Turning resolutions into lifestyle

Even if you work full-time and average 8 hours of sleep each night you have about 6 hours each day to dedicate to your goals and passions. I’m going to share a schedule that I personally use to create a lifestyle I choose, I feel excited about and can help me achieve any goal! I have a lot to share so I will break it down over the next few article posts.

There are several popular articles with great tips on keeping resolutions and setting personal and professional goals. A simple google search will provide several!

First, I want to share my categories that help me stay focused when planning my day. I ‘assign’ a category to each part of my daily schedule to keep me focused. If I can’t find a category to fit it in, then most likely it isn’t necessary. For example, excuses and complaining do not have a category in my life (something I’m working on!). And all four categories are intertwined, so they can and should overlap, but separating them out helps me focus (which is what I personally need!)

My nourishment categories:

  • Well-being – Mental and physical health; stretching, walking, meditation, conscious eating, plenty of water. Ask yourself – What are my health goals, what are my limits?
  • Spirit – Self-care, gratitude journaling, positive affirmations, create, hobbies. Ask yourself – What brings joy and peace? What nourishes me?
  • Circle – Mutual relationships that allow you to give and receive support; family, friends, work friendships, recovery groups, clubs or hobby groups. Ask yourself – Who balances with me? Who supports me and invites my support?
  • Productivity – Daily routine; work, volunteering, care giver, budgeting, learning. Ask yourself – What is my current daily schedule (define it). What do I want my future schedule or routine to look like and consist of?

Once your categories are defined you can create a ‘schedule’ and fit it into a category. Seeing your schedule written out helps not only see how time is spent, but also provide accountability opportunities. You are the only one you need to be accountable to. This is your life, your future and remember your passion is worth your time!

Here is my schedule/routine and how my hours are spent. As you can see I have no excuses that should start with ‘but I don’t have time’. It’s right here in writing. Yes, I have time for me and my passions and goals. Excuses have no category!

Typical Monday through Friday:

  • 6:00 am – Wake up and shower
  • 6:30 am – Coffee in hand, reflection time begins, meditation (just 5 minutes), positive reading and quiet time with hubby
  • 7:00 am – Get ready for work (Makeup, hair, dressed, gather work meals to go)
  • 7:30 am – Start commute
  • 8:00 am – Clock in and begin morning work routine
  • 11:30 am – Lunch (eat, reflect, 1 minute breathing exercise via Headspace app)
  • 12:00 to 4:30 pm – Afternoon work routine
  • 4:30 pm – Start commute back home
  • 5:00 to 10:00 pm – Five evening hours. These hours include various activities such as appointments, errands and time with my mom, errands for my aunt, one on one with my husband, dinner/cooking, reading, writing, research, library events, creating lists, reviewing research and outlines, article writing and research, learning and anything unexpected that can pop up
    • between my hour or so in the morning before getting ready for work, my 30 minute lunch break and my five hours before bed, I have 6.5 hours a day I can plan just about any way I want
  • 10:00 pm (sometimes 10:30) – Bedtime

Typical Saturday (16 hour day, after 8 hours of sleep) :

  • 7:30 am – Coffee, reflection, couple time, positive reading
  • 8:30 to 10:30 am – Cook breakfast with hubby, conversations, reading
  • 10:30 am – Shower, dressed, prepare for day
  • 11:30 am – Review and/or create weekend lists, write out outlines for articles
  • 12:30 pm – Errands and drive time
  • 1:30 pm to 7:30 pm – Family time with my sister and nephew (and 45 minutes driving each way)
  • 7:30 to 11:30 pm – Couple dinner/cooking, conversation, reading, writing, research
  • 11:30 (ish) pm – Bedtime

Typical Sunday (about 15 hours after 8 hours of sleep):

  • 7:30 am – Coffee, reflection, couple time, positive reading
  • 8:30 am to 1:30 pm – Cook breakfast together, write outlines, writing research, read
  • 1:30 pm – Shower, dressed, etc.
  • 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm – Errands, laundry, grocery shopping, etc.
  • 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm – Cook dinner together, cleanup, conversations, lists for upcoming week
  • 8:00 to 10:30 pm – prepare work lunches/snacks, read, write, outlines, research, learn

I can easily fit each item into a category. For example reading and writing are spirit and productivity for me since my writing is a main focus and will continue to be (I like owning my future and goals..writing it  out helps me a lot!)

