Lockdown in New Zealand and particularly in Auckland, has presented many with feelings of uncertainty, unease. Despite supporting the kaupapa (purpose) around lockdown, regardless of how you personally feel about it, it is still a difficult time for most. Though it’s given us the opportunity to focus on what’s in front of us for Fade, doubling down on areas of improvement and planning ahead, we can acknowledge that that isn’t and hasn’t been everyone's experience. We’re grateful that we haven’t faced job insecurity or health issues so big ups to those doing it tough right now.

As we get closer to the restrictions lifting, we want to share what’s contributed towards our hauora (wellbeing) and has kept our creativity flowing in a time of heightened digital stimulation. Reading has definitely been a new non-negotiable task we’ve set time aside for - a means to give back to ourselves. Here are some of our personal recommendations of what we’ve been reading that contributed to our creative flow, working habits and overall mindset as we gear towards our next collection releasing.

7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey

One of my key takeaways from this book is about having an open mind to other people's opinions and their takes on life. It’s so easy to be caught up in only what you believe and not make room for other people's interpretation (that exists simultaneously). So having openness to see things from other people's way of thinking, as simple as it is, was a big one. I can see this applied to leadership and hierarchy in the workplace, where a workmate is unable to listen to peers and unable to take on advice and in turn has a negative relationship with his or her co-workers.

Another thing I took from the book was understanding where I’m at, concepts of interdependence, independence or dependence and creating right habits within certain areas of my life. What this book does is help you identify and confront your bad habits by creating your own mission statement and purpose. When shits’ thrown at you, you think from a certain set of principles and aren’t persuaded by external factors, you're thinking of the same pillars to help your judgement. It helps you understand that you have full control of what you do. With this in mind, you choose things on your own accord, rather than saying “I need to” or “ I have to” you then say “I want to'' or “I get to”. The language and vocabulary you embed dictates how you choose to view your circumstances.

Atomic Habits - James Clear

We make goals but don’t necessarily have processes to build habits around these goals to help us achieve them. The book presents a view that goals are almost useless without habits in place. It touches on creating an environment that helps allow us to fulfil those habits and segmenting our living/working areas for certain habits. For me, bedroom = sleep, garage = exercise, dinner table = eating. Of course these are ideal situations for the average home with conventional spaces but the principle can still be applied to whatever living situation you have. Another tactic is getting rid of things that make your habits hard or putting yourself in the easiest and most straightforward situation to succeed at your habit, eg. putting your phone away when needing to do work, going to the gym with an accountability buddy, so that you optimise your environment to build your habit. 

It says the reason we can’t stick to habits is because when we first create good habits, we get that serotonin from completing the initial task. After a while, the reward from the habit becomes autonomous and lame so it's about levelling up your habits. Those that can keep doing the boring autonomous habits again and again is what sets amateurs and professionals apart, the book says. It's about the idea of showing up despite the boredom, rather than depending on your motivation. Consistency is found when you fall in love with the boredom.