I Resolve to Not Try to Be Superwoman But To Instead Wear The Shirt and Claim Superpowers
I love the idea of New Year’s resolutions. From my list last year, which I shared publicly on my blog, I was most successful with the things I wanted to NOT do, like NOT gardening and NOT cutting my hair! In 2013, work was a big theme for us in our house. I had a new job that really forced me to stretch my balancing skills. So this year, to ease that balancing act, I want my resolutions to focus on work. Here they are. What do you think?
- Don’t dwell on work after hours (and vice verse). Let’s face it. It’s not always possible to leave work at work and home at home. At our house, the challenge is how to not let doing or thinking about work intrude on our precious family, home and sleep time. Figure out one thing you can do to avoid dwelling at work (or home) while at home (or at work) because doing it too much could get you in trouble on either front!
- Buy yourself a nice work bag! You work hard for that money, girl! No more red Target shopping bags to carry your laptop to and from work. Splurge and get one that you love and will last!
- Take a walk at work every day. I am fortunate to work in downtown RVA where I can walk around the capitol building very easily. I plan to take at least 15 minutes every day to take a walk, no matter what!
- Do a “balance check” every Friday asking myself, “Is anything off kilter? How can we get the balance back?” I plan to schedule this check-in with myself (and put it on my calendar!) or else I would think about it constantly.
- Decide to be happy at work. I actually am currently happy at work and I don’t want a change, but since these are resolutions for the whole year ahead, I need to keep this on my list as a gentle reminder. To this end, things I will do are keep my work space clean, and surround myself with things that make me happy like drawings by the kids!
- Appreciate and find the strengths in your co-workers. After all, they are first and foremost fellow human beings! They may have quirks, work styles you don’t admire, or make your work harder instead of easier. Find a way to move past those things or live with them. Love them anyway.
- Use the leave you’ve earned! Take a vacation! Enough said.
- Take your kids to work! Where I work, kids are not allowed, but I can bring them in on a day I am off. They are curious about what I do and would love to ride the elevator and see the city from high up in my office building. I want the place I spend almost every day to seem real to them.
- Visit the kids at school. Go have lunch with them and continue to volunteer in their classroom every few weeks. It makes us all feel better and more connected.
- As frequently as you can, have a day date with your hubby. While the kids are in school or daycare, let’s go on a staycation somewhere that the kids would hate. Last year we went to Montpelier and loved it!
What are YOUR resolutions (or anti-resolutions) this year?
About Mary Beth Cox