Return to this thread December 2020

strawb_shortcake

annabanana82 said:

My list:

1. Learn to ice skate - been once, 
2. Get my park run PB down to 30 minutes
3. Lose weight!!
4. Be more savvy with my money, make it work better
5. Complete CIPS L6
6. Use my phone far less

1. Been once, and I thought it was going to be a long process before the lockdown...
2. Parkrun cancelled, been working on 2 miles as any further near me involves hills
3. Umm work in progress
4 . Done good on this one ish started a regular saver, transferred 10 years of NI credits to my Husband for his state pension. Other savings haven't really grown for one reason or another. But working from home now, my car died so hope to save about £1000 this month with no car bills and nowhere to go .
5. Exams cancelled until July and September to still possible
6. Complete failure, WFH is great but not same amount of work to do so easily distracted. 

jackieblack

jackieblack said:

I’m in too!
Some of these have rather a familiar ring about them... : D

1. Lose weight - I’ve managed to put back on all the weight I lost before my daughter’s wedding in 2018 - I found it so much easier when I had the date of the wedding as a specific target to focus on. I’ve tried giving myself target dates to aim for, but struggle to stay focused without a specific reason.

2. Finances - I will continue to make regular small overpayments in order to reduce my mortgage balance to/by a specific target amount by the end of 2020.

3. Declutter - I now can't actually get into my smallest spare bedroom at all, in fact it’s even worse than it was this time last year! (keeping the door closed helps enable me to ignore it )

4. Creativity/productivity - I want to reduce the amount of time I waste browsing on my iPad/phone in front of the TV and spend the time more productively and creatively, particularly knitting and sewing which I used to do a lot.

Second quarterly check in

1. Failing miserably 😳

2. This one is ok, I’m a key worker and consider myself fortunate that nothing much has changed for me finance wise.

3. Nope. Not had the time to even think about this! 🤣

4. Doing ok with this one too. Apart from my temperature blanket, I’ve been doing more sewing, including making facemasks for my daughter and some bags as gifts for a friend’s two daughters. Planning on making myself a summer skirt next.  The haberdashery I use hasn’t reopened yet (truthfully, it’s the only shop I really care about reopening) - it’s an old building with lots of small rooms, a real ‘Aladdins cave’ - but I’m waiting patiently.  I have bought quite a few supplies online but it’s not always easy to, for example, match colours, or determine weight or quality.

Let’s all hope things are more normal again by the next quarterly check-in! 🤞🏻

poppycracker

poppycracker said:

Long time mse lurker here, need to focus this year, so I going to join in with this.

My goals for 2020 are:

1. Decorate the hallway. Walls, floor and doors.
2. Spend less time on my tablet/phone. Get my cross stitch stuff back out and use my spare time more productively
3. Find a new job. Will probably mean retraining so college courses to look at. I aim to be in a new job by Christmas this year

Only three goals but number 3 is going to be incredibly hard for me as I have been in this job over 10 years, I'm comfortable there even though I hate most of the job and above all I hate change.

solstice update....
1.  the decorating of the hall is actually the furthest along!  The replacement of our gas central heating system made removing the old laminate floor a priority, and we have plans to get lino put down when things get back to 'normal'.  The glossed wood and doors have been washed down and we made a start on the woodchip wallpaper.... then the steamer broke..... So a sponge and a bucket of hot soapy water beckon for me.  I really hope to have a good lot of it done by the time I go back to work.
2.  I was doing well with this one, then lockdown happened.... My work opens on the 1st of August so I have just over a month to start again.
3.  got nowhere with this.  Yet.  

belfastgirl23

belfastgirl23 said:

So now I’ve done a bit of thinking and reviewing, my resolutions for 2020. One thing I’ve been thinking about is managing my focus - the last few years have been hard for a few (good) reasons but I’m determined 2020 is a year for turning a corner and focusing on the good stuff. Being grateful and noticing and saying it is also something I want to focus on.

One offs - Generally these have been badly impacted by Covid-19

• Get the downstairs of the house painted (kitchen, sitting room, bathroom)  Obviously no chance since lockdown but I’ve semi-scheduled it for late August when I’m hoping to go away for a bit
• Clean the attic - it’s like Halloween up there. Not risking falling over or hurting myself and having to go to hospital!
• Make a will (yes it’s on the list again) Even more important and still not done. I’m off for a week in July and I plan to tackle it then. Hold me accountable please!!
• Travel to a new country or at least a new city Well obviously....
  

