.g. John and I finished working on <insert product>, which has improved our customer satisfaction by x points.
It's performance review season at my company so I will be looking to implement this strategy as soon as I can. Some more dough couldn't hurt, especially now.
How has your week gone, everyone? I'm wondering what has gone well for you this week, and perhaps acknowledging what hasn't gone so well too. Me? I got a tempo run in, and some strength and conditioning work too. But I'm a bit sore today, so skipping my easy run for a bit of recovery, and about to do some writing. And Boris Johnson resigned - but is not yet gone. So, that's a plus, but also something I'm more than a tad concerned about. Not much I can do to influence that, I'm afraid. Apart from perhaps vent some of my frustration in writing about how competence is under-rated :)
I spent Sunday morning reading a really neat magazine called Sentimental Journal (Amsterdam). The magazine was about stamps, mail, and correspondence. Mail was once considered the business of kings, emperors, and clergymen. Has it returned to this? I also read about the rise of futurist art movement and Filippo Marinetti. A lovely news-free morning.
This weekend we sat in the sun and did the NZ garden bird survey. We were totally stoked to see a marked difference in the diversity of species compared to last year. We now have bellbirds/korimako visiting. This spurred us into setting up nectar and feeding stations for the native birds. As I go about the day I have noticed how uplifting and mesmerising watching the birds getting stuck in has been. There has already been a change to our garden's soundscape. It is a lovely distraction. I've been capturing some of these moments in wee bursts of sketches. It reminded me of a citizen science experiment organised by Emma Mitchell https://emmamitchell.net/press. The experiment is to test if 10 minutes of doodling can improve mental health. Is doodling nature a double whammy of good feels? Anecdotally, for myself I feel a change.
I had the pleasure of visiting Arundel in West Sussex with an old friend (my one and only ex girlfriend) She’s married now to her lovely wife as I am married too to my lovely husband. An unusual beginning of a wonderful friendship of 37 years.
This week I am educating myself and my mother on a book called “What I wish people knew about dementia” by Wendy Mitchell. I heard her interview on Kim Hill before I left New Zealand so I download the audiobook. Once my father (who was diagnosed last year with late onset) goes to bed, my mother and I listen to a chapter each night. Chapter three tonight - It’s a time to learn, reflect and try and gauge where my 91 year old father is at. It’s not all doom and gloom we have a chuckle too and my mother suggested we have a whiskey on Friday nights? Ha bless, it’s so good to be here in the UK to give my Mother some mental health support. She has the patience of a saint. Roll on Friday :)
I had a lovely ride around the Huka Bike Trail in Taupo with friends followed by excellent coffee and lunch in the sun - getting outside rejuvenates me big time.
Took some time talking with a good friend who has had a challenging medical diagnosois which wasn't in itself very uplifting (he's pissed!) but certainly has made me so much more grateful. Gratitude is pretty powerful.
Rather more banal activities for me this weekend, I enjoyed making a sea shell smaller than it used to be and polishing it until it shone: hopefully will be gifting this to a birthday daughter this week.
Future focus is still on grafting some quality systems into our organisation, whereby we label ourselves rather than those we support.
No more disabled people/tangata whaikaha, instead anything that’s not them becomes Kaimahi Name, and road treated forms that work for humans with pens instead of looking primo on screen alone.
Great idea with the authors. I need to get on the notification lists for that. And the running is the brilliant thing. 5km of my walk/run/shuffle around Nairn and I feel great. Earlier the better, before the clouds and the wind start.
Over the weekend, I came across this paper on "dual promotion" as a strategy.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4128132
Essentially, if you want to be appreciated for work you've done without being perceived as tooting your own horn, you could try combining self-promotion with promoting someone else. E.g. John and I finished working on <insert product>, which has improved our customer satisfaction by x points.
It's performance review season at my company so I will be looking to implement this strategy as soon as I can. Some more dough couldn't hurt, especially now.
How has your week gone, everyone? I'm wondering what has gone well for you this week, and perhaps acknowledging what hasn't gone so well too. Me? I got a tempo run in, and some strength and conditioning work too. But I'm a bit sore today, so skipping my easy run for a bit of recovery, and about to do some writing. And Boris Johnson resigned - but is not yet gone. So, that's a plus, but also something I'm more than a tad concerned about. Not much I can do to influence that, I'm afraid. Apart from perhaps vent some of my frustration in writing about how competence is under-rated :)
I spent Sunday morning reading a really neat magazine called Sentimental Journal (Amsterdam). The magazine was about stamps, mail, and correspondence. Mail was once considered the business of kings, emperors, and clergymen. Has it returned to this? I also read about the rise of futurist art movement and Filippo Marinetti. A lovely news-free morning.
This weekend we sat in the sun and did the NZ garden bird survey. We were totally stoked to see a marked difference in the diversity of species compared to last year. We now have bellbirds/korimako visiting. This spurred us into setting up nectar and feeding stations for the native birds. As I go about the day I have noticed how uplifting and mesmerising watching the birds getting stuck in has been. There has already been a change to our garden's soundscape. It is a lovely distraction. I've been capturing some of these moments in wee bursts of sketches. It reminded me of a citizen science experiment organised by Emma Mitchell https://emmamitchell.net/press. The experiment is to test if 10 minutes of doodling can improve mental health. Is doodling nature a double whammy of good feels? Anecdotally, for myself I feel a change.
I had the pleasure of visiting Arundel in West Sussex with an old friend (my one and only ex girlfriend) She’s married now to her lovely wife as I am married too to my lovely husband. An unusual beginning of a wonderful friendship of 37 years.
This week I am educating myself and my mother on a book called “What I wish people knew about dementia” by Wendy Mitchell. I heard her interview on Kim Hill before I left New Zealand so I download the audiobook. Once my father (who was diagnosed last year with late onset) goes to bed, my mother and I listen to a chapter each night. Chapter three tonight - It’s a time to learn, reflect and try and gauge where my 91 year old father is at. It’s not all doom and gloom we have a chuckle too and my mother suggested we have a whiskey on Friday nights? Ha bless, it’s so good to be here in the UK to give my Mother some mental health support. She has the patience of a saint. Roll on Friday :)
I had a lovely ride around the Huka Bike Trail in Taupo with friends followed by excellent coffee and lunch in the sun - getting outside rejuvenates me big time.
Took some time talking with a good friend who has had a challenging medical diagnosois which wasn't in itself very uplifting (he's pissed!) but certainly has made me so much more grateful. Gratitude is pretty powerful.
Rather more banal activities for me this weekend, I enjoyed making a sea shell smaller than it used to be and polishing it until it shone: hopefully will be gifting this to a birthday daughter this week.
Future focus is still on grafting some quality systems into our organisation, whereby we label ourselves rather than those we support.
No more disabled people/tangata whaikaha, instead anything that’s not them becomes Kaimahi Name, and road treated forms that work for humans with pens instead of looking primo on screen alone.
Great idea with the authors. I need to get on the notification lists for that. And the running is the brilliant thing. 5km of my walk/run/shuffle around Nairn and I feel great. Earlier the better, before the clouds and the wind start.