2024 was a bit of a rough year, with job losses, hard economic times, and low business confidence. The new year offers a chance to reset. 

Dr Dougal Sutherland offers his top tips for starting 2025 off with some oomph: 
If you have a job, count your blessings! Lots of people lost theirs last year and so it’s important to remember that even though it may not be the best job in the world, at least you’re in paid employment!  
Plan out your holidays for the year as best you can. Have a look for the public holidays that are happening in 2025, can you make any of these into longer weekends (e.g. four days instead of three) and give yourself that extra time to rest and recover? Looking ahead I can see there is quite a gap of public holidays between Matariki and Labour Day – can you plan for some leave then? Four months is a long time to go without a break, especially in winter. 
Make a daily ‘Have to, Hope to, Love to list’ – “Have to” are things you must do today; “Hope to” are things that you can do if you have time; “Love to” is at least 1 thing per day that fills your cup – make sure to give this as much priority as “Have to”. 
Take some time to reflect on 2024 – what did you learn from the year? What went well and you would like to keep doing? Anything that you would like to avoid doing again that you did last year?  
Think about the people in your life – are there some who you would like to see more of? Can you plan ahead to make time for them? On the other hand, is there anyone who it may be better off not to have in your life? Are there some (polite) ways that you ease off these relationships? 

LISTEN ABOVE 

2024 was a bit of a rough year, with job losses, hard economic times, and low business confidence. The new year offers a chance to reset.&nbsp;
Dr Dougal Sutherland offers his top tips for starting 2025 off with some oomph:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>If you have a job, count your blessings! Lots of people lost theirs last year and so it’s important to remember that even though it may not be the best job in the world, at least you’re in paid employment! &nbsp;</li>
<li>Plan out your holidays for the year as best you can. Have a look for the public holidays that are happening in 2025, can you make any of these into longer weekends (e.g. four days instead of three) and give yourself that extra time to rest and recover? Looking ahead I can see there is quite a gap of public holidays between Matariki and Labour Day – can you plan for some leave then? Four months is a long time to go without a break, especially in winter.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Make a daily ‘Have to, Hope to, Love to list’ – “Have to” are things you must do today; “Hope to” are things that you can do if you have time; “Love to” is at least 1 thing per day that fills your cup – make sure to give this as much priority as “Have to”.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Take some time to reflect on 2024 – what did you learn from the year? What went well and you would like to keep doing? Anything that you would like to avoid doing again that you did last year? &nbsp;</li>
<li>Think about the people in your life – are there some who you would like to see more of? Can you plan ahead to make time for them? On the other hand, is there anyone who it may be better off not to have in your life? Are there some (polite) ways that you ease off these relationships?&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Jack Tame’s crisp perspective, style and enthusiasm makes for refreshing and entertaining Saturday morning radio on Newstalk ZB.

News, sport, books, music, gardens and celebrities – what better way to spend your Saturdays?

Jack Tame’s crisp perspective, style and enthusiasm makes for refreshing and entertaining Saturday morning radio on Newstalk ZB. News, sport, books, music, gardens and celebrities – what better way to spend your Saturdays?

Jack Tame’s crisp perspective, style and enthusiasm makes for refreshing and entertaining Saturday morning radio on Newstalk ZB.News, sport, books, music, gardens and celebrities – what better way to spend your Saturdays?

Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Dr Dougal Sutherland: Starting 2025 with some oomph

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a78166fc-1f64-4c04-9cc0-b2690001b721/transcript

He’s been described as “the John le Carré of his generation” and a “megastar of the genre”. 

British spy writer Mick Herron has earned millions of fans around the world and delighted critics with his thrilling plots, rich characters, and dry humour.  

He’s won dozens of awards for both his Slough House series, his stand alone works, and his short story collections, and ‘Slow Horses’ and ‘Down Cemetery Road’ have both been adapted to the screen. 

Herron’s on our shores for the Auckland Writers Festival, in which he’ll introduce the latest addition to his iconic series, ‘Clown Town’, set during the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. 

‘Slow Horses’ was originally released in 2010, and wasn’t particularly successful, especially when compared to the acclaim both the book, and Herron's work as a whole, now holds.  

Herron told Jack Tame things changed one day at a time, so it doesn’t feel like that big of a difference. 

