4 December 2016
2017 is almost here. Time to put the plan into action.
I’ll keep this short and to the point. The list of things I will and won’t be doing next year is long, but the intent is simple.
At the top of the list is reducing our spending. That feeds directly into the next priority: clearing our debt. Carrying it around feels like a physical weight. It slows everything down. It has to go.
The third change is stepping away from the smartphone as my day-to-day device. I still have the Punkt phone from the digital detox challenge earlier in the year, so that will be pressed back into service. Calls and texts are enough.
My freelance work will continue, but under stricter, more minimalist rules. Rates will be fair. Overheads will stay low. I won’t undersell myself again.
Fitness remains important, but not just physical fitness. Mental well-being matters just as much. The weight loss journey continues, too. I’ve got some excellent clothes stored in the attic that deserve another outing. Better to fit back into those than buy new ones for the wrong reasons.
Social media will be limited to a few minutes a day, maybe a little more at weekends.
Karta’s future will shape many of our decisions this year. He’s the most precious thing in my life and deserves my time, attention, and experiences, not distraction.
Family visits will increase.
Books need reading. I’ll aim for one a week when I can. Writing will continue too. I still have things to say, and they deserve to be written down, even if only for me.
Friends will be seen more often than they were this year.
Television will be limited to two hours a day during the week. I reserve the right to catch up via Plex. I’m not a monster.
Sleep will improve. Tech and TV off at 10pm. Shower. Bed. Reading.
Haircuts will be short.
And yes, writing. I love to write. I’m getting better at it. I’ll do it every day if I can.
So 2017, I welcome you with open arms and a finger on the off switch.
2016 can do one.
Until next time,
adieu.