Positive Steps Challenge 2013

fairyclicks

Sir_Pac wrote: »

It's no wonder you're not getting any sleep! When do you find time to relax :-)

What are you selling on eBay? Is it stuff you've created yourself?

Paul

Oh i relax constantly :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: most things i do at the speed of faff

Ebay sales are clearing out the huge amount of boxes of guff i have gathered up from many years of selling at markets etc. AND the stuff i keep buying to sell on (cos obviously i don't have enough :o)

Sir_Pac

Tried and failed at the 5am challenge, but I have a cunning plan. I have scheduled music to start playing from my tablet at 5am, and for my phones alarm to kick in at 6am.

I am my own worse enemy because I fight sleep at night (silly I know), sometimes not finishing my work until 3am, and then expect myself to get up at 5 - madness

Todays jobs:

1. BEDROOM TAX (12-1pm)
Going to be talking face-to-face with the benefits office about the bedroom tax problem, hopefully I'll have a better grasp on where I stand.

2. eBAY (11-midday)
Simplify my eBay actions.
All of my eBay auctions have ended, so now is as good a time as any to switch my auctions to BIN ones.

3. CREATE SNAGGING LIST (throughout the day)
I can't afford to tackle any of the big jobs around the flat such as buying the skirting boards (gulp!) but there are tonnes of silly little jobs that I could tackle if I just knew where to start - I have a glass fish bowl, everytime I find another snag, I'll jot it down on a strip of paper, and drop it into the bowl - then later tonight, I'll compile the strips of paper into a priority list, by working out the cost of each, and starting with the cheapest snag to do first.

4. POSITIVE STEPPERS (Creating base plans)
The Positive Stepper Action Plan is a pledge to 'self' to tackle various activities. If one of your pledges is to lose weight, then these first set of base plans will be useful.

(similar base plans will be created for every subject covered within the PSAP)

These are small 'print outs ' such as the '8 Glasses of water a day chart'.

Regarding the example above
It is generally accepted that we require 8*glasses of water each day. I'm thinking the above chart will feature 8 empty glasses for each day of the week, and the user, colours in the glass (in blue, naturally) as they meet their daily water drinking requirements.

Other charts in the making are:

1. weight loss chart, user plots their weight loss in pounds

2. Exercise plan (and exercise cards), user compiles their own exercise plan from the exercise cards, and plots their progress on another chart

3. Shopping list, print out and take with you when you go shopping, In-Out, no chance to impulse buy

4. Meal Planner, know how many calories your body requires, and when to consume them, and from what nutrients.

5. Calorie counted recipes, these are to be used with the meal planner, and will contain meals of 50, 150, 200, 300, 400, and 500 calories.

Sounds like a lot of work when I read the above back to myself, however, no3 is done as and when I spot a snag, and no 4 is more recreational, as it's something I'll enjoy doing as opposed to it being a chore (like no1)

Thats my plan for today, whats yours?

[Deleted User]

Hi All, just back from hols and catching up on the threads.

Sir Pac, here are some tools that have helped me in putting together my life plan and my life planner.

Books:
Stephen Covey - The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
Jim Rohn - Challenge to Succeed audio book (listen to final track on CD 1 when I need a kick up the butt) - can be downloaded from Jim Rohn website or Success.com
Jim Rohn - Seven Strategies for Wealth and Happiness (love the section on goal setting)
Robin Sharma - The Leader who has no Title and Manage Your Time Workbook
Darren Hardy - The Compound Effect
Marla Cilley (aka The Flylady) - Sink Reflections - for the basics of getting organised and de-cluttering. She also talks about setting up a Home Journal containing important info such as holiday dates, food lists, routines and cleaning schedules, warranties for household equipment, emergency contact numbers etc.

I have also found inspiration from Zig Ziglar, John Assaraf, Brian Tracey and am subscribed to their updates on facebook. there are also a lot of good videos on You Tube from most of these authors.