“It was a low slow process, and it’s one in which, I mean, my part in it has been that every – well, most days, not every day, most days I just sit down and get on with the book that I happen to be writing.” 

“Everything else goes on around me really,” he told Tame. 

He attributes his success to his publishers, the people working in marketing, those who run festivals, and so on. 

“I just respond to invitations and very happily turn up.”  

Over four million copies of his books have sold around the world, but Herron isn’t quite sure what it is about his work that people connect with so much. 

“I don’t intend to investigate it too closely,” he said. 

“It’s a feeling that if I did, I might break something without meaning to.”  

“I just carry on doing what I’m doing and hope I’m doing it right ... I just do what I’ve always done, which is write the novel that’s inside me that I need to write.” 



LISTEN ABOVE 

He’s been described as “the John le Carré of his generation” and a “megastar of the genre”.&nbsp;
British spy writer Mick Herron has earned millions of fans around the world and delighted critics with his thrilling plots, rich characters, and dry humour. &nbsp;
He’s won dozens of awards for both his Slough House series, his stand alone works, and his short story collections, and ‘Slow Horses’ and ‘Down Cemetery Road’ have both been adapted to the screen.&nbsp;
Herron’s on our shores for the Auckland Writers Festival, in which he’ll introduce the latest addition to his iconic series, ‘Clown Town’, set during the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.&nbsp;
‘Slow Horses’ was originally released in 2010, and wasn’t particularly successful, especially when compared to the acclaim both the book, and Herron's work as a whole, now holds. &nbsp;
Herron told Jack Tame things changed one day at a time, so it doesn’t feel like that big of a difference.&nbsp;
“It was a low slow process, and it’s one in which, I mean, my part in it has been that every – well, most days, not every day, most days I just sit down and get on with the book that I happen to be writing.”&nbsp;
“Everything else goes on around me really,” he told Tame.&nbsp;
He attributes his success to his publishers, the people working in marketing, those who run festivals, and so on.&nbsp;
“I just respond to invitations and very happily turn up.” &nbsp;
Over four million copies of his books have sold around the world, but Herron isn’t quite sure what it is about his work that people connect with so much.&nbsp;
“I don’t intend to investigate it too closely,” he said.&nbsp;
“It’s a feeling that if I did, I might break something without meaning to.” &nbsp;
“I just carry on doing what I’m doing and hope I’m doing it right ... I just do what I’ve always done, which is write the novel that’s inside me that I need to write.”&nbsp;

LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Mick Herron: British spy author on writing, his success, and new novel 'Clown Town'

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/563e2574-d497-424c-a72d-b44c0023c0d0/transcript

What does the phrase “doing the edges” mean to you? 

Most people would think either of assembling the outside of a jigsaw puzzle, or cleaning up and trimming around the edge of your lawn. 

And while Kevin Milne understands the purpose of one of those, he doesn’t quite get why people bother with the other. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

What does the phrase “doing the edges” mean to you?&nbsp;
Most people would think either of assembling the outside of a jigsaw puzzle, or cleaning up and trimming around the edge of your lawn.&nbsp;
And while Kevin Milne understands the purpose of one of those, he doesn’t quite get why people bother with the other.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Kevin Milne: Why "doing the edges" doesn't make sense

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a5d8f7ff-b9ae-408d-b026-b44c001d409f/transcript

It’s the 21st anniversary of the debut album from iconic Kiwi band Fat Freddy’s Drop, ‘Based On A True Story’. 

And to mark the occasion, they’re setting off on a world tour – kicking things off with three performances in Auckland.

Chris Schulz was at the first show last night, and joined Jack Tame to share his thoughts. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

It’s the 21st anniversary of the debut album from iconic Kiwi band Fat Freddy’s Drop, ‘Based On A True Story’.&nbsp;
And to mark the occasion, they’re setting off on a world tour – kicking things off with three performances in Auckland.
Chris Schulz was at the first show last night, and joined Jack Tame to share his thoughts.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Chris Schulz: Reviewing the 21st anniversary tour of Fat Freddy's Drop's 'Based On A True Story'

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/c865f5e2-2c7f-419d-90ea-b44c001c3d96/transcript

Dr Dougal Sutherland: Starting 2025 with some oomph

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