Review of my top five

I thought I’d do a review of my top five from January to March. For the backstory check out my top five post.  Fast take in January I decided to pick five items to concentrate on for three month. To let other things slide. 

The exercise and reading were easy as they have been part of my day/life forever. I can, when weather permits, walk to and from work. Reading, well it is how I escape so always to fit in.  The blogging and writing were overall fine. It helped that I was apartment sitting for the three months. I took myself there for long weekends to work. There were no distractions so work I did. You know there is always stuff at home to do….when I finish this or that. Here I set myself up on the dining room table and worked. I accomplished a lot during those long weekends. I’m not sure I would have accomplished my goal for one project if I didn’t have access to that apartment. 

Blogs posts I wrote some drafts and now have some scheduled for later. It was Instagram I fell down on the most. It should have been the easiest so no excuses here. Social media is not my strong suite for my blog. It has never been something I push, so I put Instagram in my top five. Hmm…..I didn’t do well here.

I enjoy making a mess and that didn’t make my top five for January – March. It didn’t make the top five but I did make a mess on a few occassions. We had a deep freeze in March and we found large paint-by-numbers. We purchased as our stay at home project for the weekend. Yes, I know I had my top five, blogging, writing, reading, exercise and Instagram I could have done. Did the reading and exercise. I also made a collage with my cousin one Saturday afternoon. 

I feel I am moving forward as I was gentle with myself. I didn’t negative self-talk about not concentrating on my top five. I let it go. I did overall do my top five and have completed projects to show for it. I no longer apologize for “falling off the wagon”. I mean seriously, if we have a fun afternoon why ruin it by beating ourselves up later? Life is too short. 

Would I do a top five again? Definitely. It gave me focus for larger projects. Setting time aside for them. Also a deadline. Again I would do three months as doable and didn’t feel like a huge sacrifice. Well, I didn’t really sacrifice as still did a few things outside of my top five. I did have them in the forefront (except for Instagram apparently). 

So looking back I’m pleased with what I accomplished. I have a major project completed. Blog posts scheduled. I’ll admit having access to the apartment helped – change of scenery alone. I realize I need more focus at home. To create a better routine for writing/blogging/social media.  Sit my arse down and work. No distractions. No excuses. I can so do that.

Take away. Do a top five for a time period that works for you. Also if you fall off that is okay. Life happens. Things come up. My afternoon with my cousin was months in the making. I wasn’t going to give it up just because it wasn’t part of my top five. Be flexible. Be gentle. Get back to work. We don’t know maybe something not on our top five inspires something or leads us down a rabbit hole. Be curious. Nothing should be written in stone here. 

I don’t have a top five set exactly for the next three months. Mulling stuff over. Do have a few projects I want to do. Let me know if you have done a top five or something similar. How did it go? Do you feel it was worth it? Deadlines? Focus? I’m curious! Which is always a good thing.

 

You can always start now!