Read Great Things 2019: Personal Goals!

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For many, January is a time to mindfully start new habits, either just as a new year reset (hello, dry-anuary participants and all of you doing Whole 30 for your very last day today!) or as the start of a new, hopefully enduring habit.

The library surveyed Durham Tech faculty and staff and asked them to anonymously share their goals for 2019. 

Durham Tech Faculty & Staff New Year, New Goals 2019 pie chart-- 35% of those surveyed are interested in Individual Goal Achievement, including learning a specific skill or accomplishing a specific objective. 7% of those surveyed are interested in improving their time management. 10% of those surveyed are interested in self-improvement-related goals. 21% of those surveyed are interested in improving their own self-care. 17% are interested in improving their finances or financial literacy, and 10% have health and wellness-related goals, mostly related to exercising more and eating more healthily.
Results of the faculty and staff 2019 goals survey.

Have similar goals? Why not use the Read Great Things Challenge to help you reach those goals by reading a book to expand your knowledge, and also check off at least one box on your checklist? Just a few on-hand suggestions from your local Durham Tech library locations– 

  • Lift - fitness culture, from naked Greeks and acrobats to jazzercise and ninja warriors by Daniel Kunitz
    Available at Main Campus
  • Every body yoga - let go of fear, get on the mat, love your body by Jessamyn Stanley
    Available at Main Campus
  • The food matters cookbook - 500 revolutionary recipes for better living by Mark Bittman
    Available at Main Campus
  • What the fork are you eating An action plan for your pantry and plate by Stefanie Sacks
    Available at Main Campus
  • Year of yes - How to dance it out, stand in the sun and be your own person by Shonda Rhimes
    Available at Main and OC Campuses
  • You are a badass - how to stop doubting your greatness and start living an awesome life by Jen Sincero
    Available at OCC
  • Why Buddhism is true - The science and philosophy of meditation and enlightenment by Robert Wright
    Available at OCC
  • There is no good card for this - What to say and do when life is scary, awful, and unfair to people you love by Kelsey Crowe and Emily McDowell
    Available at Main Campus
  • Daring greatly- how the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent, and lead by Brene Brown
    Available at Main Campus
  • The financial diet - A total beginner's guide to getting good with money by Chelsea Fagan
    Available at Main Campus
  • Dollars and Sense - How we misthink money and how to spend smarter by Dan Ariely
    Available at Main Campus
  • Deep Work Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
    Available at Main Campus
  • The Inefficiency Assassin Time Management Tactics for Working Smarter, Not Longer by Helene Segura
    Available at Main Campus
  • How to Be A Better Person by Kate Hanley
    Available at Main Campus
  • The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance-What Women Should Know by Claire Shipman and Katty Kaye
    Available at Main Campus

While there’s a lot of debate about how effective “new year, new you” mentality can be in terms of long-term goal achievement, there’s no debate that goal-setting is valuable. From ACA 122 to our own college councils and committees, goal setting is where it’s at. 

Want to know more about the Read Great Things 2019 Challenge? Check out our blog post about it. 

About Meredith Lewis

Meredith is a librarian at Durham Tech on both the Main and Orange County Campuses.