The year is more than half over. In less than six months, it’ll be 2020.
And if I’m entirely honest, I’m not even sure that I’m totally used to calling this year 2019.
Knowing that we’re in the downhill half of the year, my instinct was to step even more goals. However, after realizing how hard it was to hit even some of the goals I set last quarter, I’m trying a new approach. I want to really focus this quarter.
Not because I want to achieve all my goals, but because I want to make more time in my life for things that aren’t goal-related. I don’t want this year, this life even, to feel like one colossal checklist.
Here’s what I’m working on this quarter:
Health
I’m not worried about the climbing/stairs goal. Why? I don’t actually need to. In fact, glancing at my wrist right now, I see that I climbed 36 flights of stairs today and barely cracked 11,000 steps. So, I’m comfortable letting that goal go. A toddler combined with laundry in the basement pretty much guarantees I’ve got that goal covered.
Goal 1 – 10,500 steps a day.
Goal 2 – Use the Calm app 2x a week.
Wealth
This is a huge departure from what I normally talk about on my blog. If you’re read my blog for five minutes or almost five years (!!), you know that I hate my mortgage. So you’re probably expecting me to throw all of my weight into it. Except I’m not going to. I actually want to beef up my investing more than I want to focus on my mortgage.
Nothing like buying high, amiright? Sigh. But the truth is that I flex my frugality muscle, my saving muscle, and my mortgage muscle all the time. It’s time work on investing a bit, too.
Goal 1 – Work on my mortgage enough this quarter to ensure it’s under six figures by 2020.
Goal 2 – Increase our 529, 403b, and taxable contributions.
Clutter
I’m working on decluttering, and it’s a good thing because our son turns 2…and that means there’s going to be gifts galore whether we ask for them or not. To put a little more pep in my step, I’m going to play around with Poshmark and OfferUp again. There’s a carnival that we want to take HP to at the end of August, and I think it would be fun to sell enough stuff to fund his first time on the toddler coaster.
Goal 1 – Connect with a local organization that needs baby/toddler things.
Goal 2 – Earn at least $20 selling.
Environment
We do a decent job supporting different environmental groups with our charitable dollars. Plus, we’ve been spending a ton of time outdoors appreciating our slice of the earth. So it seems logical to push ourselves to do a bit more.
Goal 1 – Swap out a routine plastic purchase.
Goal 2 – Use 5 or less disposable cups.
Me
This is a stark contrast to the face masks and manicures I was trying to get myself to indulge in previously. Don’t get me wrong. I have absolutely made a mental note to get a pedicure to de-hoof myself before the school year starts. But I’ve realized two things: I need and enjoy the company of friends sans toddler (it’s bittersweet but important!), and I’m happiest when I’m writing. Instead of letting myself turn into a swirling ball of anxiety about the upcoming school year, I want to give myself something else to focus on. Writing it is. That might not seem like taking care of myself compared to other posts on self-care, but it is exactly what I need.
Goal 1 – Go out with a friend once a month or more sans kiddos.
Goal 2 – Freelance more.
Final Thoughts on Q3 2019 Goals
I feel good about this list. Things feel focused and manageable, and I also know that it’ll be a good stretch for me. Most importantly, though, this list leaves plenty of times to focus on other things or to even spend a bit of time doing nothing.
Cheers to goals that push us without taking over our lives.
So Tell Me…What are you working on this quarter?
Measure What Matters or Audacious are great helps with goal-setting and continuous improvement.
Thanks for the suggestion, Carol!
I need to read more. I’m not setting a specific goal of X books per month because I don’t want to stress myself out. But my mom did just give me two book recommendations, so I’m going to try to read those at the very least. Preferably more after that. I know it’s a low bar, but Twitter has ruined my attention span, and I’m also trying to focus more on the blog so… A low bar it is!
And I want to keep focusing on the blog/stay at least one week ahead with posts. So far so good, but the well is running a smidge dry so I need to be careful and start churning out some new posts. I’ve just felt uninspired this past week as far as writing goes. Sigh.
These are great goals. I especially love how you include a section on the environment — this is also something I have been working on, particularly as it relates to creating less plastic waste. It is a work in progress.
As far as this quarter goes…my main goals are to hit my step goal regularly, stick to my savings plans (working on saving for a new computer) and finish revising a writing project I’ve been working on. There are a few other items on the to do list, but those are the big ones!
I love the idea of tracking goals quarterly. It seems so much easier to measure than monthly or yearly. I’m definitely using the idea!
This quarter my main goals are to incorporate some weights into my exercise routine, learn two crochet stitches, and to switch some disposable products to non-disposable products. Taming the clutter is an ongoing goal for me, too.