📚 What I read in my ill-fated reading week
Hi ,
"I'm heading offline next week for my reading week (I *cannot* wait!)."
This was the closing line from my last newsletter, a mere two weeks ago. Don't I feel the fool! Needless to say, I did not end up going away for my reading week as Victoria went into lockdown just a couple of days before I was meant to leave.
I did, however, still take five days off to enjoy some down time and some books. It wasn't the same as going away, that change of environment is so powerful, but it was nice to just put some music on, plant myself on my office room beanbag, and have no plans but to read.
It's so easy to not take a break at the moment, in the absence of being able to travel. If you know you need a bit of a break, but are reluctant to do that at home, here were some tips and tricks that helped make my reading 'staycation' a little better...
📚 Have a plan for no plan
If, like me, you struggle with ‘doing nothing’ (especially when you’re in the same physical location as ‘doing something’ usually happens), make a very tiny and specific goal for the day. A 30 min walk, read x pages, make lunch. Ticking it off is a doddle and you feel like you’ve achieved what you set out to do.
📚 Mix up your space
I switched a couple of things around in my office room to make it feel slightly less like where I spend my work days, and more like a little reading nook. It was a tiny change but made a surprising difference to how I felt going in there each day. I purposely chose not to use the living room / sofa as my reading space, so that area could remain as 'evening relaxing / Netflix space'. If I spent the whole day there, it would have made me feel like an actual spud. Fine for a lazy Sunday, not fine for five days in a row.
📚 Mix up your routine
I enjoyed some extra sleep in the morning, and exercised in the afternoons with leisurely walks or yoga, rather than my usual Pilates, long walks, or indoor cycling. I also went wild and ordered take away from our favourite Thai place on a night that wasn't a weekend, and we ate Christmas pudding one night, complete with flames (I had made it for a Christmas in July that also got canned).
📚 Balance output and input
I failed at turning my tech off (the draw of the doomcycle is strong at the moment), and after reading three books in three days, I needed a little break. So on day four, I focused on getting things out of my brain, rather than pouring more in. I journaled, doodled, wrote lists, brainstormed ideas, and made plans. I also used the Forest app to set some 'phone-free-sprints' across the five days.
In other news I used some of the time to set up my cards and stationery Etsy store, a little side project that pulls together some of my favourite things; design, print, cards, snail mail, and stationery. You can take a peek here.
I've managed to rebook my trip for September... fingers crossed! In the meantime, keep scrolling to find out what I read in July, including last week's book binge.
In mixing it up,
Steph
PS. To borrow from Austin Kleon (and everyone else who borrows this from Austin Kleon), this newsletter and the podcast are 'free but not cheap'. You can support their creation by purchasing your next book through my affiliate stores with Book Depository (global) or Bookshop (US), buying me a coffee or leaving a podcast review on the website. Thanks!
What I read in July
Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Important read that makes the case for better emotional literacy in schools, to help kids (and therefore future adults) better process, understand, express, and regulate their emotions. Given the book's focus on kids/schools/parenting, I probably wouldn't have picked this book up myself, but I'm glad it came heavily recommended (and that someone sent it to me as a gift) as the RULER framework is critical at home, at work, and at school. It definitely made me think about some of my emotional responses and spectrum of feelings. Nicely written given the more academic slant to the topic.
A Field Guide to Punk by Steve Wide
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fun book that is *beautifully* designed, part of a series of books on different music sub-cultures. The content is a useful one-stop shop if you want to understand the difference between the variations of punk, who influenced who, who came first, and (unfortunately) who died of what. Pairs nicely with the fantastic docu-series Punk, produced by Iggy Pop, which I recently enjoyed on SBS.
Find Your Artistic Voice by Lisa Congdon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Firstly, I love Lisa Congdon. I've listened to countless podcast interviews, taken some of her online courses, and will greedily read any article she puts out or features in. This book is a delight to read and features practical wisdom from Lisa and friends on how to shape your creative journey, whatever stage you're at and whatever your pathway to creativity has been.
Lead the Room by Shane Hatton
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shane told me that if I didn't like his book, I should unfriend him and pretend both he and the book never existed. Luckily for both of us, he wrote a good book. Whilst it's about presenting well, I enjoyed that it goes further into the preparation for any communication - organising your ideas and being clear on the impact you want to have, rather than just the usual 'here's what to do with your hands'. If you want to lead with impact through your communications, start here.
Argh! by Lynne Cazaly
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lynne has a knack for great book titles and subtitles. This subtitle is 'Too much information, not enough brain'. We've all been there! Lynne provides helpful tips and frameworks for dealing with overwhelm, understanding what you're really experiencing, and making sense of it, so you can better outsmart it.
Fiction: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I'm not sure I can read another fiction book after this. It's an absolute masterpiece. Set in 1953, it contains some language that's very much 'of its time', but in many other ways it's also ahead of its time with Esther's approach to being a woman and what that means (or should mean), and the brilliant, beautiful, but brutal description of her struggles with her mental health. (NB. this would come with a slew of trigger warnings so do your research before picking this one up if you are likely to be upset by certain topics).
PS. if you'd like to take better book notes this year, you can enjoy a 15% discount on your very own copy of the Archley's Book of Books book journal, here^.
Ear food
I've been on a podcast binge lately, and particularly music podcasts...
🎙Podcast: Sodajerker on Songwriting - Songwriting duo Simon Barber and Brian O'Connor talk to songwriters from across the decades about their writing process and what makes them tick. I especially enjoyed the episodes with Sharleen Spiteri and Moby. (Spotify | Apple)
🎙Podcast: Under the Hood with Scott Malcolm / Unpacking the Heat in the Property Market - my financial adviser pal Scott Malcolm got together with my buyer's advocate pal Narelle Glynn to talk about what the heck is happening in the housing market at the moment, and what to do about it if you're looking to buy or sell. (Spotify | Apple)
Meanwhile, on the bookshelf
Recent Steph's Business Bookshelf podcast episodes, in case you missed them...
Argh! by Lynne Cazaly
(Listen)
The 5am Club by Robin Sharma
(Listen)