The older I get the busier I am and that’s certainly true for most people… well… most of the time – or it might be the fact that we have more responsibilities now. (Compared to when we were young). Sometimes we can get so busy that we forget what is really important? For me; things like networking, attending courses/workshops, socializing and work – these are the things that pull me in many different directions.
I enjoy meeting new people, learning new skills and being out of my comfort zone (face a fear- right!). There are endless, events, workshops, programs…etc and before long all of my free time is gone. So I wanted to put a little more effort into doing what is most beneficial for my own well-being, personal growth and happiness. And to be honest I just got feed up of being pulled left, right and centre by everything.
Being happy
So to make sure I’m doing the things that make me happy, focused and organised. I decided to create a list of my Top 10 for 2016. This list helps me to be more decisive on what I should be involved with. It reminds me what is important and that way I can be more organised during the week. So if anything comes up that temps me like an event, social outing or new projects; I refer to my list before making the decision to be involved. And this is something I have found to be tremendously helpful for my well-being and organisation as it allows me to be selective. And ultimately keeps me happy.
[BONUS: I’ve created a free printable (pdf) for you to write your Top 10 + A weekly planner to help you prioritise what is on your list. See below.]
I will share with you what is currently on my list. There are a few different life areas that my list covers, such as: my 2016 goals, health and fitness, relationships and personal development.
My Top 10 for 2016
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Daily prayer.
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Health and fitness:
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Exercise - kick-boxing / cycling / swimming
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Drinking more water
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Healthy eating – fruit & veg (5 a day)
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Personal and professional development: reading, learning and implementing. Working on my personal goals. See The 3 books that changed my life- HERE.
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French – lessons, music, movies and Apps, anything to help me learn French. I use the Duolingo APP daily and I try to listen to some French music.
- Blogging – writing blog posts, remaining consistent and learning to be a better blogger.
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STEM projects: events/workshops. (Science, Tech, Engineering & Maths)
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Yakhani – a new Manchester collective that I am part of.
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My love – lunch dates, days out and date nights are a top priority.
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Family – spending quality time with loved ones. (Family is everything to me & family doesn’t always mean blood-related)
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True friends – those that bring joy into my life, they are supportive and they challenge me. (Positive people give you energy. Negative people drain you – avoid them)
My list has 4 main parts: Priorities, Passions, Projects and People. These are the things that make me happy. I try not to steer off from the list because so that I don’t get stuck in something that I decided to do on impulse but later on regretting it. Of course the list doesn’t include my normal day-to-day activities but it serves as a reminder on how to use my free time wisely.
Some things to think about when making your top 10 list:
- What are your core values?
- What are your standards?
- What or who is important to you? (i.e. – your goals, family, friends, personal development, career, things that you are passionate about)
[BONUS: I’ve created a free printable (pdf) for you to write your Top 10 + A weekly planner to help you prioritise what is on your list. See below.]
Being organised
To be more organised I prioritise tasks in order of importance – I try to plan my week every Sunday evening so that I can have a stress free week. I enjoy planning; it is an effective way to guarantee that the things you want to do will get done. And to make things easier I use Apps, digital and physical calendars to remind me what I plan to do each day. It’s easy to forget to prioritise what is important such as personal goals when you have so many other responsibilities and commitments.
Some of my favourite things to plan are:
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A weekly routine
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Meal plans
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And even outfit plans
As I have been known to spend 30 minutes in the morning finding something to wear … then frantically rushing to where I need to be. (Definitely trying to eliminate this habit).
The things that get scheduled are the things that get done. [Robin Sharma]
This list has changed the way I respond to spontaneous invitations. Because sometimes you just need a little reminder to keep you focused on what is important to you. And honestly everyone else is thinking about themselves (their own gain) when they want you to do something or be involved.
From now on I plan on making this list every year for myself, as it is a simple and helpful method to guarantee I am happy and better organised. In regards to any changes I would make for next year I think that most of the list will remain the same but there might be one or two changes, depending on my focus and priorities for 2017.
What would you put on your list? Comment below:
Thank you for this Claire. I am currently on a mission to find me and be happy and I think putting adopting list process might be a way to go. Thank you
ReplyDeleteYou're most welcome Sophie. I'm glad it has helped you.
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