Time flies, and it feels like July has passed by without doing much. I realize that I have been too lax with my time management, and as a result, I have wasted half of my time in the past four weeks.
But regardless, I still need to record my progress.
I currently feel like my life lacks a proper system. However, if I keep thinking about establishing a system, I will never be able to complete it. Yesterday, I read an article that said a system is built through gradual iterations. So, I should start by documenting and imitating existing systems before creating my own.
No, the system is not the end goal. The system is just a means to achieve growth. First, I need to understand what my goals are. Then, I need to identify the problems I need to solve in order to achieve those goals. Monthly summaries are meant to review these problems, the methods I used to solve them, and adjust the direction towards my goals.
If we start from the ultimate goal, we can see that some goals are process-oriented, while others are outcome-oriented. But in the end, they are all process-oriented because the ultimate outcome of life is death.
So, what are my goals? This question is constantly being asked, and the answer should also be constantly evolving. Since goals are constantly evolving, the means to achieve them should also evolve.
In terms of the long-term goal, I hope to live until I'm 70, which means I still have 50 years left in my life. In these 50 years, I hope to:
- Work: Have a job I enjoy that can support my life.
- Life: Have a rich spiritual life, good physical health, and harmonious relationships.
To further break it down, I need to focus on what I should be doing right now and compare it with what I am actually doing. This is the importance of reviewing.
Work#
- WeChat Official Account: Growth Weekly * 3
- Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book): Notes * 4
- Projects: Writing Guide (on hold)
- Projects: Website Development (in progress)
- Task: Front-end Technology (currently learning)
- Mid-term Task (Graduation): Participate in social practice to earn credits
I missed one issue of the WeChat Official Account because I took a weekend off to take my driver's license test. I will make up for it in the future. The initial purpose of writing this weekly is to record my own reading, but when it is made public, it feels like my growth is being scrutinized, and I feel the need to deliberately package myself and choose more interesting articles to read. This goes against the original intention. When selecting articles to read, I should prioritize what is helpful to me, rather than considering the audience. I should read articles that benefit myself and then select those that may be useful to others.
The data for Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) this month is still good, and the cover has improved a lot. Although equipment is not the most important factor, good equipment can lower the technical requirements and produce better-looking photos. In terms of quantity, the frequency of updates for this account has decreased a bit, with most of the posts being published in the second half of the month, which is related to my participation in social practice in the first half of the month. I will update more in August. Only with updates can there be opportunities.
As for other projects, the reason why the writing project is on hold is because I haven't figured out how to sell it yet. I plan to learn about operations first by distributing and selling other people's products before building my own. Website development and learning front-end technology are progressing slowly. According to Naval, code and content are leverage. Although AI has lowered the barrier to entry for coding, it is still important to continuously improve and master the technology. After all, a lower barrier means more competition.
Regarding the mid-term task of graduation, my goal is to obtain a bachelor's degree certificate first, and if there is an opportunity, pursue a master's degree.
Life#
Spiritual#
- Books: "The Left Ear Listens to the Wind"
- Long articles: At least 7
- Anime: "The Burial of Florianne"
- Online novels: Several
I have added many books to my bookshelf, but I haven't finished reading any of them. The reasons for this are: 1. I don't have a fixed reading time, and I mostly read when I am tired and sleepy, with a certain gap between each reading session, causing me to forget what I read before. 2. I can't read continuously for an hour, so I can't have a coherent understanding of the content. 3. I always add books to my bookshelf based on recommendations from others. 4. It's easy to get distracted and open other apps when reading on my phone. To improve this, I should find a fixed time to read using a computer or tablet. This time period should meet the conditions of staying awake and focused for more than one hour without any distractions. Therefore, in August, I can try waking up early to read for an hour. I should start with books that require deep thinking, such as "How to Read a Book."
The purpose of reading long articles is mainly for writing my weekly newsletter, rather than being genuinely interested in the content. This is not good, so I should adjust my approach and actively search for articles that are useful and interesting to me, without worrying about how others perceive them.
I came across the anime "The Burial of Florianne" in June, and lm highly recommended it. I had some free time during my driving lessons, so I finished watching it in two days. It was really good. There was one line that resonated with me deeply: "For those decisions that must be made, if you don't make them now, you will still have to make them in the future. If you keep postponing, then you won't make any progress in this lifetime, and life is always so short." Yes, for those crucial issues, we cannot escape from them. It's better to solve them sooner rather than later, as solving them early allows us to make adjustments to unsatisfactory results. Time is our constant adversary. We are not immortal elves with unlimited lifespans. We cannot spend 100 years learning how to love someone, nor can we wait forever. Time is precious, so set off early to see more scenery. As Lei Zhang said, "Being content with mediocrity is the beginning of aging." I hope that ten years from now, I will still be on the road.
