Friday, January 2, 2015

Dunt, Dunt, Dunt: The Goals are Revealed!

I mentioned that I have only one real resolution. Saying hello first is something I can do with no expectation of results. Doing the action in and of itself fulfills the resolution. Not so with other would-be resolutions.

For example, last year I resolved to lose weight and get healthy. I worked out like crazy and ate well, but didn’t lose a significant amount of weight. Even though I never defined how much weight loss would actually be a success, I felt like a failure. I was discouraged and fell off the wagon by September (actually a pretty good run). I threw the workouts out with the bath water, so to speak. This year, instead of broad resolutions, I am setting goals.

Various organizational strategies define goals. Some say that goals are merely aspirational outcomes that should be broken down into discrete, measurable tasks. Others emphasize setting goals that are themselves measurable. I know it is all semantics.

For me, saying something is a “goal” rather than a “resolution” is just a little mental trick to be kinder to myself. If I don’t reach the goal by the end of the year, I haven’t outright failed. I also like the idea of breaking the goals down into measurable tasks, so that I can feel some success. Makes sense to me, and they are my goals after all!

I am still working on setting measurable goals and breaking those down into discrete tasks, but I have four broad categories that I plan to work on: physical health (including weight loss), organization (including all of our family pictures that I have left to rot in old computers), saving money, and planning my reentry to the workforce. Those four plus the one resolution equals five things on which I will be actively working.

Since I have decided to use the blog as an organizational tool for myself, my five work areas break (somewhat neatly) down into five days a week. I am thinking about

Come to Order Monday:
I used to have court on Monday morning (get it—come to order?) and now I plan to start the week off right with task setting and organization projects to get my house in order.
Total Health Tuesday:
These are posts to keep me accountable, but will feature healthy recipes from the week for you to enjoy.
What’s Next? (Workforce) Wednesday:
The one day where I wonder about my purpose in life.
Throwback Thursday:
As a part of my own goal to organize our family photos I will feature our past parties and crafts.
Financial or Friendly Friday:
Alternating posts about my attempts to save a bit in the very material world in which I live and checking in on resolution to say hello!

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