One, two ... skip a few ... I have come to the conclusion that the best way to make the weeks fly by is to commit to keeping a weekly record of something!
Today, as I'm sure you're aware, is the last day of Summer. More importantly for the purposes of this post it is also the end of my Thirteen Weeks of Summer plan/challenge to myself. Now, I'm the first to admit that I did a shocking job of posting updates over those thirteen weeks but what I am very pleased to report is that I did do reasonably well at actually setting and achieving some very satisfactory things over the time. So much so in fact that some of my 'organisation' challenges are now almost habits and some very big 'to do' items that had been hanging over my head for months are now gone.
So, following lessons learned both from that challenge and the other two plans that I made three months ago, it is clear to me that new plans need to be made. I'll let you in on them once I've sorted my thoughts out - some things will stay, some will go and some will be rejigged a little before I try again.
Stay tuned ... (or don't, it's your choice).
Showing posts with label Thirteen Weeks of Summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thirteen Weeks of Summer. Show all posts
29 February 2012
20 January 2012
TWS - Week Eight
Yes, this post should have gone up yesterday. No, I'm not going to apologise. The end.
First up how Week Seven went:
Health and Wellbeing - Plantation was/is awesome! The staff are friendly and know what they're talking about and the coffee is great. I remembered to get off at Melbourne Central every day and I'm sure that the combination of the good coffee and the walk really did have a good effect on my days. Will I continue going there every day? No, but only because there are also places like this to check out.
Organisation - Best decision ever! Well, that may be a little extreme but it really has been great getting the thoughts out of my head as they occur and writing lists of things to do. It's also meant I've done more than just stare at the computer screen reading for most of the lunch break.
To Do - Done!
Just for Fun - Also done, except for Saturday but I was at home by myself for the whole day and didn't really see the point. I have to say though for something that was supposed to be just for the fun of it, it really was quite annoying and I will probably be going back to not wearing makeup.
And now to Week Eight's plans:
Health and Wellbeing - This week, starting today (which I've already done), I will be making myself get up and leave the office for at least fifteen minutes at lunch time every day.
Organisation - Start drafting blog posts early instead of typing and posting after they're due to go up.
To Do - Finish the photo book I've been doing of my in-laws' holiday. I will have the house to myself again as The Sparky will be working so there's really no excuse.
Just for Fun - Once the photo book is finished I'm going to file and paint my nails. My nails are normally not long enough to worry about as I prefer to cut them very short so I can type properly. This week though they are just long enough to file without being so long that I need to cut them so I'm going to give them a little TLC. Like makeup this is a once in a blue moon thing so we'll see how I go ...
aaaaand, that's it for another week.
First up how Week Seven went:
Health and Wellbeing - Plantation was/is awesome! The staff are friendly and know what they're talking about and the coffee is great. I remembered to get off at Melbourne Central every day and I'm sure that the combination of the good coffee and the walk really did have a good effect on my days. Will I continue going there every day? No, but only because there are also places like this to check out.
Organisation - Best decision ever! Well, that may be a little extreme but it really has been great getting the thoughts out of my head as they occur and writing lists of things to do. It's also meant I've done more than just stare at the computer screen reading for most of the lunch break.
To Do - Done!
Just for Fun - Also done, except for Saturday but I was at home by myself for the whole day and didn't really see the point. I have to say though for something that was supposed to be just for the fun of it, it really was quite annoying and I will probably be going back to not wearing makeup.
And now to Week Eight's plans:
Health and Wellbeing - This week, starting today (which I've already done), I will be making myself get up and leave the office for at least fifteen minutes at lunch time every day.
Organisation - Start drafting blog posts early instead of typing and posting after they're due to go up.
To Do - Finish the photo book I've been doing of my in-laws' holiday. I will have the house to myself again as The Sparky will be working so there's really no excuse.
Just for Fun - Once the photo book is finished I'm going to file and paint my nails. My nails are normally not long enough to worry about as I prefer to cut them very short so I can type properly. This week though they are just long enough to file without being so long that I need to cut them so I'm going to give them a little TLC. Like makeup this is a once in a blue moon thing so we'll see how I go ...
aaaaand, that's it for another week.
12 January 2012
TWS - Week Seven
Wow, week seven already! Despite appearances I haven't completely dropped the ball on this plan, I just haven't been blogging about it - mostly because little things like work and life got in the way a bit.
