My One Little Word album was put on the back burner during February as I finished preparing to teach at Big Picture Classes. (See my progress here.) However, I have been working hard at staying mindful of my word and all the little actions that make a difference.
In this post I wanted to offer an update for each of my focus areas, to both share with you and keep myself accountable in this up-and-down journey. As I have done thus far, I intend to use a modified version of this post in the album.
Create space in my day. I am finally feeling the results of actively holding space on my plate for my current projects and not adding new ones. It’s not always easy, but I can see that focusing on a smaller number of activities is 100% the right decision for my business and my life. With less to worry about, I have more space for connecting with my family.
Create space in my home. I’ve been actively choosing to fill my free time with family or rest, leaving little extra for my home. I constantly remind myself that I can’t do everything at once. I plan to take a big step forward starting today as I host a decluttering activity for our members. I’ve also been having conversations with my husband about what this looks like from his perspective.
Create space in my mind. Rumination in this area has led me to a series of important facts that impact almost everything about my day.
- I am the least productive after 9pm but I am at my desk almost every night at that time.
- Laughing and smiling at the end of the day is awesome and Jimmy Fallon helps with that.
- I go to bed way too late, but it feels more like a passive consequence than an active choice.
- I am, by far, the most productive in the morning and need a real morning routine.
This led to a conclusion that I’m consistently doing a disservice to my own mental health by “working” at night. I need to actively take light entertainment time in the evening like TV, movies, music, and reading, while also going to bed early enough to support easier mornings. I intend to write another post soon with further thoughts on this.
Oddly, I had targeted disconnection from technology as a key activity to work on. This has been easier than I expected. I believe I was both ready and accepting that there is very little that is truly urgent. I’ve not felt a need to be truly strict about it, but instead am mindful of being present when it’s important.
Overall, I’m finally feeling a better handle on my time with regards to workload and busyness. I am still in the gearing-up phase to make progress on physical space. And I’m poised to actively make further changes to create more space for a playful, happy life.
How is this year going for you thus far? I’d love to hear about one small lifestyle victory you’re celebrating this year.
I am easily seduced by new projects and ideas so I am making a very concerted effort to stay focused by saying NO and putting somethings on a parking lot,
Mindful was my OLW in 2012. Focus was my OLW in 2013. I had so much success with that word that I carried it with me through 2014 while adding Listen as my second OLW. So much of what you say resonates with me. I am a practical person by nature but it’s easy to get lost when so many adventures await. Sometimes I have to sit out and bring myself back to focusing and reevaluating on the significant values that keep my life in balance.