Obviously, some hours are not as flexible as others. If you work and have set hours to work or care for someone those hours are typically always the same, but several hours a day are flexible for me once I’m done at work and on the weekends. Seeing this written out helps me focus on accomplishments, not just goal setting!

I have a lot more to share, but this post is long enough! I appreciate your time reading it and I hope this encourages you to write out your current schedule/routine, so we can travel this journey together.

I encourage you to document how your spend your hours and think about how you want to spend them…If you have any questions please ask! Any additional tips? Please share!

Thanks again for reading!

 

Advertisement

A new year…a new reason

I’m not one to make resolutions; I constantly want to improve all year through. I get distracted though, even lazy at times. Staying focused and motivated can be difficult can’t it?

I appreciate each new year and the opportunities it brings with it. Months pass quickly, but each year’s end is a new reason to focus. Something I acknowledge as a daily battle. I have so many interests, so many ideas, so many bucket list items…And they use to be just that….list items. Sometimes the lists would stay the same; nothing would be marked off. I lacked focus. After seeing year end lists that looked similar or even the same as the past year, I decided to focus on doing, not just dreaming or listing.

I personally think in categories. It’s easier for me to categorize my thoughts, my goals, my lists. Below is a sample of how I focus more and actually complete goals. I encourage you to achieve more this year, use this year ending and a new beginning as a reason to focus, a reason to conquer at least one goal you have moved from one list to another, and a reason to enhance the already amazing soul you are.

Please share your tips for staying focused below or email me! successencourager@gmail.com

  • Be real. In the past I have set goals such as read 100 books this year…. Realistically, 52 would be a better personal goal. Boundaries are meant to be pushed, but in a realistic way!
  • Set your pace. I have to limit my goal setting or I get overwhelmed. Whether setting one goal or 10 or even 100, know your own pace and what you can truly focus on
  • Say it out loud. Simple as that…say it…share it…Write it down
  • What is your passion? You need to be interested and excited about your goal
  • Define your category. Are your goals health focused, relationship focused, career focused, self-improvement focused, etc.? Do you have a goal for each category?
  • Find your tools. What tools or resources do you need to set your goal(s) in  motion?
  • Time. Do you need time daily, weekly, monthly or need to set a new schedule?
  • Milestones. Can you break the goal into smaller goals and celebrate each milestone?
  • Alone or with a tribe? Can you do this alone, with a friend or need an entire group for support?
  • Don’t be discouraged. Even baby steps toward a goal are accomplishments!

There are the basics. And here is an example of how I put those to work when goal setting.

  • My goal – As typical as it may sound, I want to lose a few pounds. A goal that has been put aside due to surgery and lack of motivation. By summer I want to lose 25 pounds. There I shared it! I will write it down and keep it on my vision board to see daily.
  • I’m being real, I have a few other goals to accomplish, but this is for my health and number one. Accomplishing this goal will allow me to accomplish others.
  • I’m passionate about feeling better and losing weight so I can do more with my young nephew, my family and of course my husband.
  • I have access to a small gym. My husband and I are focusing on diet changes as well.
  • I need to set a goal of at least 3 to 5 days a week for 30 minutes a day. I’ll start with walking and maybe the stationary bicycle
  • I will track my milestones and celebrate them!
  • My tribe is my husband who is focusing on his health as well.
  • I will not be discouraged. I can do this…

What opportunity will this new year provide you?

Happy New Year! Happy new goal setting…Happy new reason for improving you. 🙂

iuqjbyuk4n