Enough of the excuses, I know you're just hanging on to the edge of your chair with anticipation of what this week holds for me, so without further ado -
Health and Wellbeing - get off the train one station early in the morning, walk up the stairs at said station even when legs are killing from squats and lunges, keep going up and up until arrival at new found coffee spot (thanks Ms I-Hua!), drink fabulous new coffee in fabulous new mini Keep Cup (thanks Little Bro) while walking uphill to work. Specific much? Yes, however the extra walk part is good for my health and the coffee is good for my wellbeing (no, you won't change my mind on that no matter what arguments you throw at me!) so I think specificity is good.
Organisation - this is one that I actually hope to carry through for forever. I've grabbed one of the many unused pretty notebooks that I have at home and put it in my new work bag for two purposes. The first being that I intend to spend the first few minutes of my train ride each morning writing a list of things that I want/need to do that day (non-work related, I have a separate list at work for those). These get divided into Before Work, Lunch Time and At Home and don't get crossed off until they're done. The second is so that I have a place to write down the random thoughts and ideas that come to me during the day (for example the other day while trawling through some new-found Melbourne food blogs I came across a number of places that I actually want to visit and instead of tucking them away in my head where they're likely to get lost I wrote a list of them in my notebook).
To Do - wardrobe clean out! This is one of those things that I would normally do over the Christmas holidays but decided not to attack while we have house guests. This Saturday however The Sparky will be bonding with his father over their new, yet-to-be-put-together, remote control helicopters so I will have the house to myself for a few hours which is the perfect setting for some wardrobe tlc.
Just for Fun - wear a little makeup (and by a little I mean at least mascara every single day). This may not sound like much to most (low) 30-somethings out there but I'm not a makeup person - as in I could list for you the number of times I've worn a full face of the stuff and I probably wouldn't run out of fingers - so for me to even wear mascara, let alone for two or more days in a row, well that is a big thing.
Over and out ...
Enough of the excuses, I know you're just hanging on to the edge of your chair with anticipation of what this week holds for me, so without further ado -
Health and Wellbeing - get off the train one station early in the morning, walk up the stairs at said station even when legs are killing from squats and lunges, keep going up and up until arrival at new found coffee spot (thanks Ms I-Hua!), drink fabulous new coffee in fabulous new mini Keep Cup (thanks Little Bro) while walking uphill to work. Specific much? Yes, however the extra walk part is good for my health and the coffee is good for my wellbeing (no, you won't change my mind on that no matter what arguments you throw at me!) so I think specificity is good.
 |
| itty bitty teeny tiny 4oz cup - perfect for a short mach |
Organisation - this is one that I actually hope to carry through for forever. I've grabbed one of the many unused pretty notebooks that I have at home and put it in my new work bag for two purposes. The first being that I intend to spend the first few minutes of my train ride each morning writing a list of things that I want/need to do that day (non-work related, I have a separate list at work for those). These get divided into Before Work, Lunch Time and At Home and don't get crossed off until they're done. The second is so that I have a place to write down the random thoughts and ideas that come to me during the day (for example the other day while trawling through some new-found Melbourne food blogs I came across a number of places that I actually want to visit and instead of tucking them away in my head where they're likely to get lost I wrote a list of them in my notebook).
 |
| makes me smile just looking at it |
To Do - wardrobe clean out! This is one of those things that I would normally do over the Christmas holidays but decided not to attack while we have house guests. This Saturday however The Sparky will be bonding with his father over their new, yet-to-be-put-together, remote control helicopters so I will have the house to myself for a few hours which is the perfect setting for some wardrobe tlc.
Just for Fun - wear a little makeup (and by a little I mean at least mascara every single day). This may not sound like much to most (low) 30-somethings out there but I'm not a makeup person - as in I could list for you the number of times I've worn a full face of the stuff and I probably wouldn't run out of fingers - so for me to even wear mascara, let alone for two or more days in a row, well that is a big thing.
Over and out ...
08 December 2011
TWS - Week Two
Well, after the success of last week, I'm feeling much better about this whole idea and am ready to plunge myself into a new week of changes and challenges. (Can I just say again how good it feels to have all of the Christmas/Birthday shopping sorted?)
Health and Wellbeing - spend at least fifteen minutes a day outside playing with the dogs, not just our morning walk or playing around inside but actual play time outside in the fresh air. This I think will be good for both my wellbeing and theirs ... and a good way to unwind when I get home from work.
