Some scenes from March, via Instagram
[March Intentions]
On the whole, March was just a fantastic month. That might have something to do with the fact that the snow finally melted. But the meditation, journaling, and new work processes really made profound changes in my daily life. It’s not often I can say that about a monthly goal! They absolutely rejuvenated me.
ROUTINES | Refine my inquiry to project start process. I did some awesome stuff this month with my processes. I started with my forms on my website, saved a bunch of inquiry process emails as canned responses, and added some email management pipelines (inquiry as well as project flow) in Stripe:
I also designated a day to respond to inquiries (Friday) and changed the notification on my form to reflect some FAQ for potential clients. So much awesomeness. I’m really excited about how this will change the process!
Create folders for to do and waiting for response and keep my inbox clear of clutter. Yes! It’s been great. I keep it in my to do folder until I write the item down on a to do list and keep my inbox clear most of the time. Finally, something I can do to keep it less cluttered.
HABITS | Improve my morning routine. Well, this proved a bad month to take this on, thanks to the time change. Waking up at 6 am became far more difficult once the time changed, and about half the mornings I did a super condensed version of my routine. Kids, man. They make all this stuff so much harder!
In case you’re interested – Ideal routine: meditate, five-minute journal, quick exercise, read a bit of a business-related book. Actual routine: I started every morning with meditation and a five-minute journal. I will definitely be sticking with that. The five minute journal idea came from this product, but after I was unable to purchase it due to some website problems on their end, I just started writing in a journal three of their prompts: “I am grateful for:,” “What would make today great:” and an affirmation “I am.” It’s been simple and great. Really focuses my days on what’s important.
Do the 30 day meditation challenge: I am thrilled to say that, for once in my life, I managed to stick to a meditation routine. I meditated every single day and I think I will start my day with meditation forever. Even just three minutes of meditation strengthens me for the rest of the day.
Go outside every single day. Yes! It was great. Even when it was cold. Definitely helpful.
[April Intentions]
ROUTINE | Decide what our evenings will look like to minimize the “So, whadaya want to do tonight?” Now that I’m not working in the evenings (HOORAY), Mike and I get to hang out most evenings after the kids are in bed. One of us usually looks up from the computer and asks, “Hey, wanna hang out?” The other looks up from a book and says, “Sure, what do you want to do?” “Oh, I dunno. TV?” “Okay, sure.” “What should we watch?” *shrug*
Maybe we’re frustratingly ambivalent, or maybe the end of a long day, we have no mental power left to make decisions about what to do next and end up falling face first into the internet vortex if we aren’t intentional (or decisive). So, starting this month, I’d like to have set nights we do things and leave less up to our ambivalent, inefficient decision-making process.
READ | Fun book: Where’d You Go Bernadette. Non-fiction: Um, a lot. I currently have 5 non-fiction books I’m actually reading.
LEARN | Start developing locally. I should have been doing this, but I’m starting to use Coda 2 with Desktop Server. I have so many website development-related learning goals (version control, using Sass, creating a starter theme, moving websites to https, taking all the coding stuff on Codeacademy)! I’m taking one item at a time to work through my list. Balancing doing the work I’m paid for and learning how to do it even better is tricky, so this is my attempt at the 80/20 when it comes to work vs. implementing what I’m learning.
HABIT | Pause email when starting work session. I have defined, regular work sessions – 2-3 hour chunks when I know I can churn out my work. I plan out my to do list at the beginning of the week and assign what I’ll do each time chunk during the week so I can get it all done. The problem is, emails arrive and feel urgent, so I’ll read an email and my work session will veer off the rails. I’m going to see what effect pausing my email at the beginning of the session has on my productivity. I’m all about tools to keep me focused (I use StayFocused and Strict Workflow religiously!)
Great job with the meditation challenge! I signed up and then definitely did not do it, ha. I noticed they actually have a yoga challenge so I may do that instead. I really am a big fat fail with meditation, but I already get up so early just to get to work on time, I really don’t want to wake up earlier to just sit there. I know, I’m missing the point but yet, I love sleep.
March WAS a great month for you! So glad the meditation and journaling helped as well as all the new workflow practices – woo!!
I like the idea of those journal prompts in the morning; definitely a great focus!
I loved Where’d Ya Go Bernadette and had a hard time putting it down. I hope you enjoy it, too.
Oh, the evening “what do you want to do,” thing? That happens to us, too. I think once the weather is finally stable and not bouncing around I’m going to encourage us to sit outside and enjoy the weather, chat, whatever. Or go on more walks. It’s so easy to get stuck in Netflix or a book or a magazine and not really reach out and be with each other, if that makes sense?
I’m also a freelancer and I love Streak! It keeps me so organized.
Love the routine thought! I tackled that in the form of planning meals to eliminate the nightly “what’s for dinner” question, but I like the idea of taking it a step further. We don’t watch a ton of TV, but it definitely is a fall back when we don’t have other ideas ready. Will be interested to hear how it goes!
Nice blog and attractive information. I like your blog and your work.
Thank you for this information. This is something I really want to do…..soon!