As I transition this last year of teaching psychology courses at Carroll, I am reflecting on what lessons I have learned which will ease my transition out of academe. In particular, today I am reflecting on habits: how they are formed, maintained, strengthened, weakened, and suppressed. I am finding helpful several books recommended by some LinkedIn individuals I “follow:”
- Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
- Nir Eyal’s Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products (I also find his podcast and newsletter of value) and
- Scott Sonenshein’s Stretch: Unlock the Power of Less – and Achieve More than You Ever Imagined.
Among the habits I envision changing or developing are the following:
- Reading (Though I shall continue my reading of literature, I now am finding much pleasure in reading lengthy thought pieces in, for example, The Economist, The Atlantic Monthly, and The New Yorker.)
- Time Management (I shall not miss the day long series of meetings I have today!)
- Spending
- Health Maintenance
- Self-identity and Self-understanding
- Frameworks for understanding (e.g. how should one view the aging process)
- Writing. I am interested in writing longer pieces and publishing them in venues like The Conversation or Medium or self-publishing a number of books.
- Exercise
- Playing
- Reflection Linked to Action
I hope you will continue to blog; your musings inspire. I look forward to following your journey this year and beyond. I learn so much from you. (Also, consider adding Harper’s to your excellent list of long form journalism. I’ve been introduced to David Foster Wallace, Michael Pollan, Barbara Ehrenreich, and several others through Harper’s.)
In high school I subscribed to BOTH Harpers and Atlantic Monthly – and saturday Review of Literature and Ramparts and Mother Earth. What an odd kid. Thanks for commenting and for inspiring. —David