reflection on 2015, goals for 2016
Hi everyone - continuing my trend of only posting resolutions, it's time to look at last year's goals for the first time since making them lol, and see how I went. Also, new goals.
WORK
Get a promotion. I am well regarded at work, I hold a lot of important roles and they're sending me to external focus groups to try and make our organisation a better place. However I get passed over for a lot of promotions that actually pay more money like leadership roles and I think it's down to my job application skills, so I will try my fucking hardest this year to get that right. Like it is ridiculous, people at work always assume I'm in management and it pisses me off that I'm not.
Okay, I didn't get a promotion. However, I did a lot of sideways moves and gained a lot of experience in a lot of areas, that a promotion is pretty much inevitable at this point.
STRETCH GOAL: get a permanent position. There are rumours flying around that there will be a tiny number of permanent spots up for grabs at work this year (everyone here is on a short contract) and I don't think that I have a great chance, but I do have *a* chance so I want it. This job is flexible enough to let me work say, 10-3 every day which would be perfect while the kids are in school but still young.
THIS HAPPENED, HOWEVER. Our government kind of changed and that opened up all sorts of vacancies. I applied for three things in August, and after FOUR FREAKING MONTHS of the most stressful assessment etc, I was offered a permanent position on Christmas Eve for all three things :D I'm pretty much set with a job for life :) I'm going to be working in Refugee and Humanitarian Visas. The hours are flex between 7am-6pm, so as long as I work 37.5 hours a week, they won't care when I come in or when I leave, and if I work more hours than that, I can take that time in lieu. I can also purchase leave, on top of my 4 weeks annual leave, which makes things really flexible for school holidays (but that's kind of expensive, isn't it).
STUDY
I'm going to apply for a Diploma in Business Administration in the next couple of weeks. I want that qualification to help me get my next job. It's an online course, I should be done in six months.
This didn't happen because I didn't need it in the end, now that I've got a permanent job.
HEALTH
I currently weigh about 53kg in the morning. I want that to be 50kg by March. I want to be sub 50 by mid year and to keep it that way. My main plan of attack is to stop eating terrible snacks at work, and to cut down on the sheer amount of bread and sugar I consume. I hope that will be enough. I'll do more if I have to, but I don't really want to.
I want to excerise but I have zero plans. I wonder if taking the stairs more often would benefit at all whatsoever.
Ha. Hahahaha. I did get down to about 51kg, then I moved to another section at work where everyone eats a huge amount of snacks etc, and now weigh close to 56kg. :\ This will have to go back on this year's goals.
HOUSE
I have to start helping Adam out more with the housework. The plan is just to force myself into 20 min a day before bed time, tidy up.
This happened more, but not as much as I would like. The house was cleaner this year simply because the kids needed less supervision, and therefore Adam could spend more time cleaning.
LIFE
I want to read more actual books instead of fanfic. I want to listen to new music.
I have started a bullet journal as of this week where I'm keeping lists of things and I've listened to three new albums and read two books this week alone. It's also kept me so organised and productive, you should look into it, if to do apps aren't working for you.
I read like.. 5 books. It turns out that books don't do it for me anymore, they're just full of shit people doing shit things, or problematic authors being sexist or bad sex scenes or something. I have given into the fact that fanfic gives me what I need, and while I'm not really furthering my education with it, so be it.
I did listen to a lot of new music this year, but it was all pop music. Bullet journal continues to be great.
I'm going to try be more tactful, more discreet, and talk less about myself all things I admire in others that I currently lack.
Hmm. Turns out sometimes you can't really change your personality much.
ADAM
I am going to find my sex drive somewhere or get Adam to help me find it. I lost the desire to have actual-longer-than-perfunctory-5-min sec with the pregnancies and I can tell it really bothers Adam who is craving it. I have to find some energy somewhere too.
I am going to stop taking Adam for granted and do my best to assist with his workload and stress. So this includes helping out with home, and being more demonstrative in my affection.
I have worked out that I have the energy for full-marathon sex maybe once a month, and that gives us both enough good vibes for the boring sex we have 4 times a week or whatever. Adam is currently very pleased with having me for a wife because I have become better at appreciating him.
