Goals in Baby Steps

Thought I'd check in with you all and say hello.  I haven't forgotten about you; I've just needed a little time to step back and reassess.  We've been helping the Hurricane Katrina survivors full-time for a month now (with Hurricane Rita thrown into the mix).  Since the need for our help is lessening, as more federal and corporate aid has been arriving in the area, we are slowing down our efforts. 
 
I've been operating with hurricane, hurricane, hurricane on my mind, and all of a sudden I have to remember what I used to do, pre-hurricanes.  Oh, yeah, I used to be a mom, a wife, and a writer!
 
Because it's easier to be goal-oriented when you have a buddy, I convinced Tim to create a list of goals, too.  We chose what we want to be doing, or have done, by December 31, 2005. 
 
When creating our goals, to get us thinking straight, we thought of what we'd like to improve physically, spiritually, mentally, professionally, and family.  For example, under Physically and Professionally, I wrote:
 
Physically, by the end of the year, I want to be:
- eating healthily
- exercising regularly
- sleeping regularly
- helping the family choose healthier eating choices
 
Professionally, by the end of the year, I want to be:
- submitting articles regularly
- writing daily
- working with Celebrate Moms
- done with my web site, so it is ready to go live by New Years
- have a publication or ebook done and ready for sale
 
Then, to make certain that our goals have a chance of being accomplished, we each wrote down a Plan.  On paper, I wrote down:
 
How to Achieve Goals: 
 
Physically:
1.  Eat breakfast, and eat every four hours (I tend to skip meals).
2.  Menu plan; keep pantry and fridge full of healthy options.
3.  Walk or do other exercise every day.
4.  Balance proteins and carbohydrates, and eat veggies and fruits daily.
5.  Read in bed by 10:30pm nightly (this is so I will hopefully fall asleep earlier than my normal 1-2am!)
 
Professionally:
1.  Write daily.
2.  Work on web site so it will be done by December 31, 2005.
3.  Submit articles weekly.
4.  Work on Celebrate Moms weekly assignments
 
Because I am a scatterbrain, and it takes only one pretty butterfly passing across the window before I am outside and chasing it, or one little baby who looks too cute for words and simply must have her photo taken that moment, I broke down my plan into Baby Steps.  I looked at my list of "How to Achieve Goals," above, and wrote down something I could do every day.  This is what I wrote:
 
"Each morning (or the night before), write down:
1.   What to eat every 4 hours for the day.
2.   When to fit in exercise.
3.   Writing assignment of the day.
4.   When to spend special time with one family member that day.
5.   When to fit in 15 minutes of extra cleaning.
6.  What we will do in homeschool, and when.
7.   When to fit in writing time.
8.   When to fit in website design.
9.   When to read.
10.   When to work on special assignments or special tasks.
11. When to go to any meetings or errands, if there are any.  "
 
So, last night, I looked at the above Baby Steps List, and wrote down a time for each thing on the list.  And that is why I am here, blogging, at 12:35pm.  Otherwise, I'd be off chasing the blue-tailed skink that just walked across my windowsill outside. 
 
by Lori Seaborg