Hey 👋
How’s it going? I hope you’ve had a good start to the year!
January can be a weird month with people trying to rush into the year, changing routine and habits when it’s still (in the UK at least) dark and dreary and motivation is low! If you can relate then check out my latest article to create a quick and easy routine to keep on top of your goals.
January felt like both a long and short month to me. I’ve been enjoying the cozy nights in but also been getting stuck into some DIY; the walk-in wardrobe is structurally complete! 🎉 I’m very much welcoming the lighter and longer days and I love seeing the early signs of Spring! One area of focus for me for 2025 is taking a more structured approach to learning. I’ve been exploring some new topics the last few months and I look forward to sharing what I’ve learned with you. Read more about what I’ve been up to below!
Before we dive in, I’d also like to thank everyone who filled in the survey on what they’d like to hear more of in future newsletters. The survey is still live if you’d like to have your say!
💜 What’s New
What I’ve been up to in January…
📆 Writing: Your Year, Your Way — The Ultimate Notion Planning Template
Check out my newly published article to take control of your year with Planner v2.0!
Read about my approach to planning, how my setup has evolved over time and how you can use this tried and tested method to achieve your goals.
👩🎓 Learning: Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate
I’ve been smashing through Databricks training the last month or so, starting with “Databricks Fundamentals”. I’ve not had much experience with Databricks before so I’m loving exploring the platform! I found the fundamentals courses very dry and the time estimates to complete the content (and actually absorb it enough to pass the tests) were wildly underestimated — having said that, the DE certificate content is pretty good so far, particularly the demos and labs!
I was thinking of sharing the Databricks Fundamentals cheat sheet I put together, answer the poll to vote on if this is something you’d like to see!
📖 Reading: Fundamentals of Data Engineering
By Joe Reis & Matt Housley
I’ve had this book on my wishlist for a while and finally bought it after seeing it mentioned in every data professional’s “Books to read in 2025” list. I’ve only checked out the first chapter so far but looking forward to reading more and seeing if it lives up to the hype!
🙌 What’s Next
🏑 Field of Play Sports Analytics Conference
Do you work in the world of sports and want to learn how to leverage data for a winning edge? Join us on March 18th 2025 at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall for the first ever Field of Play Sports Data Conference!
I’m excited to be on the organising committee as we bring together the brightest minds from the world of sports to share how data, machine learning, analytics, and visualisation are transforming their games.
Follow on LinkedIn for the latest speaker announcements and buy your tickets here!
Thank you for reading and being part of this community! I’m excited for what’s to come this year.
Speak again soon!
Kerry