Health

• Go to all my gym classes Still doing really well on this, have even added a Saturday one
• Walk 2020 miles including hillwalking and walking in nature Currently at 992 so about 18 miles under, got derailed last week and the rain didn’t help! Have already made up 3 extra miles today, determined to be back on track by end July
• Schedule one quiet weekend a month (no visitors) COVID helped with this, nothing but quiet weekends and no visitors for 3 months
• See a doctor about something I’ve been putting off Done before lockdown, priority now is optican and dentist!

Overall goal is to lose a stone and be within the weight range I want before June. I’m giving up alcohol entirely until I hit that weight range so that’s a good incentive!
Still sitting at 12lbs down and aiming to maintain this for the foreseeable

Family and friends

• Keep in touch with relatives - have designated monthly and quarterly goals on this Probably been less good in the second quarter but have kept up with the key people
• Be a better friend - keep in touch and answer texts/emails and support people who need it  Better on this too though I’m outstanding something with another friend 

Work

• Don’t let myself be derailed by other peoples priorities and don’t take their complaints too seriously This is a long term issue to work on but I’m making progress
• Apply for professional recognition and also see if I can get recognition for the team the first is scheduled firmly for later this month, the second I haven’t acted on
• Recruit someone to help out I’ve recruited someone but not really the someone I need unfortunately, no chance to recruit for that in current circumstances
  

Finances

• Change bank Need to physically go into branch and avoiding that for the minute
• Keep up to date with financial admin yes
• Keep trying to save money - set money aside for long term house improvement goal (£2k) Yes been doing well on this, lockdown has been kind financially for us so far, we have both kept working and have spent less - which I know is lucky.  [STRIKE]and consider a LISA - I hadn’t heard of this so thanks for the tip[/STRIKE]Hadn’t heard of it cos I’m too old for it lol forget the LISA 

Other

• Read 100 books A bit behind at 47
• Stop random surfing - leave the phone in the kitchen in the evening and overnight Still rubbish at this but getting a bit better
• Reduce plastic waste wherever possible and measure how often I put the bin out Nope,
• Write thank you notes (at least one a month) Trying to be more thankful generally but not so good on the notes. Though I’ve done a fair few thank you emails and texts so that’s something
  

Thanks everyone for all the inspiration and will check in quarterly and see how you’re getting on

Thanks so much for those who posted updates, it reminded me to check in as well.

Remember: this is a new quarter and also it’s ok to adjust your goals in light of the fact that there’s a GLOBAL PANDEMIC!!  Some of what you aimed to do in January might be totally out of scope now and that’s ok, but I’d encourage you to set some new goals if that’s the case, even if they feel less ambitious than the initial ones.

gettingtheresometime

gettingtheresometime said:

So here's the 2020 challenges:

1) to walk the Camino de Santiago....I've already booked the flight out & the first couple of nights accommodation

2) to knit enough squares to hit 2019's target....I certainly have the wool !

3) I'd also like to knit a temperature blanket for 2020

4) would like to restart reading more; think I need to leave the tablet downstairs in the nights

5) going on from (4) try & have one night a week tablet/phone free

1) well as mentioned before this was put on hold (can't think why!) but I have rebooked my flight & the 2nd & 3rd nights hostels ...can't book my 1st night yet but as soon as I can I will.

2) lockdown was a boon to reaching this target - completed 1 blanket (yet to be sent because of embargos on mail being sent from the UK) and half way in completing a 2nd.

3) finally started it today but have completed 2 hexagons, as I'm knitting a hexagon for each day.

