New Year's Resolutions

[von Boom]

I've a few:

Reduce spending to nearly nothing.
Sell off things I haven't used in the last year or more.
Improve my German and French to be fluent.
Read more and spend less time on video games.

[SuperSurfer]

These are no doubt a repeat of the last lot. Not much at all!

• Find an extra source of income to fill work gaps which occur a few times a year. The gaps can be unnerving and costly. Not sure how I will work that out as I do prioritise work when it comes from one source. And need to do creative work rather than the stuff that just pays the bills. A tall order though.

• Do some work on this house. We've been here two years and it still feels as if we're living in someone else's house. Need to save up to do the serious work, but we need to get the ball rolling and at least do some work that will make it a more pleasant place to live.

• Be more focussed. Sit down, do what I need to do, turn off the computer.

• Go to bed earlier especially on work days.

• Draw. Not draw more. Draw. Start the art comps in good time. Upload what I do draw online.

• As well as the comicy stuff I need to get back into non-comic illustration. Start a blog or something for that.

• Upload a backlog of photos online.

• Make time to see friends.

• Make time for a holiday.

• Stop constantly grazing.

• Do a driving refresher course. Not driving has really held me back. But I reckon it has helped healthwise as I have no choice but to walk a lot.

Making time for fitness activities is one of the few things I do have in order. I do go to the gym once a week (first visit of the year was yesterday) and do martial arts twice a week and depending on work situation some long jogs. Still need to lose some flab though due to the grazing.

To go to the gym and my martial arts course regularly (at least once a week for each).

Without straying off topic what martial arts do you do, JayzusB? Apologies if we have already had this conversation.

[Professor Bear]

I made a few - all immediately derailed by the first death of the year.

[Tiplodocus]

Just a reminder that to help you achieve these resolutions it's best to set SMARTobjectives for them.

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time Related

E.g  lose weight is a bit vague, look like Arnie is probably not realistic or achievable but I coukd resolve to lose 2 stones between now and my daughter's wedding (as it is a set target and date, I will know how I am tracking against it and if I am achieving it).

[JayzusB.Christ]

Supersurfer, I don't remember having this conversation before. I do Bujinkan anyway, basically ninjutsu if such a thing could be said to exist. To be honest though I haven't trained regularly for years, and have been stuck at the belt before black for about 5 years. Probably deserve to drop a couple too, I'm so rusty.

Tips, thanks for that. Ive heard of SMART goals before but having been reminded will start implementing the system to my resolutions.

[sheridan]

Just a reminder that to help you achieve these resolutions it's best to set SMARTobjectives for them.

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time Related

E.g  lose weight is a bit vague, look like Arnie is probably not realistic or achievable but I coukd resolve to lose 2 stones between now and my daughter's wedding (as it is a set target and date, I will know how I am tracking against it and if I am achieving it).

Good call - also, avoid having objectives where you have to do something at regular intervals (say every day or week), because if you do miss it just once then you'll be demotivated from that point on.  Allow yourself to miss an objective a few times.  In a perfect world I'd be able to spend time on resolution-y kinds of things every day, but I know that outside of work and meeting up with friends I'll have about twenty minutes free at home each day for tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday (such a social butterfly, me).  Tuesday I'll probably be spending time tidying the flat for that Wednesday social engagement (first in about a month).  I've not even looked at what's coming up on Friday and the weekend.  I suspect I'll be missing things so that I can have a rest.

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

To get 5000 posts here

[JayzusB.Christ]

To get 5000 posts here

Race you to it.  I'm two ahead already. 

[SuperSurfer]

I do Bujinkan anyway, basically ninjutsu if such a thing could be said to exist.

Ok. Hadn't heard of that. Looked it up. Very intriguing.

As for my resolutions, I haven't properly worked out what I can do differently to last year to stick to them this time round. Other than be someone else. Seriously though, I will consider those Tiplodocus tips. Thanks for that.

[amines2058]

I need to redefine my goals into SMART objectives as Tiplodocus says, but plans are as follows:

Loose a few pound (actually more like 1.5-2 stone)

Cut down on the booze (will probably help the above)

Improve my workflow for drawing comics. I feel I am taking to long per page, with a not very well defined workflow for the steps I take from idea to finished page.

Improve my planning and scheduling for comics so it is not a last minute rush.

If both above work then this should allow me to enter every monthly art comp, and also draw more for my own benefit and pleasure.

Possibly set up a blog, or at the least regularly update my Deviantart and FB page with all new doodlings and scribblings.

Spend less!

I am sure there are more that will come to me, but most will be tied into the above in some way.

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

To get 5000 posts here

Race you to it.  I'm two ahead already. 

No

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

To get 5000 posts here

Race you to it.  I'm two ahead already. 

You're

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

To get 5000 posts here

Race you to it.  I'm two ahead already. 

Not!

[TordelBack]

Amateur hour.

[ZenArcade]