Online novels are like junk food for the brain. You know that consuming them is unhealthy, but you keep eating them. Looking back, I think I developed an addiction to online novels during the period of studying at home during the pandemic. I have read them before, but I found them boring and stopped. Now, I realize that I just hadn't found the right ones for my taste. For me, if consumed in moderation, online novels can be a way to relax, especially when I don't have other hobbies. However, it's easy to overindulge, and I think I did so in July. The reasons for this are that it's summer vacation, and there are no other urgent tasks to do (although there are, but my brain prefers instant gratification). Additionally, I didn't have a proper relaxation period after the intense end of the semester in June. The solution is to cultivate a new hobby, such as practicing calligraphy (I picked it up last semester, so I'll continue with it during the summer vacation).
Physical Fitness#
- Exercise: Go swimming once.
- Sleep: Almost always sleep after 12 AM.
- Diet: Overall regular, but not balanced enough.
In April, mx and I started working out, although not frequently, but at least I developed a liking for this activity.
In July, I only went swimming once with wq on July 8th. I listened to wq counting her belongings in the dormitory, but I still forgot to bring my swimming cap, so I had to buy one on the spot. Come to think of it, I have taken everyone in the dormitory swimming. With xn, I learned the secret of swimming and successfully learned how to swim; with lm, I realized that I can't swim in deep water, meaning I still don't know how to swim well; with wq, I learned how to do the freestyle kick. In addition, the only exercise I can count is practicing driving for two weeks and taking a walk by the river with wyj on July 30th. In August, I need to increase the intensity of my exercise.
In the first half of July, during social practice, I slept early. In the middle of the month, when I was practicing driving at school, and at home in the second half of the month, I slept relatively late. In the middle of the month, I usually slept after 12 AM, and in the second half of the month, it was mostly around 1 or 2 AM. Staying up late is extremely harmful to the body, and I already know this. In August, I need to return to a normal sleep schedule and try to sleep before 12 AM.
I have been able to have three meals a day, but my diet structure is not reasonable. There is too much carbohydrates and too little vegetables and protein. In August, I need to take control of the kitchen at home and strive for a balanced and nutritious diet for half a month. I have always had this idea, but I haven't implemented it because I haven't established a standard operating procedure (SOP), which means that every time I cook a meal, it takes a long time. I have come up with a simple SOP:
- Determine the menu and recipes for the next day the day before.
- Go to the market in the afternoon after finishing tutoring to buy the ingredients for the next day.
- Cook dinner after returning home from tutoring.
Relationships#
- With family: Average.
- With friends: Close contact with lm, maintaining stable contact with yy.
When I was at school, I didn't know what to talk about with my parents, so I would only call them once a week. When I returned home, besides meal times, we would each stay in our own rooms, with minimal communication. The quality of my relationship with my parents seems to depend on my emotional state. For example, two days ago, when I was in a bad mood, I couldn't stay at home for a moment. I need to have stable emotions in order to be more understanding and maintain a stable relationship with my parents. In this relationship, what I haven't learned is how to express love, which also affects how I naturally express care in my interactions with friends.
In July, I had active conversations with lm, although we didn't chat in real-time all the time, we always answered each other seriously. It seems that every vacation, I will have someone to talk to, sharing both big and small things. This person is the one I have been in contact with recently, and I believe that I can share anything without being judged. Perhaps, this is the most natural way to record life. Yes, I should make good use of these chat records in the future. Didn't you say you don't know what you love? Look at your chat records. You may not see it in a day, but you can see some clues in a month or a year.
Achievements in July#
- Passed the driver's license test and obtained a driver's license.
Things to Do in August#
Work:
- Regularly update the WeChat Official Account, prioritizing self-interest.
- Update Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) more frequently, at least 5 posts. Strive to achieve this year's goal.
- Continue learning front-end technology and speed up website development.
Life:
- Finish reading "How to Read a Book" and take notes. Wake up early to read for an hour.
- Read at least 12 long articles (three per week).
- Practice calligraphy at least one day per week.
- Start recording exercise duration.
- Maintain a regular sleep schedule, sleeping before 12 AM.
- Maintain a balanced diet.
- Maintain existing stable relationships.
Just now (August 1, 2024, 6:10 PM), I saw a curious post on Jike asking, "What time would you most like to go back to?" I noticed that several answers mentioned going back to university, which means that many people have regrets about their university life. I believe that in the future, I will also feel that I didn't make the most of my university years due to certain things. So, what I can do now is to write a blog post for my future self, to tell myself through these words that I am already doing great!