It might not be 2021 yet, but I’m already mapping out my goals for next year. Goal setting, especially at this time of year, is definitely like Marmite - you either love it or loathe it - but I’m a person that thrives on having a clear plan.
Ultimately, this year has been full of challenges, and although I’ve tried to take the good from it all, I’m looking forward to a clean page in 2021.
Making plans never fails to cheer me up and raise my energy. Although 2020 has taught us all that the universe laughs at our intentions sometimes and that we should expect the unexpected (who foresaw face masks and social distancing back in last January?), setting goals doesn’t mean you can’t adapt and go with the flow.
So what am I going to try and implement next year?
Rediscover My Good Health
Lockdown divided us into two types of people - those who jumped into a new fitness routine and were doing PE with Joe Wicks every day, and those who saw it like an extended snow day, diving head first into box sets on the sofa and takeaways.
I fell into the first camp initially - running was my way of getting out of the house and staying sane during the first national lockdown. Over time though, my efforts tailed off. I began to get bored with the repetition of running the same few routes all the time. Exercise sometimes feels like a cycle - the less you do, the less you want to do and the harder it feels to get going again. The weather getting cold and rainy doesn’t help either.
Things came to a head the other week, when I realised that, apart from the school run, I hadn’t actually left the house in four days! The impact on my mental health and my mood was severe.
I’ve realised now that I need to exercise and watch my diet for the sake of my brain as much as my body. There is so much out there to try out with apps and YouTube channels full of free workouts.
My goal now is to make sure I do something each day - whether that is a long walk, a quick run outside or following a Pilates workout. I also need to avoid the junk food that I’ve been boredom eating, because it isn’t serving me, my body and my energy levels well.
Make A Plan For Each Day And Live It
Well, I did say I was big on planning, right? For me, the secret sauce in making my goals become reality is quite mundane - it all boils down to the everyday habits. Those are what make up the framework of our days and weave our reality around us.
So, if I don’t manage the day, I never manage the goal. I want to write out a plan for each day, because it's something that has been working well for me over the past few months, stopped me feeling overwhelmed and kept the whole working mama juggling act on the road.
I want to continue this into 2021. I even plan the weekends, even if it's just nice things and relaxing activities, because it gives me so much. So from the minor everyday things to the major events, I want a plan for everything next year.
That doesn’t mean that each day goes according to plan - far from it - but it does help me to be more accountable and focused, and that’s what I need.
Be More Present With My Children
This is a continuing goal of mine and one that I want to make a renewed effort with. Like any working parent will know, there is a lot going on sometimes. I feel like that results in me harming the quality time I should be spending with my children, because I’m not as present mentally as I should be - instead thinking about work or other things.
If there’s one thing I want, it's for my children to feel seen and heard by me. That’s what they deserve. These little humans grow up in such a frighteningly quick time, and I would hate to feel I let that pass me by.
Until recently, I was actually juggling a lot. I had a second occasional job alongside my main one, and that often meant I was trying to cram in way too much. I’ve now stepped back from that, as it was eroding my work life balance. One full time job and two kids is more than enough for now!
I work from home, so I also need to make sure I have a set ‘finish time’, just like I did in the office. I’m also going to bring back my 4pm-7pm phone ban, so I don’t get caught up in emails or on social media when the kids are home from school.
I’m hoping these moves will allow me to feel clearer and more present with my beautiful children, because they need me the most.
Kick Up My Savings
I don’t claim to be the savviest person with money, but marrying a financial advisor will do wonders for you and it's definitely made me more focused on what I spend vs what I save.
Although by nature I’m definitely a spender, not a saver, I want to change that this year and make some real progress towards the big financial goals in my life. I have always saved a certain amount each month - and for stretches more intensively, such as when we were buying a new house or doing our home renovation - but I want to increase what I save this year.
I have a five year goal to buy a new car and move house again, as well as enjoy some trips, make some savings for my children and pay off as much of our mortgage as I can. This will require a little more self-control, but it's a challenge worth taking on.
Buy A Lot Less
I have tried to do this before, as I’m really interested in minimalism (which will strike anyone who has been in my dressing room as quite funny, I’m sure!). This year, I really want to make the change stick. I buy clothes and makeup as a way of cheering myself up sometimes, plus I have so many clothes I’ve never worn groaning on my rails.
I know that this isn’t good - for the planet, for my finances and for my soul, ultimately. That feeling has just gotten louder and louder over the past year, even as I’ve continued to buy things.
Luckily this year, I’ve got a plan to make it happen. I’ve just signed up to a clothing rental subscription. You pay a monthly fee, select five pieces and return them at the end of the month.
I love this as an idea. It feeds into my desire to have new shiny things while minimizing the impact on the planet. It lets me play around with trends and new looks, trying things I might not have when purchasing. It gives me material for this blog, because I do love playing with fashion here.
At first, I had to get my head around paying for something you don’t ever own, but now I do think it's the way forward. It will minimise my spending on clothes each month. And as I now run subscriptions on a lot of things - even my deodorant comes from eco subscription company Wild now - it’s the sort of thing that will fit into my life.
Plan And Take At Least 3 Trips
This is the most simple and the most complicated goal on this list. This year, travel has been pretty much closed off to us all, for obvious reasons, and it's really made me realise how much I missed it.
I want to explore and discover more of the world, assuming the pandemic restrictions lift enough. In the future, I would love to take my kids to some amazing destinations around the world, but while they are still very young, I’ll stick to Europe.
Next year I would like us to take two trips as a family - one returning to Italy, which we all love - and I’d also like to go away with my husband alone, especially as it will be our ten year wedding anniversary. Let's hope we can get away and appreciate every moment.
So those are my goals for 2021. Have you set any yet? Are you looking forward to the new year?
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