Climbing the Mountain

MistyMountainTop

Deleted_User wrote: »

As for lists.....I love them much to my DH's annoyance :rotfl:

Making lists definitely need to be a big part of my plan.

I've already started on a list of things I'd like to get done in the next seven days

MistyMountainTop

I managed to get a lot done today. One of the things was a mystery shop at a travel agency. I've done them before and used to wonder if I should pass on them or stick it out for the money, which is not too bad for 1/2 hours work. I always want to actually go on the holiday and got a bit depressed knowing that it wouldn't happen. This time I didn't get depressed, I became more determined to get myself in good financial shape so I can take a holiday like the one the agent was giving me info about.

I have a few things on local selling sites now. The prices are low, but I've had no interest. It might just be the time of year, but it is frustrating. There are some things like camping equip that would sell much better in the spring, but holding on to it until then doesn't get them out of the house.

I'm still feeling upbeat and what I need to do is sit down for a day or two and get all the planning sorted - the savings goals, the things to accomplish, how to lower my spending, increasing my income, these are the basics that everything else will be built on. I am grateful that I'm not working full time, and have the time to finally do this properly. I have decided to wait until early next year before looking for further work, most of the Xmas temp jobs are in the evenings, during the same hours I'm already working.

[Deleted User]

Very productive day Hun, keep going I always find small lists work better than big long ones x

Smolly

Hi MMT, just catching up on your diary. I love lists. I did try once to stop writing lists - I lasted about one day maybe. It was so frustrating! All of your planning sounds fantastic - how many things have you managed to get on your 12 month list? Breaking them down further into smaller chunks sounds like a really good idea.

Fantastic news about picking up the mystery shop! Never had a travel agency one before. I need to start looking around and seeing what other agencies are out there. I'm registered with 4 I think and check them daily usually but I'd love to pick up a few more.

I've tried listing on local selling sites as well of late but apart from an initial burst it all seems to have died down. I do much better on 3Bay when I can be bothered!

Good luck with the rest of your planning. I will try and keep up to date a bit more! x

MistyMountainTop

Smolly wrote: »

All of your planning sounds fantastic - how many things have you managed to get on your 12 month list? Breaking them down further into smaller chunks sounds like a really good idea.

At the moment it is really just a piece of paper with everything I'd like to accomplish 'at some point in the future' written down, in no particular order. I have a few hours this morning where I will (hopefully) not be disturbed, so am going to sit at the table with a big pot of tea and sort it the timescale in my diary - I am going to aim to complete one 'big' thing each week, and if there is time left over, than do a few smaller things as well. I'm hoping to not get overwhelmed and be able to stay on track. I'd like to have the bulk of things sorted before I look for more work next year, knowing me if I go back to full time hours, I won't want to do anything once I get home.

It's something I've never tried before, and I'm hoping that getting a couple of the larger things done will increase my motivation and drive to get the rest out of the way. I'm optimistic that this time there will be some real changes. :T

Time to get off the computer and get down to it!

EssexHebridean

I LOVE a good list - and crossing things off definitely helps to motivate you, too! :T Remember that for repeating things there's no reason why you can't cross them off and then add them to the bottom ready for next time, and also that doing something, then writing it on the list JUST so you can cross it off, is also fine! :rotfl:

MistyMountainTop

Today I got down to the actual work, and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

Firstly I wrote down everything I could think of that needed doing. These are one-off jobs, not daily housework. I got out my diary and scheduled bigger jobs on days when I didn't already have an appointment or work, and smaller ones to be fit around the appt/work days. I'd thought about starting with the smaller jobs, because they could be done quickly and crossed off, and I like the thought of lots of crossed off things. In the end I decided that starting with the biggest job would be the most helpful, because I'd no longer have to maneuver around it.

It took me about an hour to organise and schedule everything in the diary, and I think I've been fairly realistic about how long each task will take. If I keep motivated, I should have the list completed before Christmas. I can't begin to imagine the relief of only having to do the daily chores/housework/errands. Some of these jobs have been playing on my mind for years now.

I scheduled the biggest job to start this afternoon and complete over the next three days. It's a manky job that I have been putting off for months. After a strong cup of coffee, I made a start. Two hours later, I was done. Finished. The entire job. Lord knows why I thought it would take so long, it wasn't nearly as hard or as manky as I thought it would be. All the jobs won't be so easy, but I'm well pleased that this huge one can be crossed of the list and won't need doing again, ever. I also completed two little jobs from the list in the time I had left over. I'm feeling quite positive at the moment :T

maddiemay

Great success today, well done.

Because of my health and energy problems, my daily lists include even the mundane and necessary personal care and household chores:(, but I think I will also get down on paper some of the very overdue chores and more kondoing and try and manage at least a small number each week.

Today I fitted in a session of going through my till receipts, starting yesterday and working backwards and recording the spends in my diary and allocating them to categories, when I have got all of them noted I will start a spread sheet:D Bought a little notebook and will try to jot down all the cash spends I do in the local indie shops too.

Reading your diaries has encouraged me to emulate you and try and get more organised, thank you:D

EssexHebridean

ORGANISATION SUPREMO! :T:T And yes to jobs that you fear are going to take forever, and actually take only a fraction of the time. (Re-hemming work trousers would be an example. Takes 10 minutes, so why do I put it off for weeks?)

MistyMountainTop

I'm sorry to hear about your health problems maddiemay, but glad if I have helped in some way! I have an autoimmune disease that thankfully after how many years is now under control, and I feel well around 90% of the time. There was a time when I couldn't get out of bed and was in constant pain, it's horrible when your body lets you down and you aren't able to do even simple things on your own. I sometimes wonder how I'm going to cope when I get older - I can only hope that the meds keep working so I can remain independent. Good on you for organising the receipts. I have lots of little notebooks - I'll have to slip one in my handbag so I can keep track of any cash spends, I sometimes forget those

Thanks for the cheer, EssexH! I am a bit proud that I actually got some work done instead of just talking about getting the work done.