4) did start reading a lot, again in lockdown but haven't in the last couple of weeks

5) really fell down on this one - sleep during lockdown was really erratic & found myself not sleeping until 2-3 in the morning. Getting slowly better though as a more normal routine is resumed 

belfastgirl23

Well friends, how are we getting on? 75% of the way through the year. About to look at my own plans and see how things are matching up. 

belfastgirl23

belfastgirl23 said:

Health

• Go to all my gym classes STILL KEEPING UP TO DATE WITH THIS, 
• Walk 2020 miles including hillwalking and walking in nature AHEAD ON THIS, AT 1594 FOR THE YEAR TO DATE
• Schedule one quiet weekend a month (no visitors)  LOL NO ONE HAS CROSSED THE DOOR SINCE MARCH EXCEPT AN EMERGENCY PLUMBER

Overall goal is to lose a stone and be within the weight range I want before June. I’m giving up alcohol entirely until I hit that weight range so that’s a good incentive!
LOST 12LBS BEFORE LOCKDOWN AND THEN MAINTAIN,  MIGHT TRY TO GET TO THE FULL STONE DOWN BEFORE CHRISTMAS.  I’M AT THE TOP END OF MY HAPPY WEIGHT RANGE JUST NOW

Family and friends

• Keep in touch with relatives - have designated monthly and quarterly goals on this 
• Be a better friend - keep in touch and answer texts/emails and support people who need it

DOING A BIT OF THIS BUT A LOT HARDER THESE DAYS

Work

• Don’t let myself be derailed by other peoples priorities and don’t take their complaints too seriously
• Apply for professional recognition and also see if I can get recognition for the team
• Recruit someone to help out
  

I DID APPLY FOR PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION, OUTCOME TBC BUT APPLYING WAS MY GOAL SO THAT’S A SUCCESS. I HAVE MANAGED TO RECRUIT AND GET HELP SHORT TERM WHICH IS SOMETHING. 
Finances

• Change bank NOPE
• Keep up to date with financial admin YES
• Keep trying to save money - set money aside for long term house improvement goal (£2k) [STRIKE]and consider a LISA - I hadn’t heard of this so thanks for the tip[/STRIKE]Hadn’t heard of it cos I’m too old for it lol forget the LISA

I HAVE MADE THE SAVINGS GOAL - LOCKDOWN HELPED WITH THIS
Other

• Read 100 books AT 73 AND STARTED ANOTHER 2
• Stop random surfing - leave the phone in the kitchen in the evening and overnight STILL BAD AT THIS BUT NEWS IS SO DEPRESSING IT’S HELPING ME GET BETTER
• Reduce plastic waste wherever possible and measure how often I put the bin out NOPE
• Write thank you notes (at least one a month) NOPE BUT I AM TRYING TO BE MORE OPENLY AND CLEARLY GRATEFUL TO PEOPLE
  

Well here is my update, I kind of think I’ve done what I can!

jackieblack

jackieblack said:

jackieblack said:

I’m in too!
Some of these have rather a familiar ring about them... : D

1. Lose weight - I’ve managed to put back on all the weight I lost before my daughter’s wedding in 2018 - I found it so much easier when I had the date of the wedding as a specific target to focus on. I’ve tried giving myself target dates to aim for, but struggle to stay focused without a specific reason.

2. Finances - I will continue to make regular small overpayments in order to reduce my mortgage balance to/by a specific target amount by the end of 2020.

3. Declutter - I now can't actually get into my smallest spare bedroom at all, in fact it’s even worse than it was this time last year! (keeping the door closed helps enable me to ignore it )

4. Creativity/productivity - I want to reduce the amount of time I waste browsing on my iPad/phone in front of the TV and spend the time more productively and creatively, particularly knitting and sewing which I used to do a lot.

Second quarterly check in

1. Failing miserably 😳

2. This one is ok, I’m a key worker and consider myself fortunate that nothing much has changed for me finance wise.

3. Nope. Not had the time to even think about this! 🤣

4. Doing ok with this one too. Apart from my temperature blanket, I’ve been doing more sewing, including making facemasks for my daughter and some bags as gifts for a friend’s two daughters. Planning on making myself a summer skirt next.  The haberdashery I use hasn’t reopened yet (truthfully, it’s the only shop I really care about reopening) - it’s an old building with lots of small rooms, a real ‘Aladdins cave’ - but I’m waiting patiently.  I have bought quite a few supplies online but it’s not always easy to, for example, match colours, or determine weight or quality.

