Will your Plans Survive February?

Mark your calendar!  If you made it this far and have stuck to your New Year’s resolution, you win!  If, on the other hand, you are like the rest of us, you are currently thinking “Wait! What happened to January?”

The February Slump is famous among homeschoolers, but it truly applies to all of us. The novelty of our routine has worn off, outdoor activities are down to a minimum, everyone seems to be coughing or sniffling, and we just want to curl up in a cozy blanket and wait for winter to pass. That’s not a great recipe for accomplishing goals.

If we are to stay on track, we need to take action. Here are a few questions to ask yourself as we go into the next month:

Do you remember your goal?

Whether you are a New Year’s Resolution maker or not, you have goals. Maybe you want to finish the school year by May, loose weight on that diet you faithfully followed for one week before loosing steam, or plan a trip around the world.

Write it down. This doesn’t need to be a curled yellow post-it on your mirror, but if that is what works for you, go for it! Just make sure that you know where the end point is, so you can celebrate it when you get there.

How are you keeping track of the steps you need to take to reach this goal?

Seriously, this is a question I ask myself all the time. How can I keep track of everything when I can’t even remember to write the correct month on my checks?

Bullet journaling works well for me specifically because it allows me to see at a glance what needs to be done, and seeing those un-completed tasks drives me nuts!  I can’t ignore it.  I need to either fill in that box by doing the task, draw an arrow through it and move it to a new day, or x it out permanently (remember, it is completely okay to cut your to-do list down as long as you do it in the right way).  I can’t just let it sit there untouched.  There must be some psychology behind this, but February has made me too lazy to research it right now.

You can check out my full Bullet Journaling system for more information

What will remind you to stay on track?

It is impossible to use your time wisely if you don’t have something drawing you back to the most important tasks. Without those reminders, we drift from one thing to another.

I love to set e-reminders with built in rewards. Simply create an appointment on your phone’s calendar and then set a reminder to ding/buzz/e-mail you so that you can’t miss it. The trick is to set appointments for the most important mundane tasks (isn’t it odd that our most important things are often also the most dreary and life sucking?), not every single thing. “Ding! finish Bible study in the rocking chair with a cup of tea.”  “Ding! If the house is completely clean by 5:00 reward yourself with a new Kindle book.” “Ding! Spend 20 minutes working on year-end portfolios and listening to a favorite podcast.” While you are in your calendar, don’t forget to add any attachments or notes you will need to help you get the task done quickly.

What will you do to rejuvenate yourself?

Changes in routine are not only fun, but necessary, especially in February. Make a plan now so that when you get a case of the blahs, you know how to handle it. Mom has a head cold? – Turn to that list of documentaries, apps, outings, crafts, treats, and books and declare a day-off without actually having to hide under the covers in order to recharge your batteries.

Well, my phone just dinged telling me that it is time to go over math facts with the kids, so I’m off to do the important-mundane! Stay focused friends!