Your priorities are not mine and mine are not yours. I respect others but would never trade places in a million years. I can only commit to being the best version of myself, in fact, it is my obligation to show up as authentically as I can. So from here, I vow to keep first things first. To stand my ground for what I believe is best for myself and those I love. To support my true friends and lift them up. To be transparent with my concerns and equally so with my hope. To let go of the comparisons, the defeatist attitude, the victim mentality. I embrace the challenges and through and through I stand here and call on you. Stay true to you.
Month: November 2021
Spice up Your Planning
Sometimes productivity and planning can get stale, boring, rote. I often fall victim to planner fatigue. If this is you, consider changing the way you view your time so that it becomes more exciting, totally different, and yours. Let’s take a more traditional system and take a rebel approach. This may just spark some motivation.
Consider the tried and true “quarterly” planning that most people employ. I have seen others take these 3-month chunks of time and rework them. I have heard of others breaking down the year into something that is more natural for them. Some start the new year in September to follow a school-like approach. I recently learned that each “quarter” is actually 13 weeks and not 12 – this new nugget of information blew my mind. How about you take a leap with me and let’s rework the system.
What if … November was the start of the new year and hence is Quarter 1. Each quarter has 1 week to reassess your life and make plans/choose the new goals for the next quarter. 1 week of planning and12 weeks of passionate work toward your goals.
Such a system would look like this:
Halloween is fun and then November comes. Suddenly we are thrust into holiday planning, organizing decorations, seasonal jubilation. Seems like everyone else is slowing down for some turkey. NOT YOU. You have started the holiday sprint and Quarter 1. You capitalize on the natural energy of the season and begin to buckle down. You find enjoyment in the ease that your extra planning and hard work will bring you when the holiday fun finally rolls around. Never again will Christmas Eve be filled with a hum of stress and agitation – you will be zen. November is the time to get those exciting events on the calendar, stay ahead of shopping and gift wrapping, and put extra effort into getting work done AT WORK and not AT HOME so you can really appreciate time with family at end of November and December. January wraps up the quarter and allows you time to get in touch with what you really want for the year ahead. No New Years Resolutions to fizzle out. January, you are recovering and allowed to take some much-needed respite in a cold winter month that is filled with snow, fireplaces, and quiet. This is the end of your quarter. You are just getting warmed up for the year ahead by intentionally slowing down, instead of already depleting your willpower.
Quarter 2 – February/March/April. Sow the seeds. It is still cold and not much to do but plan for spring/summer. This is a great time to really focus on your own passion project. The family is settled. This is time for you to move the needle forward on something you want for your own life.
Quarter 3 – May/June/July. Spring and Summer are all rolled into this one. Start planning family trips and focusing on decluttering for the spring. Front-load projects and tasks in the Spring to have a laid-back Summer. Enjoy time with friends. Barbeques. Late nights on the porch. Fresh air. In July, you will have the time you need for friends. Barbeques. Swimming. This is also the time to assess your personal wellness, workout plan and to be strategic about your health plan for the year. This follows your natural energy to get some more UV and prepare for the lack of clothing that accompanies this Quarter.
Quarter 4 – August/September/October. End of summer and welcome fall. August is a great time for planning back-to-school necessities for children. Halloween costumes. Focusing on family agendas and new schedules. Buying new planners and reassessing systems. Figure out what is working for your flow and eliminate unnecessary tasks. Set Boundaries. Halloween ends the year with the start of your New Year in November. Time to start getting ready for the warmth of the holidays.
What I love most about breaking the year into these unconventional time frames is that each beginning of a quarter is a time where you would be strategically planning for life events that are upcoming at the end of that quarter. It works for me and it might just work for you too at this stage in your life. Be a rebel and make your own untraditional system, or follow mine. New systems bring new energy and a chance for a fresh start. Who doesn’t love that?
Drop the Excuses and Nurture Yourself
The very first step on a self-development journey is dropping the story. It is always someone else’s fault that you don’t have time and everyone else’s priorities that get in the way of your dreams. Or is it? Perhaps it is easier to blame others than take responsibility for how you want to feel and who you want to be. There will always be laundry to be put away, dirty dishes, and something else to clean. These things get crossed off only to re-appear on your to-do list days later. Don’t worry they will always be there. Forget those recurrent tasks and prioritize yourself. Tell the people in your life you are taking time for you and then DO IT. Write 10 minutes in your journal, read that book you want to read, do yoga, learn to breathe to support your nervous system, take a walk and appreciate the time alone. The most important thing you can do in your life is to take time for yourself. You are worth it. Model to others that they are worth it too. Slow down, be intentional, care for yourself and take back your time. Design your day to nurture yourself first and only then will you be able to nurture others.