There are things I want to do but don't have time to do. Actually, scratch that. There are things I want to do but don't make time to do. Those are very different things and learning the difference has greatly helped me actually do the things I want to do. BOOK GOALS
Those who know me know that I am a reader. You may have even figured this out by now (I'm sure it's come up a time or two here on the blog). I'm such a reader that I take a book with me virtually everywhere I go. I read in any spare minute. I've been doing this practically my whole life. Or, you know, since I learned to read. About half-way through high school, I decided I needed to start reading more non-fiction. Read things that were beneficial and taught me something or let me learn something. (Yes, you can totally learn from fiction, but generally you learn more from non-fiction). So I started on my quest to find non-fiction I enjoyed reading. Last year, I told myself I wanted to read thirty non-fiction books. I made a list, 1-30, in the back of my planner and let myself fill it in with whatever books I wanted. It just had to be non-fiction. I read non-fiction much slower than I read fiction, so it is a bit more involved for me and I tend to be less excited about a non-fiction book than I am about the latest fiction book in my favorite series. This year, I made categories. I had four different authors and I wanted to read several books they had written. I picked a few books from my "to-read" shelf on Goodreads and for the final category, picked some business books. Next year, my plan is to read twenty books off my "to-read" shelf - physical and electronic. You may wonder why a reader like me needs these goals. It's simple, really. There are always "newer" books around. I'm never at a loss for something to read. And I collect new books to read faster than I can read them. So making a goal, vague as it is, helps me actually do something about the books I want to read, while still giving me freedom to read what I feel like. If you aren't in the mood for a book, you won't like it and you will hardly read it. Believe me, I know. (It took me years, but I'm finally becoming okay with NOT finishing a book. That's been a hard lesson for me). PAIRINGS This is a relatively new concept for me. Some people describe it as pairing a pleasant task with an unpleasant one. Others describe it as putting together a task that requires attention with one that doesn't. Mine is a little bit of both, with a habit change thrown in. I like the idea of podcasts. I want to listen to podcasts. Especially when the podcasts are done by people I really, really like! However, there are a very limited number of things I can do while listening to a podcast and I don't like sitting in a chair and listening to one because it feels like I'm not really doing anything. So I fall farther and farther behind on podcasts. What to do? For a time, I'd listen to an episode in the morning between the time when I would wake up but wasn't ready to get up and the time I actually had to get out of bed. At one point, I had a temporary job and I'd listen to episodes driving to and from work. I usually can get a few episodes knocked out on a long car trip. What it has come down to for me is this - I need to listen to podcasts instead of music. When I'm driving in the car, making dinner or baking, or working outside, my default is music. I need to make a habit change and listen to an episode of a podcast. These things don't take brain power, so my attention can be on what I'm listening to. I will occasionally listen to a podcast episode while walking on the treadmill, but I like to watch episodes of a show instead. I get to enjoy a show while getting exercise. If I'm watching a movie downstairs, I try to ride the stationary bike, or use my hula-hoop. I really don't like to exercise, so it gets me moving while doing something I want to do (watch my movie). I'm learning that it's not so much about my time as it is my priorities. There are things I used to do that have fallen by the wayside because they are no longer priorities. There are things I say I want to do but don't because they aren't priorities. It's not necessarily bad or wrong for them not to be priorities, (in the case of exercise it probably is a problem but I'm working on it), but I just have to acknowledge that this is what's going on. Priorities change with the seasons of life. Can you relate? What's something you want to do but haven't made a priority? Is there a way to make it a goal or pair it with something else so that you can make it a part of your life?
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Hi! I'm Sarah!
I am a natural light portrait photographer. I've been taking photos since 2014 and would eat a smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Cafe for lunch everyday if I could. Thank you so much for stopping by. I blog about sessions, things I'm learning, stuff in my life, and information for YOU, my client. If you like what you see around the site, I'd love to work with you! I'd also love to connect with you on Instagram. I'm @sarah_jayne_photo :) Archives
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