I miss making monthly goals. I tried moving to quarterly goals this year, but it’s not working for me. I find it hard to figure out what goals I want to accomplish each month… so why am I doing this to myself? Just make monthly goals! That’s what works best for me, and so I’m back to setting goals every month. Yay!
I’ve broken my goals down into three sections:
- Small Steps Toward My Yearly Goals – I’m setting five goals each month that will directly relate to my yearly goals.
- Daily(ish) Routines – I have a spot in my planner where I can list out a handful of daily routines and mark them off throughout the week. If I get an A or B average at the end of the week, I get to buy something off my Amazon wishlist, which is a fun bonus!
- Tasks – One-off tasks I want to get done this month.
Essentially, it means I’m setting 15 goals in a month but some of those are really fun goals (like reading an Agatha Christie novel!) and five of those are very small daily routines (taking meds, doing my skincare routine, etc) so it’s not as massive as it may appear. But before we get into my monthly goals, I want to take a look back on the quarterly goals I set in January and mark down which ones I accomplished:
- Find 2-3 new prints for my living room gallery wall and get them framed and hung up. I did this! I have a plan in place to showcase some of the changes I’ve made to my apartment since my original Apartment To-Do List post, and my gallery wall is really coming along now.
- Figure out my new organizational scheme for my bookshelf bins/walk-in closet and buy new containers to organize everything. Done! It feels so good to have everything in their rightful place and for my closet to be less of a chaotic mess.
- Schedule an appointment with my PCP and my gynecologist. Done and done. I have a follow-up appointment with my PCP to go over my bloodwork results (I’m getting bloodwork done today, in fact!), but all went well with my annual exam.
- Get my nose pierced. Done!
- Try two dry shampoo brands. I tried the I DEW CARE dry shampoo powder, but I didn’t care for it. Right now, I’m trying out Not Your Mother’s “Plump for Joy” dry shampoo.
Okay, with all that fun stuff out of the way, let’s talk about my March goals:
Small Steps Towards My Yearly Goals
1) Install floating shelves in my kitchen. My stepdad is coming over sometime in March to help me with this. Yay! It’s going to give me some extra room in my pantry, and that’s a win/win for me.
2) Read Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie. My goal is to read 6 mysteries by Agatha Christie this year, and this is the next one on my list after getting multiple recommendations.
3) Watch two seasons of a TV show. I gave myself a goal to watch one season of a TV show every month—and it can’t be reality TV. Well, I failed in February as all I did was watch reality TV. It’s such a comfort for me! But I am committed to this goal so in March, I need to watch two seasons of a show. I’m thinking of finishing The Bear (I watched the first two episodes and it was very intense, so I haven’t gone back to it) and maybe watching Mr. and Mrs. Smith since it’s getting great reviews. We’ll see!
4) Buy the “I’m Dead, Now What?” planner and fill out one section. This was one of my quarterly goals, so I’m putting it on my list for March so I can get it done!
5) Clean up my categories/tags. I have finished my massive blog recategorization project! Yay! But now I need to clean up my categories and tags before I install a new blog theme.
Daily(ish) Routines
1) Go for a walk Monday-Friday (three of which should be 30 minutes or more). I do okay with my weekday walks, although it’s rare for me to hit 5/5 days. It will be easier when the time change hits and I can go for a walk after 6pm (when I usually end my workday).
2) Take my meds daily. I made this goal in January because I was doing such a bad job at taking my meds regularly. But now I’m not! However, my goal with these Daily(Ish) Routines is to keep them for three months and then move on to a new routine if I feel confident that I have the routine down. So I’m keeping it on the list through March.
3) Do my skincare routine daily. Another pretty easy goal, and one I genuinely enjoy doing every morning and night. Some nights, I get lazy with it but that doesn’t happen all too often anymore.
4) Continue doing 30-minute standing sessions once a day. I have a yearly goal of standing more during my workday, and I really like making sure I hit this goal! Most days, I get it done and it’s a nice break for my butt, haha.
5) Go to bed by 10:30 p.m. Ugh, my forever struggle goal. I probably only hit this goal 1-2 times a week, sigh.
