5 months on the job - Something is not quite right...

2019 has arrived! It is a great time to look back and reflect, and also to plan ahead for the year ahead.

2018 was undoubtedly a tough year personally. Any year that you start without a job is difficult. I have managed to get a job, which I am very thankful for. Gratitude for having a job is something that can be so easily forgotten when things get busy. I have learned to remind myself to be thankful - Each of the figurines I bring to my table represents a month that I have been at my current work. I use them to remind myself about what I have done well, and about the things I can continue to improve upon.

Here are some things that I think are worth mulling upon:

Working smarter - Too often we get caught up in being busy. Everything seems like a flurry of whack-a-mole. Not only is this unproductive, it is exhausting. So what can we do to make this better? Here are a few things I can think of:

• Step back once in a while to look at things objectively. What is working? What is not? What is important? What is just nice to have but actually insignificant? What are some time wasters in your day you can cut back on? These are important questions to answer. Rather than be sucked into the vortex of busyness, good leaders should look at things clearly and strategically, and plan out the best course of action for their teams. Mind map out your projects. Be organized and keep good records. And learn how to say no to others diplomatically.

• Communicate more, email less. This email disease in my work place is terrible. So much noise and not much of it is important. I plan to improve on this. Have deep, meaningful communication rather than chatter. If you communicate well as a leader, then your team can understand your plan well and help you carry some of the load.

Health and fitness - I am not very healthy now. I know because my tummy is kind of bloated, my digestion feels off, and I feel sluggish. So what can I do about it? What is something that can build lasting change from within, rather than just gives temporary results?

• Build exercise into daily routine - Just do 5 minutes of bike, some squats, some sit-ups, planks and push ups each day. Maybe do something each time you watch a youtube video.
• Reduce stress - You know what the stressors in your life are. Avoid them or manage them if you cannot avoid them. Spend a bit of time with yourself for meditation.

Financial prudence - I finally mastered tracking my day-to-day expenses. Yet, there is still a lot of things that I am behind on. Retirement planning and investments are not even in the picture yet.

Artistic self - I admit it. I have totally abandoned this since my job started. I got to finish my projects. Maybe start sketching again.

Education - What was in school that you did not manage to learn that you would love to know now? The kiwico subscription was great for learning. Now for some Brilliant.org?