My 1 year To-Do List

Photo by That’s Her Business on Unsplash

I have recently heard that what is measured can be managed. While this seems very common sense, it has taken me 35 years to realize that how I increase my productivity professionally is the exact same process that can be used to do so in my persona life. It is so fun and inspiring to think about the future and all of my goals. I started tracking my workouts, nutrition, and time spent on various activities and have seen a huge difference in working towards my aims. Below is my brain storm for the boxes I’d like to check in the next calendar year:

1. Pay off this dang mortgage: 21,000 to go. I hope to knock this out by Mid 2025. April or May if I’m being honest.
2. Start fully funding 401k, Roth IRA by June or July 2025.
3. Celebrate being debt free with the kids: Water park, Local Historical museum, and treetop obstacle course for the oldest.
4. Escape from an Escape room with Art and friends. Are we the geniuses we think ourselves to be? Who knows, but it should be fun to test that theory.
5. Mud run- why are the local companies all defunct?!
6. Hike a waterfall trail with the kids.
7. Salsa date with Art at least twice this year. Let’s re-spark the magic of those halcyon days.
8. Master times tables with L. Apparently that is an old lady thing that isn’t taught any longer?!?
9. Every other day bilingual household- Does anyone else struggle to incorporate the non-native language into their daily routine in bilingual households? I don’t want my kids to lose their father’s rich culture or language. Happy to take ANY recommendations!
10. Summer vacation- Find putt putt, ice cream, and seafood reigning champions in locale of our choice.
11. Organize the pigsty that is the family garage. This is my single least favorite space in the house, as I have zero creative license or authority in this domain. There is a pile of discarded but needed electronic boxes, Christmas gift boxes, (MANY) scraps of lumber, various and sundry bungee cords and ratchet straps, and a stockpile of screws, nails, nuts, bolts to last us till forever. It looks like Smaug’s lair, except less shiny/magical and more stress inducing. Art and I are planning to build some shelving to better organize the tools, gardening supplies, and machinery. Anything but the toss and forget system we currently have in place.
12. Build a family style farmhouse table. We have a small circular table which is very cute, and perfect for the 4 of us. But any time we entertain, it is a struggle to make room for additional people, and I would love to create our own table. Luckily, Art has a background in Carpentry. We plan to make a living edge dining table and use our crazy, multicolor, mismatch chairs that we’ve thrifted and painted bright and happy colors.
13. Straighten up the jungle that is our yard. Last year, we were so focused on building a home office/laundry space/ workout area, that we neglected the yard. We did the bare minimum to keep things in order in the fall. The yard could use a full tune up. Less poison Ivy, cursed English Ivy and Vinca vine. More natives and clean spaces free of invasives and chickweed.
14. Organize every space in the house. Including the entertainment center, junk drawers, Art’s bedside table and dresser, all closets, pantry, etc. Get rid of the forgotten 10 year old baking sodas, expired cookie kits, spices, and salad dressings that have become a permanent fixture in our house.
15. Take and Pass the CCM Exam to become a Certified Case Manager. This one will get knocked out in April and I CAN’T WAIT to get that studying time back for hobbies.
16. Finish the monstrous paint by numbers cat that I bought for my daughter 2 years ago. We are supposed to be completing it together and have had some fun working on it but it greets me every day as I walk by it to go to my office, taunting me, reminding me of all the promised but half-finished projects I’ve taken up and put down over the years.
17. Read two books a month from now till December 31st. Less TV, more reading.
18. Potty train my 2 year old, if she will allow it. She is very stubborn so I’m not pushing my luck. But if she’s on board, I’m on board.
19. Bench Press 100lbs, at least 5 reps, 3 sets and squat the same.
20. Create a pollinator oasis for my yard. Hopefully that will bring other animals that will eat the skeeters who seek to destroy my happiness. Every spring and summer, when I open my front door, I am overjoyed to hear the busy insects s flittering about my chaste tree and want to create other areas of business around the yard so that no matter where I look, there is a lovely bit of nature for me to see.
21. If the budget allows, I’d like to max out our HSA in order to save for future needs.

What are some of the things you hope to accomplish this year? I’d love to hear from you and share ideas! Let’s get to work.