Mastery TV is also worth a look for inspirational videos. I sometimes watch a video as part of my morning 5am routine. The link is:

http://masterytv.com/ You can also subscribe to updates from them on facebook.


For making a life planner I use an A4 binder with different sections in it. It constantly evolves but usually has sections for finances, long and short term goals, holiday plans, career ideas, Christmas and birthday pressie lists etc. I have used various ideas from various places and have found the following useful:

http://personalexcellence.co/blog/create-your-life-handbook/

http://organizedhome.com/household-notebook

his_missus

his_missus wrote: »

Tonight I need to:
- overtime shift (here's hoping for another quick finish):)
- make tea & lunches:)
- catch up on Nectar Ads:(
- spend time with Hubby:)

I've already done the ironing this morning

The Apprentice got in the way of the Nectar ads, I kept getting "timed out" so I gave up. Poor Hubby also had to "suffer" The Apprentice in order to spend time with me, he hates reality shows as he gets sucked in so easily

It's Hubby's birthday today so I shall be doing very little tonight apart the usual make tea, feed cats etc...

[Deleted User]

Well, back to reality and time to start setting out my positive steps for today.

1. Unpack case and get a washing on.
2. Have a walk - weight loss goal
3. Have a swim - weight loss goal
4. Food plan and shop - max budget of £30 for the week

Sir_Pac

Looks like I'm going to make the 5am club finally. Sent a text yesterday to my wife, wishing her well, and hoping her breast exam went well. She sent a text back saying it was cancelled so no need for me to worry. And to let me know she's sorting out the divource...Sleep was the last thing on my mind, so haven't bothered :-(

[Deleted User]

Oh Sir Pac I am so sorry to hear that. Hope you are ok.

Sir_Pac

[Deleted User] wrote:

Oh Sir Pac I am so sorry to hear that. Hope you are ok.

Putting on a brave face, upset last night obviously, and shed a few tears

If only I could have found and kept a job, maybe we'd still be together, anyway, onwards and upward.

Postive Steppers Action Plan

I have now sourced a shed-load of material for the Postive Steppers Action Plan (still not sure about the name, lol)

Thanks to all for the suggestions :beer: and as a serial procrastinator, I know If I don't start creating something now, I could source material for ever and not move past this point. so on goes my creators hat.

Todays Task:

1. Clear laptops desktop of clutter - Done

2. Create folders on the desktop for the various plans I am to create starting with 'Diet & Fitness', something close to my heart right now as I haven't worked out in ages - Done

3. Populate each folder (6 presently) with material for each plan - 12-2pm

4. Create a PDF from the material within each folder - 1-2pm
(This is an important step, because even if what I first create is rubbish, it'll give me somethng tangible to work from.)

That would be it for today...at least if I manage these PSAP steps, I could have something at the end of the day to show for it.

The Flat

I had so much planned for today but because of last nights revelation concerning the final nail in my marriage (or end of) I don't really think I'll be doing much DIY.

Isn't is weird how performing certain tasks has the ability to dull the senses. Even just thinking about working on the PSAP dulls me to the pain I'm feeling, whereas, performing DIY around the flat would (for me at least) not provide enough distraction to dull the heartache.

Still, a few could be attempted before the day is out, as I'd like the kitchen cleared of all building material (even if it just means moving it to the 'almost full' shed).

So The Flat -

1. Tidy kitchen floor and work-tops of building material.

2. Remove clutter from living room (the place I'm working from today) leaving only material for product design.

Product Design

1. I have 3 large ASDA shopping bags (the reinforced kind) chock full of materials I use for creating the items I sell on eBay.

