5 Things to Try in 2011
On the surface this might seem like yet another New Year, New You blog post. In some ways, I guess it is. Generally speaking, I'm not a fan of resolutions because I've never been very good at following them myself. Two weeks into January and I've usually broken at least one. So instead, I use the change of the calendar as an excuse to take stock of where I am professionally, to take a closer look at how well the systems around me are working (or not) and think about what I would like to see more of in my daily life.
Here are five things I'm hoping to do in the new year:
1. Embrace a new technology.
While I'm pretty tech savvy, my goal this year is to update my music library and get good music playing in every room on the first floor of my house. We have several music systems and computer speakers, wi-fi in the house and a Logitech Squeezebox we've yet to set up. I'd like to be streaming Pandora whether I'm in the kitchen, the living room or my home office. What about you? Maybe this is the year to get your entire family on the same electronic calendar or to figure out how to sort your Facebook friends into groups. Think about using LinkedIn to search for a new job or mobile banking to deposit checks on the go.
2. Keep a diary.
Whether it's a food diary, a money diary or a time-tracking diary, the experts all agree that writing down what you eat, spend or how you waste idle time is the trick to changing behavior. Eating the crust from your son's waffles for breakfast looks a little sad on paper. And what about that $20 face cream? Did you really need it? Stop running errands you don't need to run. They're a waste of time and money.
3. Nurture the soul.
Yoga. Meditation. Prayer. Solitary walks in the woods. Identify a space where you can quiet your mind and reflect in a way that makes you feel refreshed and renewed. For me that space is usually a quiet church, but I don't always go as often as I'd like.
4. Take a class.
Exercise classes aside, when was the last time you took a class that sounded like fun? Whether it's wine tasting, cooking, knitting, language, art, or music that interests you, chances are quite good there's a class nearby. Break out of your routine and challenge your mind. I'm thinking about knitting or taking up my old musical instrument again.
5. Hire out or Hire in.
This year I'm letting go of the house cleaners. With my husband and I both working from home now, there really is no reason to hire out. It made perfect sense when we both spent our days out of the house and our budget could accommodate it. We've already discussed who will do what (he's taking on the bathrooms) and the money we save will go into our "emergency" fund. Look at your household and your budget and see if there is something you pay others to do that you can do yourself. Can you trade child care with another family? Cut back on those manicures? Cook at home? Alternatively, is there something you can afford to hire out or delegate to a paid staffer in order to free up time for you to do other things?
What changes are you hoping to make in 2011?
