Rowan Spazzoli

Everyone has a to-do list of some form, even if it’s not written down. It can be a source of motivation but also a source of anxiety. And it’s almost impossible to ever finish a to do list, cause there is always more that can be added. It often feels like we’re never getting anywhere because of this. However, there’s a useful way of dealing with this feeling: a to-done list.

I know the name is quite cheesy. But I think it’s catch. So deal with it.

The point of the to-done list is to do the inverse of the to-do list. At the end of the day, you write out everything that you have accomplished that day.

It serves as a way of helping reflect on what has been achieved. And is an antidote to that persistent feeling of not having done enough.

Today I haven’t been able to get through all my to-do list stuff. But after writing up my to-done list, I realise that I’ve actually been quite productive. And I’m proud of that.

Image is of my to-done list for today with this blog post in the background. Kinda meta, I know.

Song of the day: Slow Magic - Wildfire (Mielo Remix)

Blog 110/365. Read more about my #365of25 journey here

As mentioned two days ago, I’ve built two strong, successful habits over the past few months. I just passed 50 days of meditation and 100 days of blogging. So I’ve been pondering what my new habit is going to be.

In considering what I wanted to do, I decided the new habit had to incorporate the following:

• Physical in nature i.e. some form of exercise
• Focused on improving strength and flexibility
• Easy to incorporate into schedule
  • Can be done any time of the day
  • Can be short if necessary
• Inexpensive
• Uninfluenced by external factors (e.g. rain or cold)
• Enjoyable

After considering these (and taking some advice from my mother), I settled on daily yoga as my new habit.

I’ve always been a bit hesitant about yoga. The reason for this is that it feels like an activity that has been highly culturally appropriated. My immediate mental image of it is wealthy, suburban women (e.g. your constantia moms) doing yoga and then going for brunch at some trendy coffee shop (e.g. Tashas).

However, I’ve also realised that yoga allows me to achieve my physical goals while helping me continue my mindfulness goals. And so I’m going to give it a proper try.

I’ll be using an app called Yoga Studio, which allows for you to pick the duration, intensity and focus of your sessions. And my objective will be to use the app every day.

Some dimensions of the habit:

• Sessions cannot be shorter than 15min
• If I run more than 5km or cycle more than 10km in a day then I don’t have to do yoga
  • This includes any other major exercise. For example, if I go on a significant hike
• Commitment devices
  • Making it public (to you, the reader)
  • Tracking the progress and having a streak
  • Buying Jared a R1000 bottle of whiskey if I miss a day in the first 50 days
  • An accountability buddy (still searching… let me know if you want to do the challenge with me)

I’m really excited about building a third big habit. I think this pattern is a great way of incorporating sustained improvements into my life.

Let me know in the comments if you’ve built any habits and if you’re planning on building any new ones 🙂

Image was taken at my consultancy’s office in Stellenbosch. 

Song of the day: Gorgeous - Taylor Swift

Blog 103/365. Read more about my #365of25 journey here

I had a great conversation with a friend of mine while we were on a drive today. We had been speaking about how much of an influence people can have in our life.

In some cases, we can change these people (e.g. choose different friends). But in other cases, we’re stuck with people that have had a significant influence on us and will probably continue to do so (e.g. parents, academic supervisors, bosses, siblings).

Often these relationships are good, and there’s no need to want to change things. And sometimes there are people with whom these relationships can be frustrating, painful or arduous.

With these people, changing things external to yourself is difficult. We’re dependent on them for long periods of time. And even if we aren’t, there’s a relationship that will always exist.

We might even try to change the person (or how they treat us) but this is an even bigger challenge.

In these situations, it’s easy to end up in the same cycles of trying to change the relationship or the person. But there’s an easier way. And that’s to change your internal reaction and perception of the situation.

In other words, you learn to manage your own emotions, thoughts and actions around that person. And by doing this, the relationship is more bearable. You learn how to establish boundaries, deal with conflict and hold opposing views.

A choice for you

It may appear that doing this is a sign of weakness. That you’re doing it to appease the other person. That you’re throwing in the towel.

However, it’s completely the opposite. It’s a recognition that this person can try and hold influence over you. But that you can develop the internal system to be able to handle anything that may arise.

Ultimately, you won’t be able to change the person or completely abandon the relationship. But you can focus on your reaction to them. In doing so, you take control of your own narrative, improve your mental wellbeing and reduce the effect that they have on your life.

Image was taken this morning at the School of Economics at UCT.