TASKS
1) Get my tub unclogged and install the TubShroom. I put in a maintenance request to have my tub unclogged three weeks ago. SIGH. I could do it myself, but it’s the principle of the matter, you know? I rent so I don’t have to deal with these problems myself! (And also because owning a home is expensive.) But once I get my tub unclogged, I’m going to install the TubShroom, which will ensure my tub doesn’t keep clogging with all my hair. Lolz.
2) Declutter my junk closet. Some people have junk drawers, I have a junk closet. It’s my hallway linen closet and where I have all of my cleaning supplies and miscellaneous items like my suitcase, an old TV tray, wrapping paper, etc. I have just been throwing things into this closet and shutting the door very quickly so nothing falls out. EVERYTHING’S FINE. This is the month I will tackle it finally.
3) Do a big Goodwill drop. I have quite a few items that need to go to Goodwill, including a TV and computer monitor. Could I try to sell these on Facebook Marketplace? Yes. Do I want to do that? Hell no. I just need to get it all out of here finally.
4) Do my taxes. I still haven’t done my taxes! I usually do them as soon as possible because I like getting my tax refund early in the year. But recently, my tax refund has been tiny (literally $40 last year, ha) so I haven’t been compelled to complete my taxes. I’m also always worried I’ll have to owe, and I just don’t want to know if that’s the case. But I’ll do my taxes in March. Promise!
5) Do a week of time logging. For the last two years, I’ve time-logged during the last week of March. I’m excited to do it again and see how things have changed (or stayed the same).
What’s something you want to get done in March?
I LOVE the Tubshroom. It works SO well for me!
I’m “goalless” in 2024, but off the record I’d really love to get another complete month of daily yoga under my belt 🙂
I finally got my tub unclogged today so the TubShroom gets installed tomorrow. I hope it’s not too difficult!
You’ve got this – you’re doing awesome with your yoga practice!
Oooh I love your goals – all so smart and so doable, and all contributing towards the annual goals! Yay Stephany! I also love love love the idea of grading yourself and then buying a little treat off your wishlist. What a great motivator!
My husband is building garden beds for me so I am in the thick of planning the planting! I have a trip to Vegas, a few social events, my son turns TWENTY, and I have some other writing goals to finish in March. All in all, I’m looking forward to it!
Sometimes, I need to treat myself like a 5-year-old with a sticker chart! Whatever works, you know?!
March is going to be an amazing month for you! How delightful!
Two SEASONS of a show?! My goal might be something like two episodes. LOL. That seems quite ambitious.
I think if monthly goals work for, that’s awesome. I like reading your monthly recap. How is the nose piercing healing? I think I might just get my nose pierced later this year. I have wanted to do it for so long, but I’m nervous about it because I feel like I’m constantly blowing my nose and I just don’t know how that works. I need more details, Stephany!
It is wildly ambitious of me to make a goal of watching two seasons of a show. But each of those shows only has 8 episodes per season and The Bear, at least, has 30-minute episodes so it’s doable! As long as I stop watching my beloved trashy reality TV.
Okay, I’m going to give you all of the details of my nose piercing in a blog post next week. Stay tuned!!
Gurg we need to do our taxes this month as well. It’s really not that bad, but as you say about unclogging the bathtub drain when you have a landlord for that, it’s the principle of the thing.
I like all of your goals and the steps that you’re taking toward your yearly goals. March is going to be a good month!
My taxes are pretty straightforward, but still, I am not looking forward to doing them. Argh!
Such great goals, Stephany! They sound so reasonable and workable, and there are some fun ones in there among the utilitarian ones.
I have a project goal this month, two work goals, and a house goal. THAT IS PLENTY.
Would you (or have you, and I am just not remembering?) share more about your bedtime goal? I always love to learn more about why people choose the bedtimes they choose.
Also: more TV talk please! I want to know all the shows on your consideration list! And why TV shows vs. reality shows? I need more details!!!! I love TV and I love talking about TV. (Also, if it matters: The Bear does not get less stressful, at least in the first season. I cannot bear –haha — to watch the second season yet, because I felt so anxious throughout the first one.)
