2015 has been a crazy, busy year. A toddler and a baby, and two stepchildren. School schedules, toddler groups, breastfeeding support groups. Planning holidays. Planning a wedding! Family life, blog life. I've had two diaries and a notepad on the go. I write lists everywhere. Notes in my phone, on the back of receipts, reminders everywhere. Go here, don't forget to do this, remember that. Never switching off.
I want 2016 to be different. It will still be busy. It will be busier! But it can be less chaotic and more organised. And I want to find time to switch off.
Little N starts preschool next week, plus he's started swimming, and he goes to football. I'll be looking for new activities to do with Baby J; the poor boy has suffered from second child syndrome and has never had my undivided attention.
The wedding planning will be full steam ahead, now that Christmas is out of the way. My brother's getting married in the Dominican Republic in a few months too, so we need to be organised for that.
Blogging changed my life in 2015. I relaunched in the Spring and decided to take things a little more seriously. It soon picked up the pace. For the coming year I want to streamline my work and have more of a schedule. I'd like to set myself some work hours rather than simply firefighting when emails come in.
Most importantly, I need to make time for me. I need to make life slow down. I need to prioritise myself a bit higher up the list. I need to recharge and regenerate. I'd like to be able to switch off after work hours, like I would if I was working the 9-5.
To help me achieve this I was sent the Stick to Stigu Planner. Printed on high quality 100g/m2 paper t is a week-to-view annual planner/to-do pad/notebook in one, but it is also a rest and zest handbook. Stigu is the little character who features throughout the planner and provides tips, advice, inspiring quotes and thoughtful illustrations to help make juggling a crazy life a little bit easier.
We're living in the age of information overload, with the world literally at our fingertips. Life should be easier, but many of us find it stressful and overwhelming, and have no idea how to switch off. Stigu aims to help you do this. Each month there is a new theme, for example rest, zest, and meditate, and each week there are easy to follow rest and zest practises to try, such as meditating for 5 minutes or spending 10 minutes a day to take control of your worries.
I like that there are several big spaces on each day, so I can dedicate a space to each part of my life. For example, blog commitments, the boys' activities, appointments or family errands that I need to run. There is lots of big space on the opposite page for me to write my weekly to-do lists; I don't know about you but I get a real sense of achievement whenever I cross something off my list! And there are loads of empty pages towards the back of the planner to use for anything, like extra notes or brainstorming or more lists.
By sticking to Stigu I'm looking forward to a more relaxed and organised 2016. Pop over to find out more about Stick to Stigu and take advantage of their special launch offers. The planner normally costs £14.90 however you can currently buy 3 planners for the price of 2 or get 30% off by signing up to their spam-free newsletter.
To be in with a chance of winning a Stick to Stigu Planner 2016 worth £14.90 simply complete one or more of the entries on the Rafflecopter widget below. T&Cs apply.
My goals for next year is to be more tolerant,I don't know if it's an age thing but I get really annoyed with bad service,shop assistants barely looking at you with no good morning,hello or thank you.I now find myself saying something quite loudly,such as "You're welcome".Anyway that's my goal,to be more tolerant of rude ignorant people !
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be a tricky year to make time for myself so I'm trying to figure a way of making my three hour (each way) commute to work, work for me. Things like us on using the time to read or do my administration to free up time at the weekend, listen to new music...
ReplyDeleteI plan to make more time by allocating time to get my home more organised and (hopefully!) everything in a place that is easy to find! This is especially true of my craft stash! Also to batch cook and freeze meals.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who has suggested mindfulness so I am going to try and be more mindful, take 5 mins every day to write down the positive things that have happened that day and to let the negative be in the past. 5 mins to lie down on my bed or on the couch when the kids are in bed to think happy thoughts and unwind.
ReplyDeletelove it
ReplyDeletei want learn to drive 100%
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