2013
So now on to 2013. Need to do more this year. Just in general, but also because I think it is going to be a tough year at work. I need to be more organized and more productive, and that is starting here. Rather than a vague and general theme, I’ve identified a few things that are important to me this year and am putting a bit more detail around how I will progress. I do think a theme is helpful, something simple to constantly reflect upon in order to help push you in the right direction, but it doesn’t leave much to measure against or grasp on to. For something more general, I should look to my last post, realise that people only see my actions, and live in the present. As for my 2013 personal objectives, this is what I’m signing up to.
Money - pay off our house debt by June
I’ve just paid off one credit card and brought our joint account almost up to balance.
I’ve redone our budget so that we can pay our bills. It’s been over 2 years since I’ve changed the amounts, and we went under quite a bit in the last 18 months. The new amount will make our personal finances quite difficult.
What’s left is the big credit card. We have some house and holiday plans for this year, but as long as we keep things in check, clearing the balance over the next four or five months should be achievable, leaving us with cash for our plans for the second half of the year
Wine - taste more
For the past year or so I’ve already started making new choices about where my diminishing disposable income goes. I’ve been meaning to post about this very subject, but in brief, my wine collection has started displacing other things like clothes. However, what I’ve added to my cellar is based on some experience with similar regions and a lot of reading. I tend to explore with our monthly drinking wines, and fill knowledge gaps by following wine journalists and reading everything they and my merchants publish online. Really though, I should be tasting before I buy, and I certainly should be tasting in a more structured, more in-depth way. So, in 2013, I shall attend 2-3 wine tastings. Maybe an informal walk around thing (Three Wine Men, Wine Society, Amathus,Vagabond etc.), a more formal structured tasting (Wine Society), and a wine dinner (Salt Yard Group, Wine Society Dinner Club).
Fitness - continue what I’ve started
It would be very easy to let things slip. We love our Pilates teacher and have been travelling to north London for the three years since we’ve moved to see her. She’s just about to have a baby and take some time off. There’s no point in making that journey to try someone else, when there are studios on our side of town we’ve yet to try. Or we could just stop going. The goal here is to try our local studios and start going regularly to a good class nearby.
I’ve also been quite good over the past several months at sticking to cycling to work at least twice per week. I even managed three times in a week several times this summer. I find it tough, though. And without a reason like skiing, it would be very easy for me to stop for a while. The goal here is to continue. Twice a week at least, trying for three.
My wife has recently gone gluten free, which has forced some changes in our eating habits. Green tea and smoothies for breakfast this morning. Going to try to make miso soup from scratch tonight. Eating like hippies. No goal here, more of trying new things, which will keep things interesting in the kitchen and may also help keep us both healthier.
I’m heavier than I’d like, so part of the cycling and eating will be to lose a little bit of weight. I do go up and down, but my range this year was heavier than a couple years back. The goal for 2013 is to touch 11 stone even before summer. I’d like to get down to 11st 4lbs or below before Thailand as a good start.
Work - make it a priority
In some respects, goals for work take care of themselves by the yearly objectives I’m in the process of agreeing with my line manager. The change I will be making this year is to stop thinking of my work begrudgingly and stop putting everything else in my life above it. Work is part of who I am and it affords me a certain lifestyle. Money is getting tighter, and there is more I want to do, so it makes sense that I think of my work life as something that needs nurturing. This seems perfectly natural to successful people!
Right, deep breath, these are the following things I will be trying this year in order to achieve more at work. Ask myself what I can do to be seen to make more money today, or what can I do to be seen to improve the passenger experience. I’ve done this before, but the difference here is being more visible; identifying things that will not only achieve the goal, but also put me in a good light. The follow through is then about involving others in my process. I must also lead by example, just go and do. The people around me who do well, don’t worry about the rest of the team, they just do what it is that needs to be done. I want to be one of those. I need to visualise success, stay focused, and put my head down and work. I have started cutting out negative people from my network, and I will begin being more strategic with my network in the office. Be around and use those who count. A big one for me is being more organized. I’ve always struggled with this. Doing papers on initiatives and speaking about them will help, but I also need to think about each day and each week and plan, constantly. Plan, do, review. And by do, I mean work to achieve. Not just talk. Be willing to stay late. This is another big one for me. I shy away from long hours since my previous job. I don’t think it’s particularly healthy. But now is the time to push myself. Staying late, however, is about trying to do just that little bit extra. It’s not about being seen to work late, it’s about doing more! And finally, dress the part. Not something I struggle with, but consistency is sometimes an issue (shaving!) and the biking has had an impact. I should bring a suit and a couple shirts to work to leave here, so I look the same whether I’ve cycled in or taken the tube.