Side note: Still thinking about the new habit I want to institute. I want it to be around health / physical fitness but have always found it to difficult to create a daily habit around this. Suggestions are welcome 🙂

Song of the day:  Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten

Blog 103/365. Read more about my #365of25 journey here

Over the past 6 weeks or so I’ve been intensely focused on one single project. It’s not my normal way of doing things because I usually have a number of different things on the go. As much as it was great to be able to concentrate on one task for an extended time, there’s one thing that has been lacking: perspective.

It’s really easy to get lost in the minute detail of a big project. To think that it’s the only thing in the whole world that matters. But in reality, it’s a small component of your life, and things won’t fall apart if you don’t reach your targets.

Zooming Out

So today was spent gaining perspective on my life. I spent a little time in each of my projects, which will include the following over the next few months:

• Lecturing the Strategic Thinking course at UCT
• Consulting on the beef genetics project
• Organising the local Oxford Map the System challenge
• Consulting on a strategy for an economic development zone
• Masters thesis in behavioural/development economics

After looking at this, I realised that I was doing exactly the work that I wanted to be doing, in the way I wanted to be doing it. I have a variety of projects, from strategy to economic development to systems entrepreneurship. I also have the flexibility to move between them and the autonomy to run my days as I see fit.

A few years ago, I would only have dreamt of being in such. And here I am, with a big picture that’s looking pretty awesome.

I’ll probably be diving quite deeply into each of these over the next few weeks. But it’s great to gain perspective on my life, and realise that I’m precisely where I want it to be 🙂

Image is of Table Mountain, taken from Blouberg a few years ago. Thought it was quite cool perspective of our little city

Quick note: writing this post brought to mind a post on Wait But Why –> “Life is a picture, but you live in a pixel”

Song of the day: Synthetic - The Midnight (Mango vs We are all Astronauts Remix)

Blog 101/365. Read more about my #365of25 journey here

On Friday my thesis efforts were completely derailed.

I met with my supervisor and, while discussing my results, we realised there was a massive error in my data. The PhD student who started the initial work on the data set had accidentally dropped around 200 observations . And I’d been working on this for the last few months completely unaware.

What this meant was that all my results would change. After checking with the new data, I found that some results were similar but some were entirely different. This meant that I’d have to completely change my results section, methods description and even parts of my literature review.

With only two days to hand in, this would be impossible (even if I worked solidly throughout the weekend). And next week I begin work on a new consulting project and I start lecturing.

So the only option is to re-register and delay my hand in.

My heart sank when I realised this. I’d been working so hard and despite my best efforts I was derailed. Some of my other initial thoughts were:

• I had let people down
• I wouldn’t finish my masters on time
• I had failed to achieve my own goals
• I would have even more work lying ahead of me.

However, upon reflecting I realised that this was all an unnecessary amount of pressure I had put on myself. My friends would still support me if I didn’t hand in on time. My goals were impacted by something I couldn’t have foreseen. And many, many people I know have taken a little extra time for their masters.

Furthermore, there were some really great benefits to postponing. My results are still really exciting and my supervisor says that I could potentially get a distinction for my thesis. Even better, it could even be publishable. And now I have more time to work on it.

Additionally, I’ve been able to take today off, which is the first bit of time I’ve properly taken off since January.

So I’ve been derailed. But I’m okay. And I know that I’ll be able to put together some incredible work.

Thank you to everyone that has supported me so far on this journey. It’s going to be a little longer, but I’m still excited for what’s to come 🙂

Image was taken at the School of Economics last year 🙂

Song of the day: Encore/Numb- Linkin Park ft. Jay-Z

Thesis update: see above ;)

Blog 99/365. Read more about my #365of25 journey here

A bit of a different Friday shoutout today goes to Big Route Pizza in Greenpoint. They make the best pizza and Cape Town, and I’ve been eating there frequently (probably a little too much) over the last few weeks.

They even give us shots of limoncello sometimes when we go to pick up our take always.

If you’re in town you should definitely give it a try 😄

Image is of a classic Margherita from Big Route. Not the best picture but I can promise the pizza is amazing

Song of the day: Particula- Major Lazer et al.

Thesis update: been a tough day

Blog 98/365. Read more about my #365of25 journey here

I’m operating at full tilt with my thesis work at the moment.

I met with my supervisor today and he said I’ve got really great results that could even (potentially) be turned into a publishable working/academic paper.

I’m in a state of anxiety fuelled by panic and excitement. And I hope it’s enough to see me over the finish line.

I’ll leave you with the quote from my Momentum page today:

“So many of our dreams at first seem impossible. Then they seem improbable. And then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.” Christopher Reeve

Image was taken a few weeks ago at the offices were my consultancy firm is based. 

Song of the day: Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves

Thesis update: met supervisor. Churned out more results. Lots to go

Blog 97/365. Read more about my #365of25 journey here