resolutions: taking some time

The new year has begun and it seems de rigueur to start thinking resolutions. I could totally go down the 'eat less, workout more' route - in fact I actually drafted a blog post to this effect, but them remembered how much I love eating. Why would you 'resolve' to stop doing something you enjoy? Seems foolish to me. Yes I will be re-joining the gym and stop having cheese and crackers after meals, but I don't do fad diets. We'll see...

I guess this year my real focus is on well being. Over the past few months work has really got on top of me and has left me feeling stressed, anxious and well, unhappy. I'm not going to lie, I don't really enjoy teaching anymore - but that's a whole post in itself! My goal for this year is to stop work from taking over my life and start to strike a better work/life balance. To me it's fairly basic - the more enjoyment you get from things outside of work, the less emphasis is placed on work itself. When work becomes and be all and end all, its not surprising you get stressed and worn down.

Someone asked me the other day what my hobbies were outside of work/teaching, and I really struggled to come up with an answer. It's like writing a CV - saying 'socialising with friends and reading' sounds more than a little lame. Can't you come up with something better than that?! So this year I want to readdress the balance, and spend time doing things I love. Here's how...

1. take a course

I want to start off by learning some new skills or finding something I enjoy doing. First up I want to take an Indian Head Massage course; something to help me relax and hopefully I will be able to find a friend to come along. My Mum is already trained in several holistic therapies including IHM and she swears by them to help relax and improve her general well being. If you are looking for reasonably priced, day-long courses (or longer) its worth checking out your local FE college. I teach in one, and the Adult Education section has some great options - I've also got my eye on a Stress Management course (!), Furniture Painting and Digital Photography. Why not - you've got nothing to lose, and could gain a new hobby and skills. 

2. join a book club

This is something I've wanted to do for a while! I love reading (check out by bookworm feature) and swapping book recommendations with friends - this would be a great way to meet like minded people and try new reads. Its so easy to stick to a genre, or follow the hype - as a result I've not read some real classics or books that are off the radar. I just need to find a group to join or other folks to start one with! 

Those are the first two goals on my list - I don't see the point in writing hundreds of things as that just won't be achievable. Can you think of anything else I should do?