This one was a hard one to write! It took a lot of effort to sit down and reflect on the past month. There is a lot of momentum coming into the new year to start new habits, which I thought that I was "above," but I am realizing that the deep work of ongoing reflection and consistency, starts in months like February, when it is no longer "sexy" to start something new or be focused on your goals.
What went well? 📈
YouTube work 🎥
I am very proud of how much I ramped up my engagement with YouTube in February. I learned a lot about my creation process by aiming to work on YT in some way, every day, including:
I am more creative when I create something every day, even if it is for 2 minutes or less
I have more confidence when recording when I don't over-focus on the writing
Recording more often led to more understanding of filming and lighting, which created better content
Reddit is a better place for me to find an editor, compared to Upwork
P.S. If you are wondering what the blacked out circle is on February 3, that is a mistake -- I did check my notes and worked on a script on that day.
Total YouTube videos completed in 2024: 1
Date Night 🌹
I was proud to hold two date nights in February. On one, we were able to attend a concert of one of my favorite musicians, Damien Marley, at the legendary Masonic in San Francisco. On the other, we kept it very simple by going out to eat sushi, then catching a movie.
I'm finding that these experiences have a very grounding effect on our relationships and insulate it when challenges arise during more stressful times that involve balancing our careers with raising children, personal finances, and other aspects of our life which require shared attention.
Quality of sleep / Wake up time 😴
My attempts to address my quality of sleep issues in January 2024 helped me identify that the most critical factor to get a restful sleep was the time I woke up. I found that on days which I woke up earlier, I was able to fall asleep more easily, and then repeat the cycle of waking up earlier. Waking up earlier also has other benefits in my life including:
Increased productivity as I will usually have between 60 - 180 minutes to work on a project before my daughter comes over to start the morning routine
I'm more motivated to do a quick cold shower to increase my alertness and the water is colder in the morning, thus creating a more stimulating experience
I enjoy prioritizing deep work in the morning, rather than emails
As you can see in the image below, there was a great deal of variablity in my wake up times in February 2024, but my average wake up time did hover around 6 AM. I did miss documenting some days, especially weekends, which would have drove the average up, but I also think it is more realistic for me at this time to focus on an early wake up on weekdays, and not so much on weekends, although I would like to eventually wake up near the same time every day.
Other victories 🏆
Here are a few other victories that don't merit a full reflection, but that I'd like to share:
I was able to set up a unique email for this website, support@seanmccomick.me , so that as the following grows, I can respond to inquiries in a timely manner.
I simplified this website and added in an opt-in form so people can get updates when I post a new article.
I created new trackers to track my goal of daily cold immersion, my "board meetings" with loved ones, and "do nothing" days.
I have a 77 day streak going in my journal app
What didn't go so well? 📉
Work Outs 🏋️♀️
In February I was on track to hit my goal of 8 workouts in the month until I re-injured my knee while playing in a competitive adult basketball league. If you read my 2023 Annual Review, you are aware that joining a local group fitness class was my way of managing the loss of one of my favorite pastimes, basketball.
Re-injuring my knee was quite devastating, but it also provided me with absolute clarity that to enjoy the benefits of the lifestyle I have been cultivating, I will need to swap the erratic movements of basketball, with the predictable and consistent nature of group fitness.
This is a turning point for me, as I am aware that to achieve great things, you must sacrifice greatly. I have LOVED basketball with my heart and soul since I was a young boy and much of my life has been built around balancing the challenges of working and aging, with the freedom and joy of playing pickup and competitive basketball. I hope to share a bit more of that story later through my own version of Kobe Bryant's, Dear Basketball.
Total workouts in February: 6
Reading 📖
I wouldn't say this went terribly, but I would like to find a way to read or learn something of value (with intention) every day. As you can see below, last month, I read on 12 days of month. I hope that in March I can get that up to at least 20 days.
What am I working toward for March 2024?
A weekly "Do Nothing" day 🧖🏼♂️
Inspired by the Judaic and Christian traditions of the Shabbat and Sabbath, I am working on committing to "do nothing" for one day each weeks. After doing a bit of research, I am formulating a framework for this weekly day. Right now, this day will include the following:
Rest
Quality time with my wife and children
Listening to music
Eating out or prepared foods
Time in nature
I am going to avoid the following things on this day:
Obligations
Cooking
Cleaning
Shopping
The focus of the day will be on gratitude, tuning into the ever expanding abundance in my life, and pausing the incessant urge to be more "productive."
Daily cold immersion 🥶
In March, I am aiming to immerse myself in cold water at least 20 days in the month, but hopefully all of them! I find this has a powerful effect on my body and mind which is both stimulating and calming. It also allows me to "face my fear" in a small way, each day, and be victorious. I was inspired to start this practice last year by my brother who showed me the work of Wim Hof, and I've been dabbling in it ever since, with positive results.
Wall Squats
I am aiming to do a 2 minute wall squat, each day, in a very specific style. This style consists of point my toes upward, being bent at 90 degrees with my legs, and going for two minutes. After I injured my knee, I did some research on Reddit, and learned about this approach from someone who claimed to be professional basketball trainer who has dealt with 7 knee surgeries. This person shared that this type of wall squat releases some type of fluid which acts like "grease" on the hinges on the knees. After trying this method, I have found it to be helpful, some my aim is to do it at least 15 days in the month.
TL;DR
February was a month of change and adjustment. After re-injuring my knee, I had to make a commitment to letting go of competitive basketball so I can focus on consistent exercise that doesn't jeopardize my long-term health. I was able to make significant progress in my YouTube habits and identify a few new daily and weekly habits that will maximize my productivity, enjoyment, and down time going forward.
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