Just like that, 2022 is over. I started writing this blog post on second of January and January is almost over already. Last year have been a whirlwind of events. It started with a newborn and it ended with us juggling work, the blog, business while taking care of and nurturing our toddler. Mistakes were made, unnecessary stress was self-imposed which in turn brought a lot of anxiety.

It all ended up with teaching me some valuable lessons. So , I have made some goals for 2023 to live a healthy, balanced life.

Improvement 1 : Get up early

I am not a morning person. I wake up just early enough for work. In my parental leave, I slid back into the habit of waking up at 9:00. Ever since I went back to work, it has been very hectic as I never have enough time in the morning. Since I go to bed at the same time as my toddler, it leaves me almost no time to myself.  So goal this year is to wake up early enough. Even if it is 30 min before the toddles, it will give me some quiet moment with self.

Improvement 2 : First Cup of Coffee or Tea

Far too often does my first cup of coffee or tea gets cold. This year, I will wake up before the crazy begins and have one cup of beverage, sipping it quietly, sipping it warm.

Improvement 3 : Do 15 minutes of movement

I want to lower expectations on myself. So I will not stress myself to do Yoga or this or that or dance. But I will try to do 15 minutes of movement. It can be Yoga, it can be dance practise, it can be jumping up and down from sofa: something to make the body move everyday. I have started starting monday’s with early morning Yoga, under the guidance of Sharvari. The improvement is remarkable.

Improvement 4: Walk without counting

Not switch on the exercise mode of smart watch, not have a time limit, not walk fast. Walk slowly, without counting steps or calorie or logging them in my fitbit.

Improvement 5: Limit work time

 I have a stressful job. I lead complex, engineering projects and I often work long hours to get things done. This year, I will prioritise limiting that. What can be done tomorrow, would be done tomorrow. Take time out of meeting to do trainings , upskill myself and incorporate professional improvements.

Improvement 6 : Stop overworking

This applies not just for work but also for day to day. I do not have to over do anything. I don’t need to do all documentation at one go. I do not need to declutter entire living room and clean kitchen at the same time. Less multitasking and no overworking.

Improvement 7 : cut down intricate to do list

Part of my overdoing things was creating long, intricate todo lists. Sometimes I even divided the day by morning, noon, afternoon, and things had to be get done. If it didn’t get done, I would freak out and try to finish it by end of the day. Cue overworking. This year, my todo will be basic, tasks will be rolling. I have already implemented two way journaling, using notebook and apps and minimizing intricate layouts. Keep it simple and work on self-improvement.

Improvement 8: Give a Pause of 30 minutes after work

This is honestly going to be tough. I am on pickup duty from daycare. Most days, I am finishing a meeting and rushing to pick kiddo up. Then back at home it is mummy mode on.  Even scheduling free slot at certain time does not help. But that is my goal this year, to make a habit of it and hopefully normalize it.

Improvement 9 : Let it be messy

For someone highly active and type A, parental leave felt very slow. I picked up the habit of cleaning, organising non stop. Part of it is picking up after kiddo and part of it was to do something. As a result, I cannot handle even a bit of mess. Even after a long day, I drag myself to make the kitchen clean, fold the wash. This year, I will accept the mess, and better be at peace and enjoy my time with my child and indulge in my me time.

Improvement 10 : Play  with Kiddo

Put down my phone and play with my child. Calls and messages can wait. Todo can wait. Chores can wait. I blinked and kiddo is already over a year old, and I want to bring more laughter in every day life with her.

Improvement 11 : Hear more audio book

Part of my goal to read more is hear books. That way I can listen to something while walking or taking the bus or when I am brainstorming. It will be good to give something new and different a chance.

Improvement 12:  Make time for swimming

Oh! How I miss Swimming. First it was lockdown everywhere in 2020. Then when things became a bit better, I was pregnant with risk and had to take extra care. I learnt swimming in my thirties and love swimming. Swimming was so good for my body and my mind. Now it is really complicated to go swimming. But when the weather is better and kiddo is a bit older, I would like to go swimming again, and alone.

