New Year Downunder

It hits the day after Christmas...a complete change of pace. Here in the great south land, we go from a frenetic December filled with Christmas preparations and end of year work commitments, culminating in the great day, to holiday mode.

It's as if everyone heaves a collective sigh of relief and just switches into relaxation with a summer of cricket, tennis and holidays looming. The world will not resume in earnest until February.

This year I have had the pleasure of DH's company (that's Darling Husband) for the two weeks of Christmas and New Year. We...or should I say, I...started with a long to do list but as the days have slipped past with lazy mornings and long evenings, the temptation to do very little has kicked in. We've lingered over the paper, done the summer quiz and pottered in the garden. I have knocked down the worst of the spider's webs in an instinctive hark back to my northern English heritage and the importance of a clean house for new year, scanned a few negatives, done a bit of editing but otherwise accomplished nothing on that long to do list!

Which brings me to the vexed question of New Year's Resolutions. 

Kimberley Turner wrote an excellent post on 13 Resolutions to Make you a More Productive Writer in 2013 which I highly recommend. The point she makes is that setting year long goals sets you up to fail, breaking the tasks down into manageable chunks may be far more productive.

And let's call them "Goals" not "Resolutions".

I also think we need to distinguish between personal and professional goals for the year. 

My perennial personal goal is "to lose weight" and "get fitter".  To make that achievable:

• My goal is to lose 500g per month.
• My goal is to exercise a minimum of 5 days per week and to add incentive I will enter  Run Melbourne in July (5kms)

My professional goals:

• Write a minimum of 10,000 words per week, acknowledging that writing every day is not achievable (sorry, but it's just not!).
• Cut down on my social media addiction. Balance and moderation in everything!
• My  specific writing goals will be shared regularly with my writing group, who keep me honest.

These are small, but, I think, achievable goals for the year and now I have set them down in a public forum, I better aim to achieve them. 

A very happy new year to everyone.

Alison