Organisation - empty the ironing basket. 'nuf said.
To Do - come up with a full plan for the the next eleven weeks of this challenge, rather than sitting here trying to come up with ideas as I type!
Just For Fun - the earring thing went so well last week that I think I'll try to mix it up a bit more in the future. Plus, this week I think I'll make it a different necklace each day (oh, and this time I'll try to remember to take photos).
Health and Wellbeing - spend at least fifteen minutes a day outside playing with the dogs, not just our morning walk or playing around inside but actual play time outside in the fresh air. This I think will be good for both my wellbeing and theirs ... and a good way to unwind when I get home from work.
Organisation - empty the ironing basket. 'nuf said.
To Do - come up with a full plan for the the next eleven weeks of this challenge, rather than sitting here trying to come up with ideas as I type!
Just For Fun - the earring thing went so well last week that I think I'll try to mix it up a bit more in the future. Plus, this week I think I'll make it a different necklace each day (oh, and this time I'll try to remember to take photos).
07 December 2011
Wednesday Wrap Up - Week One
I know you're all curious to know how I've gone with my first week of TWS challenges so here goes ...
Health and Wellbeing - success! I am now signed back into Spark People, goals have been set and calories are being counted. I wish I could be a little more excited about this but for the moment I'm just glad to have started.
Organisation - almost a success ... I've done two out of three nights and plan to do more tonight (the new week doesn't start until tomorrow morning after all).
To Do - done and done!! Eight Christmas presents and six birthday presents all ordered/bought, including The Sparky's Kris Kringle which I was happy to let slide as it's technically his problem not mine! (Side note, much as I fought the idea at first I'm really glad now that we do the KK with The Sparky's family because it means we only have to come up with two present ideas instead of thirteen!). I cannot even begin to describe to you how good it felt to hit the 'go' button on the final purchase on Monday. Most of the presents have been bought online so they're still making their way to me in dribs and drabs but they're bought and I count this one as a great big done!
Just for Fun - also done. It was kinda fun to make myself pick a new pair of earrings each day. I have at least two dozen pairs but usually find myself wearing the same one-two pairs all the time.
So far, so good!
Health and Wellbeing - success! I am now signed back into Spark People, goals have been set and calories are being counted. I wish I could be a little more excited about this but for the moment I'm just glad to have started.
Organisation - almost a success ... I've done two out of three nights and plan to do more tonight (the new week doesn't start until tomorrow morning after all).
To Do - done and done!! Eight Christmas presents and six birthday presents all ordered/bought, including The Sparky's Kris Kringle which I was happy to let slide as it's technically his problem not mine! (Side note, much as I fought the idea at first I'm really glad now that we do the KK with The Sparky's family because it means we only have to come up with two present ideas instead of thirteen!). I cannot even begin to describe to you how good it felt to hit the 'go' button on the final purchase on Monday. Most of the presents have been bought online so they're still making their way to me in dribs and drabs but they're bought and I count this one as a great big done!
Just for Fun - also done. It was kinda fun to make myself pick a new pair of earrings each day. I have at least two dozen pairs but usually find myself wearing the same one-two pairs all the time.
So far, so good!
01 December 2011
Thirteen Weeks of Summer - Week One
So, this is it. Deep breaths, in and out, the commitment has been made so you'll just have to follow through with it - that was after all the whole idea, remember?
Okay, today marks the official start of summer here in this corner of the world and, due to some commitment or another that I may have made, it also marks the start of my Thirteen Weeks of Summer challenge to change myself (to be called hereafter TWS thereby saving myself about five hours of typing time over the next thirteen weeks).
This weeks changes/challenges will be:
Health and Wellbeing - sign back up to Spark People. I've had an on again/off again, love/hate relationship with this site. I don't like the idea of being obsessed about the food I eat but the fact of the matter is that it works, every time I'm on it I loose weight and every time I try to look after myself I either plateau or gain. So, back to the Spark it is. Because this will tie in so closely with the health side of my Healthier and Fitter challenge, I will be setting it up to start on Sunday morning.
Organisation - do half an hour of housework after work on at least three week nights (this does not include any time taken to cook dinner!)
To Do - finish shopping for all Christmas presents and all of the Dec/Jan/Feb family birthdays (I have bits and pieces and lots of ideas but I need to get them off the 'to do' list so I can move onto other things).
Just For Fun - wear a different pair of earrings every day this week.
Sounds good for now ...
