Another (2016) New Year's Resolutions Post

As we approach a new year and look forward to the future, let's take a step back and check out my past New Year's Resolutions...

2014 New Years Resolutions
Pretty standard post here. I broke out my very specific goals into personal and professional, and even went as far as to later blog about the 2014 Goal Tracker. This was a pretty kickass (and beautifully designed) idea, if I do say so myself, but I really only kept up with it for one month and posted this Update: January 2014 Goals review...as if you needed a month-by-month update on how many glasses of water I consumed each day. Sorry about that.

Ambiguous, Informal Resolutions of 2015
Then, in 2015, I toned it down to just some general guidelines for improving myself in 2015. All were very typical goals: budget, workout, travel, read, etc. This was a pretty drastic change from my insanely planned out 2014 Goal Tracker, but I am not sure it worked for me.

While I liked the idea of the 2014 Goal Tracker, that sucker was just WAY too strictly managed. Firstly, there was so little flexibility. Secondly, while it was super cute, it wasn't all that efficient. I was carrying around a planner and a goal tracker and a to do list. This year, I've worked up another scheme (heaven forbid I just set some resolutions and get on with my life like everyone else)...

I have a specific list of daily, weekly and year long goals for 2016. Very specific, but not without flexibility.


First, and foremost:
WAKE UP AND BE AWESOME

That's kind of my motto for 2016...

Daily

• Attempt to eat breakfast 
• Assign three top tasks
• Drink seven water bottles
• Incorporate toning into workouts

Weekly

• Take one (and only one) bath 
• No technology
• Write a blog post
• Be creative
• Send some love

Monthly

• Find one, new healthy recipe
• Set a budget
• Plan a date night

Year Long

• Increase the value of my house
• Run a marathon
• Learn calligraphy
• Make new friends
• Play more sports

AND I have a new tracker/planner layout...
(I don't know why I can't stick with one, damn planner layout, BUT I CAN'T. OK?)

You know my favorite planners (customized and Uncalendar) are not specific to a date, but allow you to just print the pages in bulk and write in the numbers of the days. First is the monthly page: tracking on one side, specific to my personal goals for 2016, and a calendar on the other.

Then is the daily page, which includes: weather, day, to-do list, goal tracking lists and appointment/scheduling/doodling space. Part of my "being creative" was to doodle a bit everyday, and what better place to do so than right on my daily planner pages.

    

I haven't shared my love of the Staples Arc planners, yet...you see the strange punching on the side of my planner pages? I bought a specific hole-punch so I could use personalized planner pages, but the Arc brand also has pre-made planners pages. What is cool about them is that the pages are movable...so, if I really need to get my doodle on, I just gently pull the page out and doodle a bit and "snap" it back into the rings. Or, if I mess up, I just pull out that page and start over. AND I don't have to buy a new planner every year...I just print more pages as I need them and snap 'em right in. Pretty neat. They also come with cool pouches and dividers and bookmarks.