I would be happy to share more about my bedtime goal AND more about TV. These are great blog post ideas, so thank you for supplying me with some fodder for the blog. 🙂
I think I may not continue watching The Bear. It’s too stressful for me!
I am happy to hear you’re switching back to monthly goals if that suits you better. I think it’s an easier time frame to “oversee” and plan for.
I hope you’ll get your tub unclogged soon. The tubshroom is a lifechanger!
I need to get my taxes done in March (preferably before I travel), so I have two weeks to get that done! I already went through the tax software with my stuff once, so I am in pretty good shape to accomplish this goal.
My tub is FINALLY unclogged so I’m excited to install the TubShroom soon! Thanks for the rec!
Here’s to getting those taxes done and dusted before you leave on your trip. It will probably feel really good to have that big task out of the way before Germany.
I decided to do monthly goals this year, but then forgot to set any for March. Well, the month is still young! I’ll think about that this weekend.
I’m sure I was one of the people who recommended Death on the Nile- I hope you like it! It’s one of my favorite Christies.
I’ll be interested to hear the results of your time-logging. I’ve never done it- maybe I should?
The month is very young! You’ve got this!
You were one of my recommendation sources for Death on the Nile – I think it will be my next read!
Time-logging can be a pain but I find it very interesting – I try to be very casual with it and not place too much pressure on myself to perfectly capture every moment of my day.
A word of warning on the Tub Shroom, is that they get mildew and moldy, so don’t be lazy and ignore it like we did. Take it out and run it through the dishwasher once a week or something. (I think that was Elisabeth’s idea when I warned her, wish I had thought of it myself.)
Regarding the Bear, those first two episodes are crazy, but it definitely calms down, I say go for it. There is a CRAZY episode in season 2 with Jaimie Lee Curtis that is award worthy, I will be shocked if she doesn’t at least get a nomination.
Congratulations on your success with the standing desk and taking your meds, and all of your others! I feel you on the sore butt when sitting too long. I have to get up and walk around every 1/2 hour or so, my butt gets too sore from sitting. Also my lower back.
Oh, that is a GREAT tip – thank you! I’ll make sure to take it out regularly and run it through the dishwasher. I would never have even thought of that!
Our drain lays flat (it’s a standing shower) so I just have a screen that goes over it and good lord does it catch a lot of hair (plus I always have a ‘hair desert’ on the shower wall – I think that’s what the girls next door called it!). It’s so gross! But so necessary.
We also need to do a big goodwill drop. Phil suggested I do last Thursday but it was my shouldless day so I said I would do it another time. I think it needs to happen this weekend. A lot of it is stuff the boys got for Christmas that they just don’t need/weren’t playing with. And there are clothes and other odds and ends. Can’t wait to get it out of our storage closet!!
I used to always do my taxes but we are April filers now that we are married. We usually have to pay in and we both have income that comes on a K1 instead of a W2. I miss the good old days of getting a juicy refund!!
Oh yes, the hair desert! I’ve been doing that ever since the girls on GND talked about it. I thought it was doing a good job of catching all my hair but, um, NOT AT ALL. So much hair goes down that drain, ick.
I really need to get that I’m Dead now what book too & get to filling it out.
OMMPPHH – my closet – I said i was going to clean it out when it turned fall… & here we are going into Spring. I REALLY should do it – i’ll probably have 50% more space to just get rid of everything I havent wore in a year.
It will feel SO GOOD when you finally get that closet organization project done, but it’s always such a big project to do. I feel you! For a while, things were looking dire (it’s always halfway through, lol) but I powered through and got it done. I wish you the best of luck!
I love your goals! Can you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE share how you organized your closet? I am desperate. Using all these cloth bins and it’s… bleargh. I don’t have a big dresser so this is my sweaters, etc. I like having them in there, not under the bed, which, I know, but it’s just how I am. 🙂 Thanks in advance!
And GO YOU for getting your walks AND standing in! Not to mention the daily routines. 🙂