I made a list of what all I have managed to do this month. I think it went very well considering that part of the diverticulitis was going on, recovering from the holidays, doing quarter end, and a major snowstorm. Not a bad month and it went very fast. I know the other months will too.
- Ordered fun items with our 2023 accumulated Amazon points
- 12 month project calendar completed in a spreadsheet assigning my(to do list) goals across the year to spread out as to when they need to be done – this eliminates the burnout toward goals trying to do it all at the beginning of the year!
- Celebrated my birthday – about 3 times, lol
- Did my EXTRA video for January (Goals video).
- Already filmed my EXTRA video for February (Journey to 300 Subscriber video) – it “airs” next Tuesday.
- Had a British Saturday with friends (our annual winter post-Christmas gathering)
- Changed my Quote board in the office
- Reorganized my white board in the office to house all my 2024 goals for a visual queue.
- Got the old laptop working again. Haven’t really had time to use it, lol
- Used my camera this month. It was a failure but I used it.
- Found 2 ways to Simplify my life this year (my goal is 3). So far, no longer tracking work hours as after doing it for 2-3 years I can tell if I’ve worked them or not by the work itself. And I’ve relaxed my standards for how I do World Bible School. (I’ll explain more on these later).
- Decided the retirement date. I’m no longer in a struggle with myself as to when it will be. I still could change my mind or life events could change it, but I’m calling this one done.
- Made two of the three changes this year to becoming more frugal. I cancelled Thrive because I didn’t want to pay another $60 to order from them. And I suggested we have a cheap Valentine’s dinner but still a fun one.
- I did Mom’s December financial recap. Just keeping up with it – making sure the money comes in and categorizing where it is spent so I can advise or tell Mom when she needs to know where the money went esp on variable expenses. (How much on groceries, online orders, in store shopping, utilities, etc. )
- Went through the house and listed some 2024 and 2025 housecleaning goals and projects that I want to incorporate into my rotating to do list so they actually get one.
- Finished my grandmother’s journal
- Polished the silver jewelry
- Gave Mom a list of cleaning companies to call so while she is sitting in her recliner and bored and she can call and talk to them. She knows what she wants and I don’t have time to call and get three quotes. That would take too much time from work and I can’t do that right now. She agreed she would call. But hasn’t yet either. lol
- We decided on Valentine’s dinner. Reservations not required, lol.
- Read a book. Ok I have two chapters to go but it’ll be close, lol! I’ll finish it tonight.
So I think overall that was pretty good. I still have a lot I didn’t do. But I think that my idea of not pushing myself and taking it slow, kept me motivated to do what I could and not be frustrated or discouraged. Spreading all the year’s goals out over the year made them seem more manageable.
Prioritization comes into play. During the month, placing the things that are most important to me gets done first, the rest flushes out accordingly – some even to the next month. That is how hemming my pajamas has been on my list for a year. I had other PJ’s I could wear and other stuff was more important to me.
What I Simplified in my Life for 2024 so Far
Work Hours: I’ve tracked my hours for 2-3 years now to make sure I’m getting the hours in and also having a balance of work and personal life. And now that I have done that, it’s become second nature to just KNOW. If I’m under hours at work my week will not be finished. I often have more hours some months and less hours in others due to quarter end. So the work and the hours I’m there have been aligned for the quarter, always. I can tell if I’m under or over very easily, as my weekly standard work is either done or not done. Yeah sometimes extra work comes my way and can throw that balance off, but I make a note of that if it does, and certainly I find the balance for both work and myself. It just all works out in the wash. I’ve seen this work for several years now.
I have noticed that if I work fewer hours for a few weeks that it is made up during quarter end where I usually am working 1/2 hr to hour more every day. So after two years of noticing the trends and the company always comes out ahead in the end by several hours over 40, then I decided it was pointless to track it anymore. Not to mention the retirement being less than a year away. I have no need to prove it to myself anymore, nor anyone else, but will be glad to track it should anyone have a problem, or feel I need to prove it some unbeliever, lol.
World Bible School: I used to make myself do this specific regimen: Grading tests, answering messages, sending a message to 5 people who are inactive, encouraging 5 people that have not been adopted yet, and then adopting at least 10 students up to the point that I am getting at least 3 tests to grade a day and then I stop.
So what I did was change it so that on STUPID busy days (they are all busy so these or for STUPID busy days), I only need to just make sure I’m grading tests and answering messages. Sometimes it’s just hard to fit in my normal regimen. So I do what I can on each given day and then let it go. I also have decided that I will just adopt 5 a day if it’s just really busy. I don’t want to lessen God’s work, but I do realize that He loves me too and knows that I’m working, taking care of Mom, and trying to do some things for me too and my well-being. So I’m trying to make things a little more manageable while I’m still working instead of just having to quit things all together. Often when I hit a wall, I want to give it all up at once! Then I regret it. So I’m learning to just lean back, re-asses, and then lean back in.
Gotta go to work. Thanks for being here and reading little snippets of my life. Hope your week is a good one. Are you crushing any goals yet?
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