Updated: 20th May 2022
Work
I currently split my work time roughly 50-50 between coaching and the Center for Emerging Risk Research. I’ve found that these projects complement each other well in several ways, so I’m excited to continue with this setup.
Within coaching, my primary goals for this year are:
- to continue developing my skills and obtain the Professional Certified Coach credential by the end of the year, and
- to develop a deep understanding of how people learn by studying the literature from the learning sciences, educational psychology, neurobiology, and other relevant fields.
At the Center for Emerging Risk Research, I’m taking care of all operational matters and building capacity wherever it’s needed. This role emerged out of my previous work as COO of the Effective Altruism Foundation (now Center on Long-Term Risk). I’m getting a sense of continuation and stability from this, as well as an opportunity to have an outsized impact.
I’ve been playing around with a few different daily work schedules lately. After taking a mini-sabbatical last summer, I realized that I wanted to make more space for learning at work, and so I’ve since spent the first hour of every workday reading, taking notes, and practicing with flashcards. It’s been very nourishing and motivating. It’s one of those things that, if done consistently over a sufficiently long period of time, can make a radical difference in where you end up.
Life
I’m moving to Amsterdam in early June, after spending the last year and a half in the countryside in Switzerland. I have mixed feelings about this change. On the one hand, I’m excited about being back in a city that offers lots of cultural and social opportunities. On the other hand, I’ll miss my daily walks in nature and regular time with my family. For now, none of those aspects feature prominently in my day-to-day awareness, as I’m mostly focused on preparing for the move next to my regular work.
I plan to take some time off around the move to settle into the new environment and actually enjoy the process. I’ve moved around a lot in recent years, usually with a strong focus on maintaining productivity and streamlining the process from a work perspective. This time, I want to make more space for adventure and excitement in the context of such a transition.