MONEY
I want to save enough money to go to Vietnam March 2016. Things that will help are the fact that they've changed the train ticket prices so I'll save like $750 a year on that alone. Adam is doing small jobs here and there, so if he did one once a month and we put that into savings, we'll get there. We can do it!
This is not going to happen. It costs too much. We went on a family holiday this year and that was nice but it already cost us $3000 and it was just a week, within Australia.
RANDOM OTHER THINGS
We need to work out what we're doing with our house situation once and for all. We want to move I just don't know how, right now, being single income, so I need to get proactive and go to a bank and ask. I need to be less afraid of change.
Yes. We have worked out what we are doing. We are selling, and selling soon. Adam is currently renovating on his Summer break from uni, and when he is finished we will sell. We will then move in with his parents for a year or so, while he finishes his last year of uni, and after he gets a job, we will buy a house closer to where we want to live.
ALRIGHTY. GOALS FOR THIS YEAR 2016.
WORK
Now that I have a permanent position, it opens up a wealth of internal positions that I am now able to apply for. I currently have two applications in for roles at the APS4 level (I'm currently APS3). My goal for 2016, is to get an APS4 job. This really shouldn't be very hard and I really should already have one, but not to worry, onwards and upwards. What this means in practical terms is I really need to keep some sort of log of exceptional things I do at work, so that I can pull them out for applications and interviews.
STRETCH GOAL: Somehow get an APS5 position. It's not impossible. My bosses keep telling me to aim higher, apparently I am playing things too safe still, too scared of rejection. I just.. have to apply for them. LORD GIVE ME THE CONFIDENCE OF A MEDIOCRE WHITE MAN.
HEALTH
56kg is just not acceptable for me. I'm normally 53kg if I eat normally, don't watch what I eat, etc. I have started eating an enormous amount due to procrastination, boredom, etc. I just need to cut down portion sizes as well as less carbs. So, I guess my goals are 53kg.
STRETCH GOALS: 50kg. To attain this, I actually have to do exercise, which is something I just don't do. I have found fun 5 minute workout videos on YouTube, and it's probably a good place to start.
HOUSE
Get the house on the market before March, which is when Adam goes back to uni. This means I have to DECLUTTER the crap out of it, and clean it. This is a bigger job than you think, because to be honest, I'm a pig and my house is filthy. I'm going to start moving stuff to my in laws before we sell, so that the house is less cluttered. I'm also going to have to buy a few.. decorative things - I don't own decorative things due to young children, to try and spruce up the place.
I also need to see a mortgage broker, now that I am permanently employed. I would like to see how much I can borrow/pay back on my salary, before Adam gets a job.
ADAM
The bulk of 2016 will be taken up by Adam finishing the 4 units he has left of uni (of which he still has a High Distinction average GO HIM) and getting a job. He's aiming for grad positions and they are ridiculously competitive. Like, part of me is a bit pessimistic about it, but I can't show him because he's worked so damn hard for this.
Some grad positions open for applications in February, some in March, April, May, etc etc, and they can take up to 6 months to go through all of the assessment. 2016 is going to be a stressful year.
What I have to do, is make a spreadsheet of all of the places he'll want to apply, dates etc, and then practice applications with him because he kind of hasn't done this before and the constant rejection is going to hurt his soul. This is on top of the uni work he has to do! All of my applications for my own jobs has taken so much out of me this year, it's going to be worse for him.
I'm going to cry so hard if he gets a job, you have no idea guys.
Everything else going on with Adam is A+++
LIAM AND TOBY
We are going to start giving them more responsibilities now. Cleaning up their toys etc. Also give them better routines now that Liam is starting school (OMG)
MONEY
If we manage to sell the house, money in the short term won't be an issue. Moving in with the inlaws will save us a lot of money too, as will Liam going to school and not needing daycare.
I think we're ok for money.
LIFE
To be very honest, everything in 2016 is going to be swept aside for Adam finishing uni and getting a job. I am going to make sure we make time for the kids, but it's going to be hectic and stressful. Then finding a house to buy if Adam does get a job...
