New Year's goals

So, New Year, new changes, all that.
Although my ones are old changes - or at least old intentions. Just a new commitment to them.

My overarching goal for this year is: Simplify.

I know this is a bit of a catch phrase at the moment. Or at least it is on the blogs I've been reading.

But I'm a good public health trained girl & I know that goals must be SMART. And "simplify" doesn't quite cut it.

So I'm working on micro-goals. Bit by bit. 15 minutes at a time. And making myself publically accoutable (at least, to the 3 people I know drop by here occasionally - hello & that means you)! These are things that I know I can do because I've been doing them in little bits for a while. I've already decided not to study externally next year (full-time work is enough, thank-you), have come a long way in decluttering "stuff" (despite what my mother may say) and have started to learn how to meditate. So it's really just working at integration. Sounds simple.

Gretchen at the Happiness Project has put out a 2010 Happiness Challenge, which for me ties in with Simplify. Her suggested focus for January is Energy.

So, for January: my micro-goal is...

Lights out at 10:30 on a school night.

I need at least 7.5 hours sleep a night, preferably more. The nights I get it I can get out of bed, get moving & stand in the shower wondering what the day will hold, rather than internally moaning. I enjoy work more. I get less frustrated and cranky. I get more done. And I'm overall a much nicer person to be around, including for myself.

In order to do this, I will:
Do my teeth, take out my contacts & wash my face after dinner.
In theory this should mean I'm ready for bed when I need to be.

I'm toying with the idea of setting an alarm to remind me. Hmm. Perhaps an automatic shut-down for my computer may be better.

I'll be tracking my success using my trusty gold stars (yes, there's a reason I work with kids, people!).

Update: weekly.

Is that specific, measurable, attainable, relevant & time-bound enough?

I think so. Sounds simple, right?

But the fact that setting it out here is giving me palpitations means it's going to be a challenge...