28 November 2011
The Plans
Phew, this is a long one so sit back, grab yourself un caffe latte (or a cup of tea or hot chocolate or whatever takes your fancy) and if you get bored and your eyes glaze over I won't blame you and will forgive you for not getting to the end.
It has become increasingly apparent to me lately that if I want to achieve anything then I have to do something about it. Obvious I know but in order for me to do something it seems I also need to plan and to make myself accountable to someone other than me so that I stick to whatever than plan is.
Apparently I'm too easy on myself and lazy as well whereas the people who I imagine read this (and I know that for the most part they are imaginary, I'm not going to kid myself about the sort of traffic this blog gets!) are really hard on me!
So, in light of all of this self-revelation I have decided to release some plans that have been floating around in my head - it's not the best place to be trapped after all ...
Plan One - Thirteen Weeks of Summer
Summer in Australia this year runs from Thursday, 1 December 2011 to Wednesday, 29 February 2012 - exactly thirteen weeks - and I plan to fill those thirteen weeks with changes and challenges that see me a different (better) person at the end. Each week starting this Thursday I will either set myself a challenge for the week or make a change to my 'norm' with a view to changing habits and improving my lifestyle in areas that fall under each of the following categories:
Health and Wellbeing - these will be more general, habit changing challenges than the food and fitness changes and challenges that are a part of Plan Two.
Organisation - I constantly suffer from the feeling that 'there's just not enough time' but when I sit back and break down my day into hourly slots there really is enough time for a lot more things, I just need to be more deliberate about them.
To Do - I have a mental 'to do' list that's longer than my arm and it's starting to hurt my brain! Most of the things on it are probably going to be quick and easy and I'm looking forward to getting them out of my head and done (with all of this stuff coming out I'm going to end up with an empty head!).
Just for Fun - not wanting to make this whole Thirteen Weeks of Summer too much of a bore for either me or you I've decided that I want to set myself something each week that is, well, just for the fun of it!
Plan Two - Become a Healthier, Fitter Person
Short version - I have to move more and eat better! Okay, okay, couldn't we all ...
I have been up and down on this for years now and I've decided that this is it, the last time I go up. In order to ensure that I don't go up again I will not just be focusing on the initial need for weight loss but will also be looking at forming long term eating and exercising habits.
Yes, measurements will be taken and numbers will be written down, there may even be a photo or two for later comparison. No, I don't know yet if I will be sharing the specifics of those particulars with you - I'm just not sure I'm comfortable with that much sharing ...
In the spirit of the accountability I was talking about earlier though I will be sharing my weekly planning and talking about my success/failure at sticking to those plans. Again, there's something about putting it 'out there' that makes me much more likely to stick with it.
Plan Three - Be a Better Blogger
eeeek! The Sparky's Christmas present just got delivered to the office - it looks great! Unfortunately I can't share until after he's seen it but I will, I promise.
So, where was I? That's right Be a Better Blogger or Build a Better Blog, either works. As with everything else in my life it seems that this requires deliberate planning rather than just a desire to do better.
To that end, my current plans are to dedicate a day a week to a different topic:
Thursday will be for the Thirteen Weeks of Summer, an outline of what the plans for that week are.
Fridays I'm generally a little brain-fried so Friday's posts will be simple - photos, thoughts, quotes, pretty much any sort of randomness than takes my fancy.
Saturday will be an outline of the week's health and fitness plans. Unlike the Thirteen Weeks of Summer, I will run my health and fitness week from Sunday to Saturday, rather than Thursday to Friday.
Sunday will simply be a scripture, probably no commentary or expanding just a scripture or a quote that I like or that has spoken to me in some way or another recently.
Monday will be dedicated to ramblings, commentary, photos etc. Generally details about something that has happened during the week, a place I've been, something I've done, food I've cooked ... just stuff that is worthy of it's own post and more than just a photo or two.
Tuesday will be Travelday and will be for photos and stories of places I've been, things I've done and seen, places I plan to go and places that are just plain on the 'wish list'!
and finally Wednesday which will be a run down of the week that's been and how I went with the challenges I set myself for the Thirteen Weeks of Summer.
So, there they are, The Plans. If you've made it to this point, congratulations and please don't hate me for boring you so. I wish I had something funny or insightful to reward you with but I don't, this post was really much more about me than you and, well, that's just the way it is ...