If we make it through this year and Adam gets a job, 2017 is going to be the greatest freaking year.
WORK
Get a promotion. I am well regarded at work, I hold a lot of important roles and they're sending me to external focus groups to try and make our organisation a better place. However I get passed over for a lot of promotions that actually pay more money like leadership roles and I think it's down to my job application skills, so I will try my fucking hardest this year to get that right. Like it is ridiculous, people at work always assume I'm in management and it pisses me off that I'm not.
Okay, I didn't get a promotion. However, I did a lot of sideways moves and gained a lot of experience in a lot of areas, that a promotion is pretty much inevitable at this point.
STRETCH GOAL: get a permanent position. There are rumours flying around that there will be a tiny number of permanent spots up for grabs at work this year (everyone here is on a short contract) and I don't think that I have a great chance, but I do have *a* chance so I want it. This job is flexible enough to let me work say, 10-3 every day which would be perfect while the kids are in school but still young.
THIS HAPPENED, HOWEVER. Our government kind of changed and that opened up all sorts of vacancies. I applied for three things in August, and after FOUR FREAKING MONTHS of the most stressful assessment etc, I was offered a permanent position on Christmas Eve for all three things :D I'm pretty much set with a job for life :) I'm going to be working in Refugee and Humanitarian Visas. The hours are flex between 7am-6pm, so as long as I work 37.5 hours a week, they won't care when I come in or when I leave, and if I work more hours than that, I can take that time in lieu. I can also purchase leave, on top of my 4 weeks annual leave, which makes things really flexible for school holidays (but that's kind of expensive, isn't it).
STUDY
I'm going to apply for a Diploma in Business Administration in the next couple of weeks. I want that qualification to help me get my next job. It's an online course, I should be done in six months.
This didn't happen because I didn't need it in the end, now that I've got a permanent job.
HEALTH
I currently weigh about 53kg in the morning. I want that to be 50kg by March. I want to be sub 50 by mid year and to keep it that way. My main plan of attack is to stop eating terrible snacks at work, and to cut down on the sheer amount of bread and sugar I consume. I hope that will be enough. I'll do more if I have to, but I don't really want to.
I want to excerise but I have zero plans. I wonder if taking the stairs more often would benefit at all whatsoever.
Ha. Hahahaha. I did get down to about 51kg, then I moved to another section at work where everyone eats a huge amount of snacks etc, and now weigh close to 56kg. :\ This will have to go back on this year's goals.
HOUSE
I have to start helping Adam out more with the housework. The plan is just to force myself into 20 min a day before bed time, tidy up.
This happened more, but not as much as I would like. The house was cleaner this year simply because the kids needed less supervision, and therefore Adam could spend more time cleaning.
LIFE
I want to read more actual books instead of fanfic. I want to listen to new music.
I have started a bullet journal as of this week where I'm keeping lists of things and I've listened to three new albums and read two books this week alone. It's also kept me so organised and productive, you should look into it, if to do apps aren't working for you.
I read like.. 5 books. It turns out that books don't do it for me anymore, they're just full of shit people doing shit things, or problematic authors being sexist or bad sex scenes or something. I have given into the fact that fanfic gives me what I need, and while I'm not really furthering my education with it, so be it.
I did listen to a lot of new music this year, but it was all pop music. Bullet journal continues to be great.
I'm going to try be more tactful, more discreet, and talk less about myself all things I admire in others that I currently lack.
Hmm. Turns out sometimes you can't really change your personality much.
ADAM
I am going to find my sex drive somewhere or get Adam to help me find it. I lost the desire to have actual-longer-than-perfunctory-5-min sec with the pregnancies and I can tell it really bothers Adam who is craving it. I have to find some energy somewhere too.
I am going to stop taking Adam for granted and do my best to assist with his workload and stress. So this includes helping out with home, and being more demonstrative in my affection.
I have worked out that I have the energy for full-marathon sex maybe once a month, and that gives us both enough good vibes for the boring sex we have 4 times a week or whatever. Adam is currently very pleased with having me for a wife because I have become better at appreciating him.
