(This is a now page. I learnt about now pages from Derek Sivers.)
Here’s what I’m doing at the moment, both in my professional life and my personal life.
May 23 2020
During the lockdown the most productive things I have been doing are practising yoga, and scanning/archiving about 20 years of print photos (1990-2010).
I am living in Stirling as I have done for almost 20 years.
I work at Robertson Group (since 2016) as a Content Manager & Copywriter:
- In March/April 2020 I worked from home for 2 weeks and since then have been furloughed.
- Back to basics – focusing on web content and print content.
- Shifted role away from social media, and internal and external comms.
- Shelved introduction of content marketing to the business, instead integrating principles around customer needs into the content.
- Focusing on collaboration with fellow content specialist and supporting business development colleagues.
- Not formally mentoring and training newer team members and colleagues at the moment.
Being the best Dad to my two girls is a priority in my life.
My children split their time 50/50 between living with me and their Mum. I enjoy putting time into watching kids movies with them, reading Harry Potter aloud, playing video games, taking them to the swimming pool, riding our bikes and crafting. Lots of the ideas in Leo Babauta’s article about parenting resonate with me.
In February 2020 I had the first proper relationship since separating from my wife in 2016/17.
Physical health and fitness is another priority:
- Before coronavirus, I cycle commute 5km each way to work, two or three days a week.
- Normally, I do extended rides after work and longer rides at the weekend.
- I usually run, 5km once or twice a week, for variety and to fit in with ‘life and logistics’
- In 2020 I have started Forrest Yoga, as a way to heal my back. I do this at home using Kilted Yogi Finlay Wilson’s yoga videos on YouTube.
- I was an active member of Stirling Bike Club in 2019, enjoying group road rides.
- I stopped cyclocross racing in 2018.
- I stopped road racing at the end of 2013.
I use the principles of minimalism in my life.
- I’ve simplified the commitments in my life to focus on the most important things: physical health and family.
- I’ve weaned myself off the short-term pleasure of retail therapy.
- I greatly reduced clutter, sentimental items and ‘just in case’ items in my house, which reduced low-level stress.
- Financial minimalism is working for me: saving up money and avoiding using debt, paying for things up front.
- I am now starting to replace things with higher quality, more expensive stuff that should last longer.
I enjoy music – BBC 6Music is my favourite station and I get to live concerts occasionally.
I listen to Gilles Peterson on 6Music and David Rodigan on 1xtra every week.
Tim Burgess’ #timstwitterlisteningparty is a great way to discover classic albums or reconnect with something you already love, and a welcome distraction during coronavirus.
Maintaining my personal websites, but only just:
- The Drum-Up cycling blog now lives at thedrumup.co.uk
- I sold my Rode lavalier mics and have stopped podcasting.
- I am not actively writing: The Drum-Up is essentially an archive of posts.
- Deciding whether I should get rid of it and move on – end of an era?
- Using the Hell Yeah Or No? question – it is not a ‘hell yeah’.
- Your actions reveal your priorities, and I am not motivated to work on it.
- I find it difficult to let go of though.
- My personal and career articles are at owenphilipson.com
- I decommissioned my freelance site constructioncontent.co.uk but archived the content on this website.
- I haven’t worked on personal brand recently, but with coronavirus, I might need to look at this again.