Later today after I've gone shopping for todays delicious meal - I will wade through the bags attempting to declutter whilst eating my super healthy meal (third day in a row I might add, big-up me :rotfl:)

That's todays plan up until 4ish (when I'll go to Mums to cook her meal, before returning to the flat to update you all of my progress )

If any of you want to workout with me, I'll be starting an Upper Body Work Out Challenge starting Monday 8th July :eek:

his_missus

Hugs, Sir Pac, but maybe you'll be able to be good friends in time, though I know you wanted more. I don't know why you separated (and I don't want to as it's none of mine) but there must've been more issues than just you getting/keeping a job so don't beat yourself up. Unfortunately some things aren't meant to be even though we don't understand why.

Keeping busy is good though x

Well, we have people coming over/sleeping over tomorrow and my house (having been on the overtime shift all week apart from on Hubby's birthday yest) looks like a bomb's exploded. Tonight I need to blitz the place from top to bottom (as well as doing the overtime shift!) put washing in ready to hang out first thing tomorrow (hope it dries by lunchtime) and find time to relax as it is Friday after all.

Hubby is being sent to Mr As to do the weekly shop and buy supplies for tomorrow's get together. Yes, I am trusting him to go alone, eek!

Hoping to find the time to update Harley's blog this afternoon if work's quiet.

suzitiger

Hismissus well done on finishing the card! You must be very pleased :j

Sir_Pac wrote: »

Crikey mate! I feel for you...I hope you're taking time off to calm your mind. I'm only dealing with 'Bedroom Tax' and its giving me headaches.

I hope you can get on top of this before it leads to more than monetry hardship, and starts effecting health.




If you need to unwind a little, and have a smartphone, I can recommend Words with Friends ( wife hasn't played her words in two days )

Take (extra) care of yourself, and slow everything down

This bedroom tax thing is so SILLY! Unless they have offered people with extra 'spare' rooms a suitable alternative then they shouldnb't be able to charge the tax, its very unfair in my eyes. I am sorry that you are bearing the brunt of the governments incapability to run a country.

I will be OK, I don't like wishing life away but I can't wait for this weekend to be over, I am dreading some of it to be honest! I nedd the money though if I am to get myself out of this hole because until my new job holiday pay kicks in every time I take time off to visit family or whatever I don't get any holiday pay from the gyms because I am self employed. Te world is a difficult place to make money as a fitness instuctor at the moment, there are barriers in all directions! I think it is part of anxiety/depression that makes me get so worried about doing things. I push myself to do things anyway but I get very worked up about them when I don't really need to. I am glad that I did all the things I did yesterday but it was hard work and I had a very sore throat by the end of it :rotfl:

fairyclicks wrote: »

suzitiger wrote: »

Aw Suzi, you are doing so much atm its no wonder you are struggling a bit! How about giving yourself 1 or 2 things to do off your list each day? or do one of those things you are dreading - i have always found doing these frees me up somehow if it helps when i contacted bank about fees it took them 2 days to sort it its not like the PPI thing

Re the challenging yourself thing.......i love challenging myself and yes it is usually good for you BUT you are starting a new job which is already a challenge even if you are looking forward to it - i'd suggest being a bit easier on yourself - big hugs xxxxx

Thank you fairy I will try to be (see above reply to Paul)
What did you do when you contacted the bank about the charges? I used to phone them and complain about it but the bank have always been really hard on me and the last time they refunded charges was over a year ago and the person I spoke to said she was going to 'do it this time but put a note on the account saying that I could never claim charges back again' Can they even do that?! I have explained about finacial hardship several times but I find it just gets ignored or very personal.
Well, this is turning into a rant but in the past I have set up meetings with the bank to talk about my finacial situation, one meeting the man was very rude and said 'why was i saying i was in hardship when I had spent money on itunes?' It was FOR MY BUSINESS!! then he told me I should just get another job tsacking shelves at night....errr thanks, when should I sleep then? I was at the time working 3 jobs and it was in 2011 when there were hardly any jobs as it was....sighhhh...
the next meeting I set up a year later was better but still no offer of holding charges or help/advice on how to get out of my overdraft. hmmmm!
Martin Lewis said that there is a good chance of getting charges back if you are in finacial hardship so do you think I should still fight my corner?