The end of the year, often a time for reflection. Certainly a time for forced reflection from Facebook when they shove your Year in Review in your face.
2015 was a huge year. I...
- Started my PhD and kicked some huge goals already, despite being part time
- Quit my job at Apparel21
- Started an awesome new job at SEEK
- Bought my first home and moved in to funky Yarraville
- Got my adorable little cat, Aggie
- Spoke at UX Australia and UX Australia Redux
- Moved in with my partner
- Attended the Anita Borg Women's retreat at Google
- Appeared on the news a few times
But my life isn't perfect like Facebook would have you believe
Despite all this awesomeness, there was of course some negatives.
The juggling act is hard, really, really hard - work, PhD, relationships, life, blogging. I knew it was going to be hard to do a part time PhD while working, but I didn't think it would be this hard. After all, I'd worked right through my masters.
At times I was stressed out of my mind. I never got enough sleep, and if I did it was not a restful sleep. Too many times I supplemented sleep with copious amounts of coffee. I worked late in to the night, knowing i had to get up early the next day. I was always on - always available to work emails when at University, and University emails when at home. I watched too much Netflix, but always had my laptop or phone in my hand while I did it. I said yes to too many things, adding ever more to an already overflowing plate. I did too many things for free. My answer to "how are you" was always "busy".
2016 will be better than 2015, but it won't be bigger. In 2016 I'm going for quality over quantity. I want to do work and PhD well, instead of sprinting from deadline to deadline at the expense of relationships and life. I want to sleep (although I doubt my coffee consumption will drop). I will say no. I will have answers to how I am, other than 'busy'. I will learn to switch off. I will relax more. I will work smarter, not harder.
This means that in 2016 I'll be reducing my blogging to a monthly cycle. There might be more posts here and there, but there won't be a consistent fortnightly post anymore. Don't worry, you can still follow what I'm up to on Twitter. And it will be better than ever.