Any hints, comments, encouragement you can give along the way will of course be much appreciated, if the imaginary people that I'm making myself accountable to turn out to be real ... well that thought actually frightens me a little so let's just see how I go.
It has become increasingly apparent to me lately that if I want to achieve anything then I have to do something about it. Obvious I know but in order for me to do something it seems I also need to plan and to make myself accountable to someone other than me so that I stick to whatever than plan is.
Apparently I'm too easy on myself and lazy as well whereas the people who I imagine read this (and I know that for the most part they are imaginary, I'm not going to kid myself about the sort of traffic this blog gets!) are really hard on me!
So, in light of all of this self-revelation I have decided to release some plans that have been floating around in my head - it's not the best place to be trapped after all ...
Plan One - Thirteen Weeks of Summer
Summer in Australia this year runs from Thursday, 1 December 2011 to Wednesday, 29 February 2012 - exactly thirteen weeks - and I plan to fill those thirteen weeks with changes and challenges that see me a different (better) person at the end. Each week starting this Thursday I will either set myself a challenge for the week or make a change to my 'norm' with a view to changing habits and improving my lifestyle in areas that fall under each of the following categories:
Health and Wellbeing - these will be more general, habit changing challenges than the food and fitness changes and challenges that are a part of Plan Two.
Organisation - I constantly suffer from the feeling that 'there's just not enough time' but when I sit back and break down my day into hourly slots there really is enough time for a lot more things, I just need to be more deliberate about them.
To Do - I have a mental 'to do' list that's longer than my arm and it's starting to hurt my brain! Most of the things on it are probably going to be quick and easy and I'm looking forward to getting them out of my head and done (with all of this stuff coming out I'm going to end up with an empty head!).
Just for Fun - not wanting to make this whole Thirteen Weeks of Summer too much of a bore for either me or you I've decided that I want to set myself something each week that is, well, just for the fun of it!
Plan Two - Become a Healthier, Fitter Person
Short version - I have to move more and eat better! Okay, okay, couldn't we all ...
I have been up and down on this for years now and I've decided that this is it, the last time I go up. In order to ensure that I don't go up again I will not just be focusing on the initial need for weight loss but will also be looking at forming long term eating and exercising habits.
Yes, measurements will be taken and numbers will be written down, there may even be a photo or two for later comparison. No, I don't know yet if I will be sharing the specifics of those particulars with you - I'm just not sure I'm comfortable with that much sharing ...
In the spirit of the accountability I was talking about earlier though I will be sharing my weekly planning and talking about my success/failure at sticking to those plans. Again, there's something about putting it 'out there' that makes me much more likely to stick with it.
Plan Three - Be a Better Blogger
eeeek! The Sparky's Christmas present just got delivered to the office - it looks great! Unfortunately I can't share until after he's seen it but I will, I promise.
So, where was I? That's right Be a Better Blogger or Build a Better Blog, either works. As with everything else in my life it seems that this requires deliberate planning rather than just a desire to do better.
To that end, my current plans are to dedicate a day a week to a different topic:
Thursday will be for the Thirteen Weeks of Summer, an outline of what the plans for that week are.
Fridays I'm generally a little brain-fried so Friday's posts will be simple - photos, thoughts, quotes, pretty much any sort of randomness than takes my fancy.
Saturday will be an outline of the week's health and fitness plans. Unlike the Thirteen Weeks of Summer, I will run my health and fitness week from Sunday to Saturday, rather than Thursday to Friday.
Sunday will simply be a scripture, probably no commentary or expanding just a scripture or a quote that I like or that has spoken to me in some way or another recently.
Monday will be dedicated to ramblings, commentary, photos etc. Generally details about something that has happened during the week, a place I've been, something I've done, food I've cooked ... just stuff that is worthy of it's own post and more than just a photo or two.
Tuesday will be Travelday and will be for photos and stories of places I've been, things I've done and seen, places I plan to go and places that are just plain on the 'wish list'!
and finally Wednesday which will be a run down of the week that's been and how I went with the challenges I set myself for the Thirteen Weeks of Summer.
So, there they are, The Plans. If you've made it to this point, congratulations and please don't hate me for boring you so. I wish I had something funny or insightful to reward you with but I don't, this post was really much more about me than you and, well, that's just the way it is ...
Any hints, comments, encouragement you can give along the way will of course be much appreciated, if the imaginary people that I'm making myself accountable to turn out to be real ... well that thought actually frightens me a little so let's just see how I go.
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