Hello 2021! Jumpstart the New Year
Ringing in the New Year means setting new goals and recommitting to lifestyle choices and habits that fall to the wayside during the Holiday season. I’m not one that usually sets yearly goals in January as I believe we should commit to improving our lives all year, but I have to admit I’m looking forward to putting 2020 behind me and moving into 2021. This year has been one for the history books and committing to a new outlook and a reestablishment of a somewhat normal routine is appealing.
This year I am committing to 4 goals. Some are health related, some are work related, and all are family related.
Goal 1–Balance
This year I’m seeking meatphorical and literal balance in my life. I’ve strayed from my yoga practice and from balancing work and family.
Practice Yoga 3 Times a Week
The first way I am seeking to reestablish balance in my life is to commit to practicing yoga 3 times a week. The 30-40 minutes I spend breathing and stretching will help me gain perspective, flexibility, and mindfulness. For me, yoga is my time to connect my mind and soul–find balance. Even when I wobble (which I do at least once per session) I am firmly pressing my feet or hands to the ground and feeling the solid connection between the earth and my life. It reminds me that I am strong, firm, and grounded.
Do not Bring Work Home during the Week
The second aspect of balance for me is taming the grading. I’m a high school english teacher, and bringing work home (especially this year) is a given. From August-December of 2020 I probably worked almost every weeknight and probably 5-6 hours every Sunday. This was sustainable last semester because my kids didn’t have activities after school, and I didn’t have to run them to dance, football or Jazz Band. We all used the extra time in the evenings to complete school work. January of 2021 brings a return to 5 day a week face-to-face school for all of us, and a return to activities as normal. This means my evenings will be spent picking my son up from Basketball and traveling to his games, taking my daughter to ballet twice a week, and a return to my husband teaching at a local university 2 evenings a week. I need to leave work at work during the week. I haven’t figured out yet what that looks like, but I can not meet my family expectations and also have the expectation that I will answer email and grade late-work each night until 10PM.
Goal 2- Spend more time with my Husband
It seems counterintuitive that people practically homebound for 9 months need to spend time together, so I should probably qualify and add that I want to spend intentional time together. Falling asleep on the couch in the evening does not count as intentional time.
Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva on Pexels.com 
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
I spent much of 2020 making sure my two teenagers didn’t feel lost, left-behind or frustrated. I patiently answered homework questions, read aloud books to my son, baked bread, made cookies and crafts with them, and tried to create a home that didn’t feel suffocating and dull; however, focusing so much on work and kids meant that my husband got what was left, and let’s be honest–that wasn’t much. In 2021 I want to spend intentional time with my spouse talking, laughing, and reconnecting. A glass of wine by the fire, or a cheese plate in the evening where we talk about our dreams, intentions, and hopes. No devices, no TV, no distractions–just us.
Goal 3-Spend less time on my Digital Devices
I love to read, and I can’t even tell you how many books I read a year, but I have noticed that I am spending more time on social media and on my devices. I miss holding a book in my hand. I miss having that book smash me in the face as I fall asleep reading. We live in a world that is now a 24 hour news cycle, and it is time to un-plug and to achieve balance.
I added five new books to my stack today, and I intend to start one tonight. If I can get my family to join me each night for 20 minutes of reading that would be a bonus. Just 20 minutes a day will add over 1,000 new words to your vocabulary in a year! I know someone who will take AP Language and Composition, the SAT and the ACT next year, so building vocabulary will be very helpful.
Goal 4- Household Chores
This is absolutely not a fun goal, but it is a necessary one. I am tired of spending my weekends grading, grocery shopping and cleaning. I’m sure many of you can relate. We work all week, and then spend all weekend doing laundry, food prepping and cleaning. I’m more exhausted on Mondays than I am on Thursdays because I don’t take a break over the weekend. Part of achieving balance is creating a cleaning schedule for everyone with the rooms in rotation. Time for a family meeting that puts together a chart with expectations and a clear schedule. My kids don’t mind helping if they have clear lists and, ok, I may bribe them a little, but hey–whatever it takes to get them to clean their bathrooms and do their own laundry.
Commit and Organize
Whatever 2021 brings, I plan to tackle it with with grace, balance and a new supply of Sharpies and chart paper for my lists. Wherever you are in your journey toward balance and organization, remember that setting small, achievable goals is the key to mastering the chaos.
