I normally hate New Year’s resolutions and don’t make them, but after a crazy-busy 2014, I realize that a few things need to change in my life.
#DoLess…
At the risk of sounding like a millennial (Get off my lawn!), in 2015 I resolve to do less. Less speaking at WordCamps and conferences, less side projects, less over-commitment in general. Don’t get me wrong, I love doing all these things, but that’s the problem. Web development is my passion, and when you love the craft you practice as much as I do, it can be extremely difficult to separate “work” from “leisure.”
…to #DoMore
When I’m home, I need to be more home. I have two wonderful kids who won’t be kids forever. I have a loving husband who has been more than patient as I’ve jetted off to places like Miami and New Orleans for conferences. I have interests outside web development, like skiing, biking and tennis that I would like to do more of, especially with my kids. I’d like to be healthier and get more exercise. And I’d like to write more on this blog. I can’t do any of these things if I’m always stressing to finish a presentation or pushing to get another project done.
Resolve, Not Promise
Of course I still intend to go to (and speak!) at WordCamps (I have a talk idea that I’m actually pretty excited about). Just maybe not four of them this year. And I still have my book I’m working to finish (February, hopefully?). I’m going to redesign and move this site at some point later this year. And there’s always the crunch time towards the end of a project where some extra hours need to be put in to meet the crucial deadline. That’s just the nature of the business, and by the business I mean the industry.
But the main theme of the year is to slow down. 2014 was full of too much: too much prepping for this thing or that thing; too much over-extension; too much work and not enough home. Let’s #DoLess, so we can #DoMore.