I don’t really think of new years resolutions in a strict way, but I do like the idea of ‘goal setting’ at this time of year. There’s a certain clarity that comes with ending one year and starting another. As someone who is guilty of frantic ‘busyness’ the rest of the year, for me, the new year is a time that lends itself to big-picture thinking.
Over the summer, I take time to write two big lists of goals, one professional, the other personal. The personal one, I do with my husband – a long chat over some glasses of wine, where we think about where we want to be as a family over the next one to five years!
My professional goal-setting, though, is more of a solitary endeavour – I need brain space to really figure stuff out. I usually take a day on my own with a gigantic excel spreadsheet, and make some goals for The Design Files, including assessing our growth over the past year and the projects we want to tackle in 2018.
In 2017, I set and achieved some (not all!) of my new year’s resolutions – hiring more staff (tick), getting some key clients and projects happening at TDF (tick), not working all night, every night (no tick)!
In 2018, I’m hoping to be better at checking in with my new goals each month, and staying connected to the grand plan day-to-day, week-to-week…
Three important goals on my list are :
Sort Out the Office
I am constantly embarrassed at the state of our office! For Australia’s most popular design blog you’d think we’d have somewhere to hang our coats, a nice couch… just a generally gorgeous and inspiring space. Unfortunately, we kinda don’t!
Launching our new ‘Work Space’ column this year (and swooning over the Flack Studio office, and Jacky Winter Group’s new digs) has inspired me to do a proper update and make our office a more beautiful, inspiring space to be in 2018. Watch this space!
Give Back
2018 is The Design Files 10th year and although we have worked on quite a few charitable projects over the past few years, I really feel it’s time to make ‘giving back’ a more central part of what we do. It’s time to set some serious fundraising goals, but beyond fundraising, I’m keen to brainstorm with my team better ways to use our voice and our content-making skills to support great causes we believe in.
Cycle More
Last year I was so lucky to travel to Copenhagen with my family – I fell in love with the place, and one of the most amazing experiences was cycling over the whole town with my family! Almost everyone in Denmark commutes by bike, it’s just a way of life. It made exploring the city so much fun. When we got home, my husband bought me a gorgeous bike for my birthday (from Tokyobike! It’s so cute!) and I have been surprised how easy it’s been to ‘get back on the bike’.
Having said that, I’m still a bit tentative on the roads in Melbourne, and it’s still a bit of a habit just to use my car because ‘it’s easier’. So, in 2018 it’s my goal to cycle to work every day I possibly can – for my own wellbeing, to save on fuel, and just because it’s fun!
