2017 Goals

One of the units I teach in my freshman seminar is on time management and goal setting.  I sort of feel like a charlatan when I teach this, but I understand that just because I'm not perfect at something doesn't mean I can't talk about it. Anyway, I have them do a weekly log in which they color code their activities (green = class, red = sleep, blue = studying, yellow = exercise, orange = hobbies, etc.) and then we discuss SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound) goals. I then have them see if how they spend their time aligns with their goals. 

I had moderate success with my goals in 2016 and in the areas in which I failed, I failed because I just didn't have good measuring sticks. When I was teaching this lesson last October, I realized that I hadn't actually taken "measurable" into account. (Also, you should note that my husband, while supportive of me reaching my goals, thinks SMART goals are ridiculous and he sort of mocks my pseudo-corporate jargon when I start talking about them.)  So. This year I'm going to measure.  The bold words give me a time frame and all of it is going to be tracked on a weekly spreadsheet. 

Area One: Fitness Goals
1) Workout four times a week - This is bumped up from three times a week in 2016. I think I can do it.
2) 11,500 steps a day - This is bumped up from 10,000 steps in 2016. Since my average in 2016 was over 12,000, I know I can do this.
3) Weigh myself weekly - I'm not actively attempting to lose weight, but I also don't want pounds to sneak on.

Area Two: Communication Goals
1) Update my blog twice a week - I didn't quite accomplish this last year, so it's going back on the list.
2) Make contact with four people (MDTT) at least once a week - This contact can come in phone, text, card, or in person, but at least once a week these people will know I'm alive and I will know they're alive.  These people are super important to me and I want them to know that.  I'm actively tracking this during 2017.  I'm hoping that eventually this will just happen and I won't have to track talking to people who I love, but for now it's a measurable goal I apparently need.
3) See my mom four times in the year -  I have a lot of guilt about how unequal the time is with Dr. BB's family as compared to mine. I think seeing my mom once a quarter is a reasonable goal. As a matter of fact, I think (and hope) that this goal will be easily met.
4) Send a letter or postcard to my grandmother and two of my elderly aunts at least once a month - This is super easy for me and something I regularly do, but this year I'm going to track it. 
5) Post a photo to Instagram at least once a day - One of the best people in my life is not on Facebook, but she is on Instagram. I feel like posting a photo once a day will help keep her in on my life.  The only condition I have set for myself is that the photos can't be of identifiable people. I don't have my privacy settings set particularly high, so it's mostly just photos of Zelda and landscapes.

Instagram collage!

Area Three: The Rest of My Life
1) Vacuum twice a week -  Last year I had some vague notion about keeping the house clean for unexpected guests. That was not at all measurable. I considered a cleaning time limit like 30 minutes a week of dedicated cleaning, but when I really thought about it, I realized that what makes our house look dirty is cat hair, so vacuuming on a regular schedule should address this.
2) Brush Zelda's teeth when I feed her at night - I have so much guilt over my cat's dental health. I used to regularly brush her teeth, but she hates it, so I don't push it, but the last time we were at the vet's, the vet made mention of tartar buildup.  Poor kitty.
3) Get my sewing machine out at least once a month - I don't want to even kid myself about finishing a project once a month, but I do eventually want to sew my own clothing and there's no real way to do that except to practice.

I'll let you know how it's going at the end of the first quarter.