Let’s all hope things are more normal again by the next quarterly check-in! 🤞🏻

3rd quarterly check in - thanks for the prompt belfastgirl23

1, 2 & 3 - no change 
4. Epic fail 😳 I’ve not had time to sew a single thing in the last 3 months including the summer skirt which never got made.
I continued to knit a row of the temperature blanket every morning until we had that 30+ degree heatwave and I just could not sit with a knitted blanket on my lap every morning to knit the next row 😱. I also decided that one of the colours I’d chosen doesn’t ‘go’ as well with the others as I’d hoped, so I never restarted it when the temperature cooled down. But I’ve continued to record the temperature each day and my plan is to restart it in January and adjust the colours, omitting the offending one.
 The haberdashery reopened with reduced hours at the end of July but is only allowing a small number of people in at a time. A friend who lives in the town (about 40 minutes away) reports that there is a constant queue of people along the high street waiting to get in, from opening to closing, so I haven’t even attempted to visit yet.

To be honest, I’ve been struggling a bit recently. I’m busier than I’ve ever been working and trying to help my parents (who were both on the extremely clinically vulnerable list) but haven’t been able to get within 2 metres of them for nearly 7 months. I live alone and have been in a ’support bubble’ with my daughter and son-in-law since they were introduced in June, which is lovely, but they live about 45 minutes away and with their work I only get to see them about once a month. 

My mum (late 70s) will need hospital treatment, probably chemo, for a long term condition fairly soon and I would like to be able to support her properly through this. My dad (nearly 81) doesn’t drive any more (for at least 8 years) and if I broke my bubble with my daughter I could form one with them, which would make things easier, except that I work in a primary school and the thought of potentially bringing about 250 other household’s germs to my parents, with my Mum’s immune system being destroyed, is horrifying 😱 (it would have been with or without coronavirus, but that adds extra risk).
I just can’t see a solution and with the weather changing, am not going to be able to sit in the garden when I visit my parents for much longer 😞

2020 has just got more and more difficult as it’s gone on.

Sorry, I’ve gone a bit off topic 😔

strawb_shortcake

annabanana82 said:

My list:

1. Learn to ice skate
Hahaha no, I'm still like bambi

2. Get my park run PB down to 30 minutes
Again, nope. Though I could blame covid for this one

3. Lose weight!!

Umm nope again but plus side I've not gained

4. Be more savvy with my money, make it work better

Yes, set up a regular saver,  putting £250 a month away. Set up 2 X help to save accounts for hubby and I paying £100 a month total - only recently discovered I was eligible for this. 
Transferred  NI credits to my Husband giving him extra 10 years. 
Still work to be done,

5. Complete CIPS L6
Covid has impacted this, I should hopefully be able to sit 2 exams next month, leaving 2 for 2021. I don't need it for my job just yet. I was going to apply for promotion this month, but just been offered a great opportunity for a side move so happy with my career.


6. Use my phone far less
No, just as bad as ever

Well not the year expected,  I've been fully WFH since March, we've had a couple of big expenditures newish car, and new oil tank. But have saved loads of money so far. 

gettingtheresometime

gettingtheresometime said:

So here's the 2020 challenges:

1) to walk the Camino de Santiago....I've already booked the flight out & the first couple of nights accommodation

2) to knit enough squares to hit 2019's target....I certainly have the wool !

3) I'd also like to knit a temperature blanket for 2020

4) would like to restart reading more; think I need to leave the tablet downstairs in the nights

5) going on from (4) try & have one night a week tablet/phone free

1) Well although this won't happen I've booked my flight for 2021 as well as rearranging some stays in hostels during the first week so this will always be a work in progress goal

2) I finally sent off my first blanket along with a couple of beanies I'd knitted. I do have other squares I could send off so perhaps I'll have a declutter (as they seem to be scattered all over the house in various drawers etc) and see how many I've got before deciding.

3) Finally got to the end of April so am beginning on May now. Have knitted so many of the hexagons I know the pattern off by heart 

4) & 5) have fallen by the wayside a little - partly because (and yes I know I'm making excuses) I'm having to stay up late so I can book a slot for the swimming pool. However in my defence (if there is one!) because I'm busy trying to play catch up with (3) I'm not on it much during the evening and I'm finding that once I've booked my slot, I'm turning it off rather than staying up to all hours.