I’m a bit early with goals for September, but I am quite eager to turn a new leaf. Plus, Mike and Gabe both have birthdays this weekend so I wanted to sit down and think on my goals before I get swept up in birthday madness!
Let’s review July (which turned into also August since I was going through some stuff and set no goals)
[July + August Update]
Continue our Sunday Adventures. We went to IKEA this past Sunday. We were in Hawaii one weekend, I was on a girls trip another, too. I want to continue these throughout the year, though. Hopefully easier times are on the horizon and I won’t keep getting sidelined by tough stuff.
No more sugar in my coffee. Most of the time, especially when I’m using our awesome new AeroPress (it makes the coffee sweeter). I did get myself some white chocolate mocha syrup from World Market as a treat last month and have been splashing it in coffee here and there as a treat, though. (SO GOOD.)
Stop biting nails. Okay. So I was doing SO AWESOME at this. Then I got nervous about something (possibly a scary TV show?) last week and I started again. Sigh.
Launch the brand new Little Leaf. YES. I am so incredibly proud of all the hard work I put into launching my new website. I shared it with you last month (the same day as my second miscarriage and the Royal Baby was born – what a day!). The new site is really a reflection of me and what working with me is like. No more generic graphic designer site, baby. It took a million hours and tons of brainstorming, but I am really excited about it. (Still.) And I know there’s more work to be done (a website is not a brochure, it’s a living document), but I’m a happy lady.
[September Intentions]
– – B U S I N E S S – –
Return current client emails and inquiries within 24 business hours. When looking at ways to improve my business, I see several ways, but one of the biggest is overdelivering in terms of email and phone call response. I know I am impatient when I want something and have to wait, so I want to try my hardest to respond ASAP to clients. (Without it interrupting my workflow, of course. Maybe I need to try Inbox Pause, which both Kate and Lisa have mentioned recently.)
Finish one business book. I have started several business books (and ebooks) and have dozens more on my “to read” shelf, but need to finish one of them first. I really believe in the power of books to motivate and teach, but have been spending more time with podcasts and blog posts lately. Overwhelmed again? Perhaps. But that’s where I think the slowness and tactile nature of reading a book can help me absorb the information better. (I already know that these books are going to give me a million other goals I want to implement over the next few months.)
Make a list of enjoyable & unenjoyable tasks for business. Find a way to get rid of tedious tasks or make them more fun. I got this idea from Michelle, the When I Grow Up Coach and I love it.
– – P E R S O N A L – –
Don’t look at my phone while at stop lights. I am embarrassed to admit that I check my email when I’m at a stop light. I do. Like an email is so important it can’t just wait until I get wherever I’m going? Like I can’t even have 20 quiet minutes in the car without checking my phone? Like I’m some kind of crazy addict who needs a hit of the constant noise on social media? NO MORE.
Start a meditation program. Speaking of slowness, I am a wee bit frenetic in my mind. I think my smartphone addiction might play a tiny role in this. I will be taking part in a 10 day program from HeadSpace. Possibly more later. I’ve never had success with meditation, so I want to start small. Just today. Then tomorrow. And so on.
Setting these goals is my favorite part of turning over the calendar page and starting a new month. So much possibility. So much intentionality. So much hope! Cheers, friends.
I am anxious for a new month too – I was just thinking about what I want my September goal(s) to be. I think these are great and very attainable!
Happy early birthday to Mike and Gabe!
Exciting to have a big birthday weekend ahead! :) I sometimes check my phone at red lights too haha… clearly I stink at just sitting there and doing nothing.
I loved Headspace! I was super disappointed that the service cost 20/month (I think) to continue with the program. But it’s what helped me establish an almost daily meditation habit.
I will also recommend Mindfulness Meditation by Mental Workout… it costs $2, but its a good app. The speaker has a nice voice.
Inbox Pause is the BEST! You have to get it! =D
I’ve been trying to stop biting my nails for a while too. Seems like I chew on my left hand whenever I’m working too hard on code or something. Only thing that seems to help is a fresh coat of nail polish. =
OMG I love Headspace. I heard about it on Gwen Paltrow’s website Goop. It is awesome and really works- within minutes I am so relaxed I fall asleep and it makes me a more patient person.
I check my phone at EVERY stop light!! I have been trying to stop for months now.. it’s really pathetic.
I am laughing because people reading their phones at stop lights is one of my pet peeves, mainly because it means they will likely not be looking when the light finally turns green, making me miss the green light. Worse is missing the left turn signal and having to wait through another cycle because of the person in front. I think there’s a lot of that going around. I even saw someone in congested traffic reading emails and slowing up his lane significantly. Luckily I spotted him and passed him…. I felt very bad for the people behind him. I know rush hour traffic is boring and whatever, but that kind of stuff is just making it all worse for everyone—we should all try to stay attentive. If you’re stopped because of an accident, that’s different. But slowish rush hour traffic, I think people should just keep their eyes on the road, for the safety and sake of everyone around them. We’d all like to get home in one piece and sooner rather than later. Very frustrating.
I like, Ashley, how you commented on email as can it really not just wait? I guess many people feel that things like that can’t, but it’s so dangerous and frustrating for other drivers. I wonder what the future will be like, when it becomes even more ubiquitous with younger drivers particularly. I keep my phone at hand’s reach only because my mom once had a rollover and was only able to call for help because her phone was nearby her (whilst she was upside down!!). So I’ve realized the benefit of having it handy (as opposed to tucked away in my purse). But I don’t check it.
That said, I do stay up too late at night perusing the internet and checking the phone (pinterest!) to the wee hours… So I have my vices too :-D
I loved this update post! It sounds like things are going wonderfully with your business, which is awesome. I love the redesign of your site- beautiful work!
I too am totally guilty of checking my phone at red lights. I started getting better at not doing it when I began listening to podcasts- when I listen to those, I’m actually concentrating and listening, so I don’t want to distract myself from the content by looking at more content. Maybe give that a try if you can?
I just started meditating last…shoot, I don’t know when, but it’s made a HUGE difference in my everyday life. I use headspace. Totally worth it.
I’m a habitual phone-checker, too. Sometimes I put it in my bag in the backseat just to thwart my tendencies. There is a deeply-programmed psychological reward associated with checking our phones, and even those of us who were over 25 before texting and smart phones became prevalent (that’s me, at least) are not immune. Studies have shown that folks under 25 haven’t generally developed the logic necessary to override that impulse AND have shown that the attention required by driving uses up our “good decision” part of our brain which inhibits our appreciation of the risk and distraction. Terrifying, really!
I also bite my nails. I’m 35 and I just. can’t. quite. stop. I’m going for longer stretches, but stress intervenes and there they go. I joke that my nails are often a barometer for my life in general. Nibbled nails? Proceed with caution. ;)
I just read Becky’s post about September goals and now I’m reading yours. I think it’s a sign I need to start thinking about my September intentions (never mind that we’re already five days into the month)!