For those that can, I hope you have had a wonderful festive period away from work. I know that for those working in hospitality or care, for example, many will need to have continued to work.
I find that for me it is an opportunity to step back and relax. As I type, this evening my fire is lit, and this room at least, is toasty: it’s only the rest of the house that is freezing cold. The Aga is doing its usual festive treat of losing heat.
Scrolling through and looking for something to watch, I noticed Slow Horses, which many of us will have seen but reminded me about some of the other books that Mick Herron has written: in particular the opening lines of Chapter 7 of London Rules:
During the winter, the day tires early and is out of the door by five [o’clock]. Coat on heading west. “See you tomorrow”. The night then takes the long shift and though it sleeps through most of it and pays scant attention to what's occurring in its quieter corners, one way or the other it muddles through until morning.But while summer is here the day hangs around to enjoy the sunshine and, allowing for a post lunch lull and the odd faltering step, when it's 5 o’clock shadows appear generally powers on as long as it’s able.And in those unexpectedly stretched out hours there's more opportunity for things to come to light or failing that, for light to fall on things.
Mick Herron: London Rules.
I love the style of writing, and how he uses personification: Herron often takes abstract forces — time, bureaucracy, weather, political machinery — and gives them human moods, intentions, or behaviours. When he makes night or day feel like characters with agency.
But he also reminds me of how time off, is a time to reflect, to think more widely and get a fuller perspective: indeed, to allow the “light to fall on things”.
One of things that I value most, is time. Whether that is time with family, or friends, or as the years continue to keep piling on with annoying rapidity, the fact that I actually still have some left!
I used some of that time today to read the last 2025 edition of the Sunday Times, and as always Matthew Syed’s article, in which he quotes EO Wilson’s phrase in his book Consilience. Towards the end he wrote: “We are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom.”
As I move through the latter allocation of my répartition du temps, this is something that resonates with me more and more. Syed, applies his thinking to politics and decision making, but for me what resonates more is how we engage with others and how we make choices in our business lives: for many of us they are intertwined.
In our lives we are often drowned by competing responsibilities. As regards our business, I would argue that we are drowning more in data and information, rather than support in what to do with it.
Syed continues, “As complexity grows, simplicity (and clarity) of vision becomes more important, not less so”.
I think our ability now to get information is at a level that even a couple of years ago was just not possible. This will only continue.
My goal for 2026, will be to continue to take steps back and work out how to use information; how to validate whether it is helpful to know and whether it can be believed.
That is to say, does the information tell me what I want it tell me and drive the actions I want to take or does it encourage me to consider alternatives that go against my preconceptions.
I will make business decisions personally and help clients do the same based on that process, and by looking wider than the issue at hand.
Other goals
I can add the usual ones of not drinking in January. As well as continued gym attendance.
As regards the latter I remember going through the turnstiles one January and heading to the changing rooms, only to be beckoned back and discretely told that the showers were not working and that “Well, erm, I know you tend to get a little ‘warm’ when you exercise, so I, erm, thought I had better let you know!”
I am not sure who was the most embarrassed. It is though, apparently, good to sweat heavily. Just as the sauna loving Scandinavian population know… but with fewer clothes!
Whilst always fastidious with my post-interval-training cleaning in the gym, it seemed apparent to all that I needed to be.
With no showers, I would not be headed straight to the office.
So, this January I will be doing my best to prevent gym over-crowding, by putting in long interval sessions. I could take extended Saunas in the Scandinavian style to achieve the same effect, but I think I may be asked to leave.
I hope you have an enjoyable and profitable 2026.