Improvement 13: Take long drives on weekends

This is a joint wish. My husband commented that all we do together is work. We work from Mo-Fri, We handle the business, we maintain the house, we take care of kid. All our vacations are planned, to be somewhere far; something which costs money and time. We want to focus on just getting out of the daily routine on weekends. We don’t have to go somewhere fancy, maybe somewhere nearby for a walk or hike. But out of the daily humdrum.

Improvement 14: Write regularly

Without setting unrealistic goals, I want to regularly write this year. 10 sentences if at all, one quality blog post every six weeks for all I care, but regularly and consistently WRITE. This is to incur discipline and practise the craft that I have talent for. However, to me, the quality of my writing has lowered, choice of words have become limited. So a personal goal, without seeking the output is to practise writing regularly.

Improvement 15: Improve Spanish

I want to learn as many languages as possible in this lifetime. Spanish is the fifth language I know and am learning. Pressure of work and life and other things means I do not practise the language regularly and I have very poor progress to show for. Goal for this year is to practise the language and get better at it. Speak Spanish with my colleagues and not immediately switch to German for comfort but push through to finish a sentence properly.

Improvement16: less social media activities

Corona and pregnancy in Corona meant a lot of things were done online. Although it gave me a chance to make connections and develop friendships, which normally would not happen, my social media activities exploded. I am always online in mom groups, and Instagram, and Facebook, or just idly scrolling. This year, I want to cut it down significantly and not scroll through idly.

Improvement 17: Stop obsessing how business with do

 The year did not start good for our business and last year was also not booming. Sometimes I worry too much on how the business is doing, obsessing over things I cannot control like the world politics and world economy. This year, we will give our best for the business and let our efforts shine. Whatever happens, happens.

Improvement18: Save

This is honestly,the fault of my baby. I am never asleep. First it was new-born phase, then growth spurt, teething, then some more growth, then separation anxiety. And I didn’t sleep properly at night, I had my tablet in my hand, I was always shopping and spending in GoFundMe campaigns.

This year I am putting a clamp on my spending and going to save. The world is such a turmoil, I will stop wasting money on nonsense and save for a rainy day.

Improvement 19: grow some food

Gardening is supposed to be in my genes. They flourished in my 30s. I had this phase where I was growing everything in my balcony. Then I was pregnant and had a baby and gardening was cut down significantly. Now I have a toddler running around, very interested in my plants, trying to pluck flowers and strawberries. It is time to start growing some organic food at home and make wholesome meal with homegrown vegetables.

Improvement 20: Do one thing not everything

Switch off sometimes. The world does not end if I don’t do the dishes, clean the floor, do accounting, write a blog, do one hr Yoga, finish everything on ToDo list at work and home. I Keep telling myself, I do not need to it all, at once. It is my mantra this year, do one thing, not everything. Give your mind and body time to rest and do nothing.

Improvement 21: Selfcare

I have forgotten to shower so often in the last year that I had to install tracker to track and reminder in my Alexa device. It took me 6 months to schedule a back massage, when my back was paining so badly. In doing everything, I neglected self care. I neglected to take time to do a relaxed stretch, comb my hair, or something so fundamental like showering. So, I have actively being taking time for self care. Selfcare is self love.

Improvement 22 : Give each other me time

Our life was hectic already with stressful jobs, the blog, the shop. Having the baby just made it more hectic. Our kid is as low maintenance as it goes and still we don’t find time to take a break. So, this year, we would actively give each other time to do something alone. Be it go for a run, or write a blog or go for a walk or paint a picture, some time just to our own selves.

Improvement 23 : Spend Us time Two of us

More date night, more crashing on couch time doing nothing together, but some time as a couple. Just Us. Not talking about business or making plans. Some quality couple time to gather strength for all that life throws us.

So that has been for me. Did you make any resolution? I would love to hear it in comments.