Happy New Year
Even though I’m not Jewish, I regularly listen to a rabbi, the late Jonathan Sacks, from whom I’ve learned so much. We’ve never met but Rabbi Sacks, who was also a trained philosopher, actually helped me out personally. What do I mean by that?
You see, Rabbi Sacks taught me about the importance of time management, and so helped me plan ahead and accomplish some things in my life, like making a difference in the lives of others.
Consider the Jewish tradition, around Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, to reflect back on the year that was. As Rabbi Sacks put it:
“Quietly God is asking us a question: you're asking me for another year of life, let me hear your answer to this question: last year, I gave you another year of life, what did you use it for? Did you spend your time on the things that make a difference? And that’s really when we ask, what have we done in the past year? How have we added to the store of human happiness? How have we made the world a little better? And it seems to me that the Torah really understood that of all things the most precious is time.” (1)
On the subject of time, Rabbi Sacks draws an important distinction. We can use our time either to do what’s urgent or what’s important. Sacks says we more often get stuck doing those things that are urgent and neglect the things that are important.
However, last year, I actually used so much of my time for doing things that are important that I neglected doing the things that were urgent.
Of course, I don’t regret it. For example, I gave a lot of my time to help fellow students who were struggling. I actually made a real difference in their lives. But in helping them, I myself began to fall behind with respect to my own urgent matters.
There needs to be balance. And my New Year’s Resolution for 2023 is to become better in this respect.
I hope to build on some of the success I had last year. For example, with this blog, unlike with most of my previous blogs, I was able to keep to a regular blogging schedule. This required organization and following a wiser schedule. I was able to blog every week because I rotated my schedule, alternating between new and revised posts.
This year, I want to continue this. However, I’m migrating over to Substack and changing my blogging schedule from Wednesdays to Sundays. Why? So I can blog on the first and last day of the year, of course!
Furthermore, instead of alternating weekly, I’ll be keeping to a strict biweekly blogging schedule and, on the weeks in between, I’ll be podcasting about cool philosophy topics, articles and books.
Anyway, I’m grateful for last year and look forward to blogging and podcasting this year, in addition to taking some more wonderful university philosophy courses which I’m super excited about.
Lastly, I want to wish y'all a very happy new year, let’s make it count!
References
Rabbi Sacks on time (animation)