Matt's new schedule started with the new year, and neither of us are pleased. We've done it before—made the relationship work on less than twelve hours together a week—but I guess we thought we'd have a bit more time before we had to do it again. It'll take a little while to get used to, and I'm determined to make the best of it.
I haven't had this much time to myself in a long time. Sure, I have practically every weeknight, but having Saturday and Sunday this week allowed me to split my work and not kill myself to finish it all on Saturday. I was able to get to the gym both days and was even able to cook myself "real" dinners (followed recipes and everything!) both days, which never happens. If I can keep this up, it'll be easier to hit a few of my goals for the year.
Speaking of, I've had a few days to think about this, and "resolutions" include...
1. Run a 10k — I did the 5k last year, so I'd really like to double that distance. The only way to do that is to run consistently, regardless of weather. Luckily, the gym's only four blocks away and open late, so I can do something while I wait for the weather to warm up a bit. I was gifted a lot of gear for winter running for Christmas, so I do plan to put that to use—once it gets a bit above freezing and I don't need to worry about breaking my ankle on slush, ice, snow, etc. And, it goes without saying, that hopefully I can get in shape/lose more weight while pursuing this goal.
2. Work on Book #2 early and often — My biggest fear for anything with a deadline is that the deadline itself will sneak up on me. I want to avoid that, since this book requires way more writing and research than the first one I did with Matt. So I want to devote some time every Saturday for the next few months to this project, that way I can avoid panic mode altogether. I'm admittedly a procrastinator, and I'd like to break free from that label so I don't stress myself out and become a giant b-word come the fall.
3. Be a bit more social — I'm aware that my tendency to turn down weekend plans makes me come off a little bit antisocial. Which... I'd argue is not a good descriptor of me in recent years; I'll go to lunch or with coffee with most people any day. But when it's cold and dark, and when I have limited funds available, the only thing I want to do after work is go home and take a nap and relax. It's not because I don't want to spend time with those who ask; I just really like my Friday nights on my couch, with my blanket and a book, tea, or a movie. And I especially like to be home when Matt gets out of work, since we don't get to talk or see each other all day. But anyway—I want to try to to say no a little less this year. Saying yes, however, will depend on how much work I have to do that weekend and how much money is in my pocket...
4. Save money — This was impossible last year because we moved in February. The move, realtor fees, first/last month rent, security deposit, etc. all really took its toll on our accounts. This year, we're staying put. We're in this apartment until at least February 2015, so it's time to settle down and save a bit. As of today, I have three savings plans designed and so far, so good. We'll see if I can keep them up. Fingers crossed, because we really want to take a vacation!
5. Complete a first draft of FBNG — Even if it needs ten thousand rounds of revisions afterward, I really want to use this year to finish a full draft of the book I started for NaNoWriMo. I tend to not finish things that I start for myself—if there's no due date on it or it's not owned by a company, etc., I tend to just let it ride and eventually forget about it. I think, with Constance and Matt's encouragement, I should be able to at least glimpse the light at the end of the tunnel.
6. Stop talking about work so much — Unless specifically asked, I'd like to stop focusing on work outside of work as often as I do. I put in at least ten to twelve hours of unpaid overtime every single weekend; I constantly worry about deadlines; I can't fall asleep at night without thinking about what I need to do the next day. I need to try to separate work from my personal life a bit more. And the best way to start that, I think, is to talk less about work and more about... anything else. Sports, movies, music, books (that I'm not working on), the weather. Anything. I think talking about work less will help me think about it less which should lead to less stress and tension and, hopefully, fewer headaches.
Other things Matt and I want to do in 2014 include:
- Make an effort to go home more often (or convince our friends/family to come see us!!)
- Take a week-long vacation (even if it's only a stay-cation)
- Clean more (see also: stop making so many piles!!)
- Eat at new places (we've developed some favorites; it's time to branch out)
- Get healthy!
- Sleep more! (at normal hours, not nap times)
Dinner's almost ready (I used the crockpot Mom bought us for Christmas!) so I'm going to tend to that, finish watching the game, and, unfortunately, get to work. It's been an interesting Sunday, and I feel productive, so although it's been a little lonely, I can at least feel like the day hasn't been a waste. And I'll work really hard to make sure the upcoming Sundays are also not spent in a funk.
Happy new year! Good luck with your own resolutions!
I'll be honest: I still haven't made a resolution for this year. I probably should have, but I didn't. The last time I set a resolution, I completed it (2012: Quit smoking... got it by the end of April) but on the whole I tend to be pretty bad about them. Lol.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I too would like to do some sort of race this year. A friend wants to do the Color Run so I might complete that goal by running the race with her.
The money thing... have you tried Smartypig? You can set it up to automatically withdraw a certain amount at specific intervals (I have mine set to $50/two weeks) until you meet a specific goal. Your money is still yours, you can cash out when you meet the goal or beforehand if necessary. It also has a pretty competitive interest rate as far as savings accounts go (1% APY) and you can have separate 'accounts,' like one for emergencies and another for a vacation, etc. It's pretty cool. I'm pretty bad at saving money and having it in a place that isn't as easily accessible to me has helped me to save more than I think I ever have (which is, admittedly, not all that much in the grand scheme of things). Holt is pretty skeptical about it, but it's FDIC insured, so I trust it as much as I do with any other bank.
I'd also like to add that, should you need any help with the book, I'm still always open for proof-reading and the like. I'm planning to get back into the writing world myself (a blog... I still need a name though. XD), so I think it would be beneficial to both of us. That's an offer you don't have to take up if you don't want to, of course.
Oh! I'm going to be in NYC in late February/early March! It will only be for about three days, and one of them will be packed with a wedding, but I'd love to get together! It's looking like we'll be staying at the Conrad, but the plan is to get a Metro Pass and do some cool stuff with the time we have. If you've got some free time on the 28th of February or March 2nd, let me know!
... It's been forever since I've commented on here and look at me yammering away. Probably the late-afternoon coffee. XD