Planning for a purposeful 2024

“If you can make the process of making the effort your primary source of happiness, then you have succeeded in the most important challenge of your life.” - Ken Mogi, The Little Book of Ikigai: The essential Japanese way to live a happy and long life

Having gathered my strength and forced myself to stand on the scales yesterday, it's become clear that a diet of cheese, wine and chocolate requires a rethink. And while I’ve never been one to live a sedentary life, getting back into an exercise routine beyond walking from the fridge the telly is also a priority.

Beyond diet and exercise though, there are other, more subtle changes I'd like to make this year, which I was struggling to put into words until I found this quote by Ken Mogi.

Success for me when I look back on 2024 won't be box-ticking exercise of goals achieved. It'll be about the effort I put in behind the scenes.

These are small but impactful changes that I'm going to put my time and focus into this year.

??Journal. Make writing in my journal part of my daily routine, rather than something I suddenly panic about after several days of having forgotten.

??Read. Read more! I’m usually a book worm but last year I tailed off, very unlike me. More books in 2024.

??Review. Connected to the reading resolution, I’m going to start sharing reviews of the books I read. Great practice for my writing, but on a different platform (Good Reads) and to a different audience. Excited for this. First review’s going to be ‘Tackle’ by Jilly Cooper when I’ve finished it. Off to a strong start. ??

??Attention to detail. If I’m honest, the detail I tend to pay most attention to is grammar and writing (beware all those who send me copy to edit – the red pen will be wielded). I want to push myself to get better at sweating the small stuff across the board. It matters.

??Time-management. I need to stop wasting time on activities that don’t add value and spend time on those that do. Is the meeting I'm about to schedule essential? When was the last time I met my colleague for coffee? Should I be spending half an hour on an Insta reel of the dog?

??Change. Being (even more) open to change. I live and breathe change, so it’s something I’m comfortable with. But sometimes it can be tough. Especially when colleagues move on to new chapters and team dynamics shift. This year I’m going to look at change as a chance to take a fresh look at what’s gone before. Then do it better.

All in all, I don’t have a particular stand out resolution that’s going to define 2024 for me. In fact I’m hoping this year’s going to be relatively quite and uneventful (a girl can dream).

What this year's really about, is making the effort to get better at doing all the things I enjoy most, consistently and well. For me, that's what's going to make the biggest difference to work, home and happiness.

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Louisa Houghton is a storyteller and communications professional who specialises in creating purposeful, authentic content that 'does what it says on the tin'. She's been writing her blog, Chickens in a Box, about life as a working mum, since 2005. Louisa is a firm believer that you can find the extraordinary everywhere and finds magic in the least likely places. Her stories are designed to entertain as much as they educate, always with a kernel of insight at their heart.

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