Happy New Year (and Decade!), friends! I have been absent for far too long and I’m about to get real personal up in here as I tell you why. This year, in just a few short months, we’ll be welcoming another baby girl into our family. All three of us are so excited, but the months leading up to this point have not been the blissful, glowing, and happiness filled pregnancy moments that we’d all like to think are so normal. I reiterate, we are SO EXCITED! But to give a little background, it’s been a few years of learning patience and loss to get us where we are. Along the way, I’ve whole heartedly empathized with those close to us who’ve experienced loss, too (and continue to do so). I now know the fragility of a life, born and unborn, and that makes pregnancy all the more nervewracking. But I’m thankful for faith to leave it all in God’s hands and trust in His plan. So with that being said, this New Years, I’m all about setting a few solid goals and schedules to help me keep track of prepping for baby #2 and keeping it all together once the craziness begins for this family of 4! I’ve got my new planner all set up (yay!) to help me keep track of tasks, and I’m looking forward to (but also quite anxious) about keeping things in check for 2020.
Goals:
1. Blog 1x per week: this blog has always been a creative outlet of mine and I have noticed that my “creativity bucket” has been lacking since my posting has been as well. I also find that when I blog, I find myself doing supplemental creative work throughout the week, like photography for the posts which really is a highlight for me.
2. Read 1 personal development book per month: I say “read” but I am really enjoying having an audiobook going while I work in the office or around the house, and in the car. Personal growth has become very important to me as I continue to learn my own little nuiances and personality traits! I think knowing myself better also helps me to be a more understanding individual, whether it’s towards my family or strangers alike! Win-win.
3. No extra spending on clothing: if I want to buy something new to add, I need to sell something in my closet to cover the cost.
4. Limit screen time to 2 hours a day (excluding the reading/reference category use). 2 hours sounds like alot but it’s crazy how much I pick up my phone to check on stupid stuff currently, so this is actually a cut (don’t judge me). Being more present is ALWAYS a goal of mine, especially now with adding a second child into the mix! I’m betting that once the baby comes, my screen time will increase (hello breast feeding sessions!) but I’d like to make sure I’m being productive on my phone, wether it’s planning for blog posts or reading (see goals 1&2!)
Schedules:
1. Cleaning: 10-15 minutes a day of cleaning tasks to keep up with housework. I have been following the Fly Lady’s zone work and it’s been really a great system that I’d like to continue with. I KNOW there are so many people that will tell me during the infant stage to not worry about housework, but I’m the type that becomes extremely anxious in a messy house. I’d like to plan for anything that will help combat my anxiety!
2. AM/PM Routines: I know these are going to flex when the baby is born so I’m really concerned with keeping priorities straight and getting the most important things done first thing in the morning, and then making sure I end the day with a clean slate around the house for the next day.
3. Health: I currently schedule in 2 times of workout a week and then have been trying to get walks in on the days I work. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing and I feel like it’s a manageable amount to keep up during this phase! Healthy meal planning has been a priority as well- I plan the week’s meals out the same day I submit my grocery order, which I pick up the next day (this usually happens the Thursday before the week I’m planning for, then I pick up the groceries on Friday so we don’t have to worry about it over the weekend).
I am hoping posting these here will keep me accountable and maybe inspire others to set some goals and routines that help simplify life! See you on the blog again soon.