MONEY
I want to save enough money to go to Vietnam March 2016. Things that will help are the fact that they've changed the train ticket prices so I'll save like $750 a year on that alone. Adam is doing small jobs here and there, so if he did one once a month and we put that into savings, we'll get there. We can do it!
This is not going to happen. It costs too much. We went on a family holiday this year and that was nice but it already cost us $3000 and it was just a week, within Australia.
RANDOM OTHER THINGS
We need to work out what we're doing with our house situation once and for all. We want to move I just don't know how, right now, being single income, so I need to get proactive and go to a bank and ask. I need to be less afraid of change.
Yes. We have worked out what we are doing. We are selling, and selling soon. Adam is currently renovating on his Summer break from uni, and when he is finished we will sell. We will then move in with his parents for a year or so, while he finishes his last year of uni, and after he gets a job, we will buy a house closer to where we want to live.
ALRIGHTY. GOALS FOR THIS YEAR 2016.
WORK
Now that I have a permanent position, it opens up a wealth of internal positions that I am now able to apply for. I currently have two applications in for roles at the APS4 level (I'm currently APS3). My goal for 2016, is to get an APS4 job. This really shouldn't be very hard and I really should already have one, but not to worry, onwards and upwards. What this means in practical terms is I really need to keep some sort of log of exceptional things I do at work, so that I can pull them out for applications and interviews.
STRETCH GOAL: Somehow get an APS5 position. It's not impossible. My bosses keep telling me to aim higher, apparently I am playing things too safe still, too scared of rejection. I just.. have to apply for them. LORD GIVE ME THE CONFIDENCE OF A MEDIOCRE WHITE MAN.
HEALTH
56kg is just not acceptable for me. I'm normally 53kg if I eat normally, don't watch what I eat, etc. I have started eating an enormous amount due to procrastination, boredom, etc. I just need to cut down portion sizes as well as less carbs. So, I guess my goals are 53kg.
STRETCH GOALS: 50kg. To attain this, I actually have to do exercise, which is something I just don't do. I have found fun 5 minute workout videos on YouTube, and it's probably a good place to start.
HOUSE
Get the house on the market before March, which is when Adam goes back to uni. This means I have to DECLUTTER the crap out of it, and clean it. This is a bigger job than you think, because to be honest, I'm a pig and my house is filthy. I'm going to start moving stuff to my in laws before we sell, so that the house is less cluttered. I'm also going to have to buy a few.. decorative things - I don't own decorative things due to young children, to try and spruce up the place.
I also need to see a mortgage broker, now that I am permanently employed. I would like to see how much I can borrow/pay back on my salary, before Adam gets a job.
ADAM
The bulk of 2016 will be taken up by Adam finishing the 4 units he has left of uni (of which he still has a High Distinction average GO HIM) and getting a job. He's aiming for grad positions and they are ridiculously competitive. Like, part of me is a bit pessimistic about it, but I can't show him because he's worked so damn hard for this.
Some grad positions open for applications in February, some in March, April, May, etc etc, and they can take up to 6 months to go through all of the assessment. 2016 is going to be a stressful year.
What I have to do, is make a spreadsheet of all of the places he'll want to apply, dates etc, and then practice applications with him because he kind of hasn't done this before and the constant rejection is going to hurt his soul. This is on top of the uni work he has to do! All of my applications for my own jobs has taken so much out of me this year, it's going to be worse for him.
I'm going to cry so hard if he gets a job, you have no idea guys.
Everything else going on with Adam is A+++
LIAM AND TOBY
We are going to start giving them more responsibilities now. Cleaning up their toys etc. Also give them better routines now that Liam is starting school (OMG)
MONEY
If we manage to sell the house, money in the short term won't be an issue. Moving in with the inlaws will save us a lot of money too, as will Liam going to school and not needing daycare.
I think we're ok for money.
LIFE
To be very honest, everything in 2016 is going to be swept aside for Adam finishing uni and getting a job. I am going to make sure we make time for the kids, but it's going to be hectic and stressful. Then finding a house to buy if Adam does get a job...
If we make it through this year and Adam gets a job, 2017 is going to be the greatest freaking year.