Blogger Wimbledon Mummy shares four ways to organise your life and smash your goals in the New Year…
The New Year is a time for reflection, both on past accomplishments and future goals, and there is no better time to organise and simplify your life. Whether you are a stay at home parent or juggling both a job and kids, the little things can sometimes feel overwhelming. These four simple ways to organise your life can help you achieve your goals, improve your health and get a jump start on life in 2020!
1. Set A Personal Goal
Think of one thing you would like to do just for you in 2020 and resolve to make it happen. It can be anything from getting your teeth straightened to reading a little each day to learning Spanish; this is about doing something that will make you a little happier. Life changes or new ventures can be daunting no matter how big or small. But if you only choose one goal, make a plan as to how you will reach it and how much time you will set aside each week to work on it, it can seem a lot more achievable. You can always set another goal once you have completed the first one.
2. Save Time
I don’t know about you, but one of the things that takes me the most time each week is meal planning, shopping and cooking. But the great news is, you can save a little time each week by:
Collecting any new recipes you want to try and keeping them in one place (whether you save them on your phone or tear them out of magazines and file them in a folder, the idea is to keep them all together). Ideally you would also organise them by type of recipe, e.g. ‘vegan weekday meals’ as this makes it easier to find what you’re looking for later on;
Making lists of the items you regularly buy each week, either via an app or on paper. Many supermarket apps allow you to make and store a list of ‘favourites’ so you don’t have to search for the items you buy every week. If you already do this but haven’t reviewed and updated it in a while, now is a good time. Not having to remember the basics frees you up to concentrate on any extras instead;
Cooking and freezing some meals to eat throughout the month. Stews, soups, sauces, casseroles and pasta bakes can be made in big batches and frozen in individual portions. Defrost, reheat and add a salad for a healthy, balanced meal that can be reheated in the microwave in minutes.
Planning kids’ meals and snacks for the week in advance. Nothing wastes more time than faffing around trying to figure out what to make the kids for dinner. If you don’t have a plan you’ll probably end up reaching into the freezer to make the fish fingers and oven chips they’re begging you for rather than the healthy veggie pasta you would prefer them to eat. If you can cook and freeze some of their meals in advance, all the better!
3. Plan For Health
Plan your diet and exercise regime in weekly increments. Fact: if you have a good health and fitness plan, you are more likely to stick to it. Decide how many workouts you would like to do each week and when these fit best into your daily routine. For instance, if you have small children, you might need to go to the gym before they wake up or after they go to bed. Or if you work long hours, you might need to plan your run for your lunch break. Make your health a priority and set an alarm to help you stick to your goal. If you would like to lose or maintain weight, or stick to a particular diet or lifestyle (“Veganuary” and “Dry January” come to mind), try logging everything you eat or drink in a tracker app. I find seeing what you are consuming in black and white makes you much more accountable and therefore more likely to achieve your goal. Starting or changing any new diet, exercise or lifestyle plan can seem daunting especially if you, like most people, have a busy schedule. But if you plan carefully in advance, your new lifestyle can fit seamlessly into your life.
4. Break Up Your Non-Essential To-Do List Into Bite Sized Chunks
If you’re anything like me you have a non-essential to-do list that is a mile long. Tasks like paint the scuffed bits in the kids’ bedrooms, posting old baby paraphernalia for sale online and donating old maternity clothes to the charity shop never seem to get done and pile up until they become overwhelming. There’s no need to do them all at once. Choose one task each week and get it done. If you have time for another, feel free to do that one too. Soon that enormous list will seem a lot more manageable and you can feel proud of all you’ve accomplished!
The more important thing is not to stress. If you don’t manage to complete your goals one week, don’t be hard on yourself or overthink. Just pick up where you left off as soon as possible. Best wishes for a happy, health New Year to you and your family from Wimbledon Mummy!
Contributor: Courtney | Wimbledon Mummy
Instagram: @WimbledonMummy
Website: wimbledonmummy.com