Money - pay off our house debt by June
I’ve just paid off one credit card and brought our joint account almost up to balance.
I’ve redone our budget so that we can pay our bills. It’s been over 2 years since I’ve changed the amounts, and we went under quite a bit in the last 18 months. The new amount will make our personal finances quite difficult.
What’s left is the big credit card. We have some house and holiday plans for this year, but as long as we keep things in check, clearing the balance over the next four or five months should be achievable, leaving us with cash for our plans for the second half of the year
Wine - taste more
For the past year or so I’ve already started making new choices about where my diminishing disposable income goes. I’ve been meaning to post about this very subject, but in brief, my wine collection has started displacing other things like clothes. However, what I’ve added to my cellar is based on some experience with similar regions and a lot of reading. I tend to explore with our monthly drinking wines, and fill knowledge gaps by following wine journalists and reading everything they and my merchants publish online. Really though, I should be tasting before I buy, and I certainly should be tasting in a more structured, more in-depth way. So, in 2013, I shall attend 2-3 wine tastings. Maybe an informal walk around thing (Three Wine Men, Wine Society, Amathus,Vagabond etc.), a more formal structured tasting (Wine Society), and a wine dinner (Salt Yard Group, Wine Society Dinner Club).
Fitness - continue what I’ve started
It would be very easy to let things slip. We love our Pilates teacher and have been travelling to north London for the three years since we’ve moved to see her. She’s just about to have a baby and take some time off. There’s no point in making that journey to try someone else, when there are studios on our side of town we’ve yet to try. Or we could just stop going. The goal here is to try our local studios and start going regularly to a good class nearby.
I’ve also been quite good over the past several months at sticking to cycling to work at least twice per week. I even managed three times in a week several times this summer. I find it tough, though. And without a reason like skiing, it would be very easy for me to stop for a while. The goal here is to continue. Twice a week at least, trying for three.
My wife has recently gone gluten free, which has forced some changes in our eating habits. Green tea and smoothies for breakfast this morning. Going to try to make miso soup from scratch tonight. Eating like hippies. No goal here, more of trying new things, which will keep things interesting in the kitchen and may also help keep us both healthier.
I’m heavier than I’d like, so part of the cycling and eating will be to lose a little bit of weight. I do go up and down, but my range this year was heavier than a couple years back. The goal for 2013 is to touch 11 stone even before summer. I’d like to get down to 11st 4lbs or below before Thailand as a good start.
Work - make it a priority
In some respects, goals for work take care of themselves by the yearly objectives I’m in the process of agreeing with my line manager. The change I will be making this year is to stop thinking of my work begrudgingly and stop putting everything else in my life above it. Work is part of who I am and it affords me a certain lifestyle. Money is getting tighter, and there is more I want to do, so it makes sense that I think of my work life as something that needs nurturing. This seems perfectly natural to successful people!
Right, deep breath, these are the following things I will be trying this year in order to achieve more at work. Ask myself what I can do to be seen to make more money today, or what can I do to be seen to improve the passenger experience. I’ve done this before, but the difference here is being more visible; identifying things that will not only achieve the goal, but also put me in a good light. The follow through is then about involving others in my process. I must also lead by example, just go and do. The people around me who do well, don’t worry about the rest of the team, they just do what it is that needs to be done. I want to be one of those. I need to visualise success, stay focused, and put my head down and work. I have started cutting out negative people from my network, and I will begin being more strategic with my network in the office. Be around and use those who count. A big one for me is being more organized. I’ve always struggled with this. Doing papers on initiatives and speaking about them will help, but I also need to think about each day and each week and plan, constantly. Plan, do, review. And by do, I mean work to achieve. Not just talk. Be willing to stay late. This is another big one for me. I shy away from long hours since my previous job. I don’t think it’s particularly healthy. But now is the time to push myself. Staying late, however, is about trying to do just that little bit extra. It’s not about being seen to work late, it’s about doing more! And finally, dress the part. Not something I struggle with, but consistency is sometimes an issue (shaving!) and the biking has had an impact. I should bring a suit and a couple shirts to work to leave here, so I look the same whether I’ve cycled in or taken the tube.