SETTING THE TONE FOR A PRODUCTIVE MONTH
Anytime is a good time to get focused and organized. But sometimes the beginning of the month seems like a good reset. I’m finding I need more organization and planning than ever in 2020. It seems like the only thing I have control over is my to-do list these days. And even with the world in such disarray, I’ve somehow managed to take on a few extra projects in my life. These monthly resets have been critical to staying on task and moving forward.
These are the things I do at the end of every month to get myself set up for the next one. I like to do this all on the last Sunday, even if it’s not exactly the end of the month. I make an extended Self Care Sunday and take care of my body and my mind.
Grind my coffee for the month. This might seem a little out of place, but to me, the smell of freshly ground coffee always gets me motivated. And there is nothing worse than waking up groggy and needing some “Geaux Juice” and not having anything ready. So I make it a point to grind up my coffee for the month so it’s easy to have a hot cup of Joe handy. An added bonus is doing this kick starts my motivation to finish my other productive month prep tasks.
This jar is perfect for my finely ground coffee beans for either full drip coffee or an espresso.
Review important dates. I try my hardest to stay on top of birthdays, anniversaries, doctors’ appointments, and other things I’ve committed to doing. For those that know me personally (I’m looking at you, mom!) you’ll think I’m lying about this one. I’ll be the first to admit this is not an area in which I excel. Remembering these things isn’t usually the problem. It’s typically the follow through with the card or phone call. So this is a new one for me. I’ve been sitting down at the beginning of the month and looking at everything I have coming up so I can shop for cards or gifts in one trip and HOPEFULLY get things mailed out on time. Honestly, I’m just going to say let’s keep our fingers crossed for this one.
File away or trash old stuff/papers. Throughout the month I try to purge and organize as I go. However, I find papers and receipts tend to pile up. I use the Ibotta and Fetch Rewards apps regularly so I will often hold on to receipts to scan and upload at one time. And then there are all of the other straggling documents that come in and need to be filed. I didn’t put a lot of effort into making my home office a real home office until it became evident I’d be working from here for a long while. So at the moment, I find I just create piles to be sorted and addressed later. The end of the month seems like the perfect tie to do that.
Update the status of my projects. Since working from home I’ve been able to take on more projects. We’ve taken on new clients and added a great deal of effort in writing content for the blog. I’ve added some new courses to add to my skills in preparation for a potential layoff. The list of house projects has more than tripled in length. These are just a few of the things I’m working on at the moment. I needed a better way to keep it all straight. (I wanted to find a way to put my PMP cert to use with my personal projects). So I created a project tracking template that allows me to keep a high-level view of the projects as well as a detailed task list. Here you can find a free copy of my printable project tracking template.
FitnessPunch Project Tracking Template is perfect for keeping
Review previous month. I like to take a few minutes to write out what was accomplished last month and what went well. I like to know what activities or events to try to repeat and carry forward into the new month. I also take time to write out what didn’t go well. There is almost always one thing that can be improved. It could be staying more consistent with my mediating or bedtime, keeping up with the house chores, checking in on loved ones, something. There’s always something I want to do differently; better. I use the what went well and what needs improvement to set my new goals for the month. Then I write them out and post them on my desk…because of the projects for this month is to complete my vision board.
Let go of last month’s bad. One of the most important things I’ve found to help set the tone for the month is let go. 2020 has been hard and there seems to always be something upsetting. Let it go. Carrying that stress and worry into the next month only prolongs the agony. I use this as an opportunity to accept that some things can’t be change, set a game plan for the things that can, and let go of the emotional baggage. And if you’re still feeling overwhelmed check out my tips for finding a positive approach to the mess.
Some of these are new for me. I won’t pretend I’ve had my act together this entire time. But I have had an opportunity to improve and these are some of the steps I’ve taken to get better. I’m still trying to figure it all out. Let’s figure it out together. Leave me a comment with your favorite reset start fresh essentials.
