Happy New Year Everyone! This is the first blog in the New Year Resolution series.
New Year begins with new goals and resolutions. To accomplish these goals, we need first to set our goals. Goal setting leads to clarity, helps us slow down, focus on what matters and provides the ability to be proactive.
As a working mother it is hard to take a few days to think and plan our yearly goals so here are a few ideas on how to take a mini-retreat in the middle of our busy lives:
During Sports Practice: This is my favorite time of the day. I use the time to exercise, listen to online courses, TEDTalks, parenting videos, etc. Now I am also going to add goal setting and planning to this list. The first 45 mins I will exercise and then take the rest of the 45 mins to set a goal and plan.
I have a solid four hours per week of planning!
It took me a while to realize the value of this time. Now that I have realized its value I use it productively. I was able to complete two online courses from Stanford using my time wisely.
During Business Trips: I love the fact that I have focused time on the plane. I use this time to think. What are the current challenges I am facing, what is within my control and what steps do I need to take?
Business Trip adds up to at least ten hours per trip of thinking and planning.
During Lunch: As a remote employee, this time, is mostly ignored, and I continue working. I am hoping to change that. I plan on either doing yoga, painting or meeting a friend for lunch during the break. This will be part of my mini-retreat.
Breaks adds up to five hours per week of relaxation which leads to new ideas to achieve my goals.
Sunday Nights: I like football, but the rest of my family loves football. So while they are enjoying what they love, I enjoy what I love. After we are done getting ready for the week, I retreat to my space and do what I feel like doing without any guilty. There are always nights when I sneak in and watch the game.
Time is the most valuable resource make the best of the time we have been given. If you have other ideas that have worked for you. Please share: [email protected]