April Scott-Clarke
april@pdgmedia.ca
I don’t normally make New Year’s Resolutions but this year I am — to be more disciplined and stick to a schedule. I have personal and business goals I want to achieve and I think a lot of being successful in doing so is to have a more routined life. Over the last two years I’ve basically operated on a day-to-day fluctuating schedule built around the lives of my kids and spouse.
It has worked in terms of meeting family and work commitments, but it has left me with little time for my own personal interests. I fit in things like going to the gym, running, kayaking, fishing and hunting when I can but in 2017 none of these things were really priorities. I only hunted a couple of days, my kayak barely got wet and my running was sporadic.
So this year, I’m going to schedule in my personal time along side my other commitments.
I got myself a new day planner. I’ve actually moved back to a paper planner instead of relying on just my digital Google calendar because I think having the constant visual reminder in front of me will help, and I’m making great use of it so far. It’s a fun planner with weekly goal setting and jazz like that so I’m pumped to use it (I also have a thing for new stationary.)
It’s proven that if you have big goals, breaking them down into smaller attainable ones that build towards achieving the big goal helps keep you on track. I’m going to use this method with the hopes that achieving the small things will keep me motivated to get to the big things.
One of my big goals for 2018 is to compete in at least one triathlon and better my swim time. I did one triathlon at the end of the season last year and absolutely loved it. I know that if I want to better myself, I need to train a little harder — which means getting in the pool or open water more often. To do that, I have to plan for it. With two young kids (one in primary school and one in daycare), a husband who works shift work and the closest public pool 20 minutes away, I don’t have the luxury of just going whenever the mood strikes.
If any readers are triathlon people, I would LOVE to hear any advice you have for a newbie like me. Shoot me an email at april@pdgmedia.ca or come by and see me.
As part of my new scheduled life, I’ve booked myself to work at Meraki Collective in Smiths Falls (18 William St W) every Monday from about 9 to 4. If I know people might come see me, it will keep me accountable to the plan!
What are you resolutions for 2018? Or better yet — what are your goals for the end of the year? We talked to several members of the community, and even some of the Hometown News team to find out what their resolutions are. Check out page TK to see if you recognize anyone or just to see what people are setting out to do in the upcoming year.
Maybe it will be enough to motivate you to declare some resolutions of your own — if you haven’t already.
As always, if you have something to say — good or bad — we want to hear from you.
Cheers,
April
This article was first published in the January 2018 issue of Hometown News. For more articles from our January 2018 issue, pick up a print copy at a local retailer or read our digital version.
