New month. New priorities.
It’s about to be a new month, and I’m getting ready by focusing on these four things:
Budget Review
I review my budget and my expenses.
I do a quick review of my credit card and bank statements, and I pay any bills that are due. I remember a time when I’d want to hide from what my bank statement showed. That led to debt and overcharged accounts.
Reviewing this monthly allows me to better understand my spending and make any adjustments I need to make.
Make a Priority List
Each month, I make a brand new priority list that focuses on the month ahead.
I consider what didn’t get done the month prior and what needs to be done for this month, as well as what might be needed in looking ahead at the next 2-3 months.
For example, we’re entering the holiday season now (yay!), so this month I’ll be collecting addresses, buying stamps, and ordering holiday cards so I can have those ready for when the holidays arrive, and I don’t need to stress about getting them delivered and out on time or wait in long lines at the post office. The list should be a mind dump of all the things - house projects, errands, appointments, plans I need to schedule.
Then, each week, I review the full list and highlight 5-7 items to tackle that week (depending on the size of the task).
This makes it easy for me to dive in and make progress when I have the time for my to-do’s.
Clean Out My Photos
Photos, videos, and screenshots are something that can easily get away from me if I don’t stay on top of it! And digital clutter can take up unnecessary space in our minds.
Each month, I review photos from the last month, delete the ones I no longer need, and organize the ones I want to keep into digital files. What’s the point of saving the name of that book that was recommended or the recipe you want to try if you’ll never be able to locate them after you save them?
I’m a big user of the “save” button on Instagram, so I also go through those posts and organize them into categories. This is a simple task I can do while catching up on the latest season of Love is Blind!
Review My Calendar
If your priorities are not reflected on your calendar, then they aren’t really your priorities.
Once you’ve identified your priorities for the month or week, put them on your calendar. Your workouts, family meals, creative activities, administrative tasks, household chores, and even rest time - put them on your calendar before everyone else in your life asks for your time.
Making time for your priorities takes practice and patience.
If you get to the end of each month and find you’re not getting what you want to get done or you’re not spending your time how you’d hoped, reviewing your calendar and how you spent your time empowers you to make adjustments and recalibrate.
I know, I know … This all sounds like a lot of work.
But I promise, with this system, it takes just a few hours to help make your weeks ahead that much easier, saving you tons of time and energy in the long run!
Not to mention letting go of the mental load! Let the weight of these things go by creating a system for yourself to check in regularly.
Give yourself grace in knowing life isn’t always predictable, but taking a little time each month to reflect, adjust, and try again is worth it. Don’t give up on what is most important to you.