“Cultivate what matters.”
This is the tagline for the popular PowerSheets company. They are sold out for the year — BUT I actually don’t buy these PowerSheets every year — let me tell you my hack — I copy my TENDING LIST from 2018 each and every month so I’m not buying them (my powerhouse printer/copier is an – affiliate- Epson EcoTank 3760 for those wondering, I love it and have not replaced the ink after 15 months of having it!)
You can also download a free printable of a similar Tending List here, if you’d like!
Sometimes I fail at the *daily* habits I’m trying, but most days I succeed! I love coloring in the little box:
- phone downstairs so it’s not the last thing I see at night or the first thing I see in the morning
- quiet time each morning
- read non-fiction and fiction each day
- work out or family walk every day
- “do something nice for Nathan”
One of my *monthly* habit goals this year for each month is to date my husband more. 1-2 dates a month, and it’s been wonderful for our relationship! (Also monthly: work on photo albums, get rid of basement storage junk, lots of tasks I WANT to do, etc.)
Also on my *weekly* habit tracker is a weekly connection with each of the kids. (Ice cream, a walk just the two of us, movie with my son….)
This life I’ve cultivated, I work hard for! Each day I have to fight the outside noise! The pull of my attention (others’ expectations of me, a la friends or commitments that are NOT as important as reading on the couch with my girls or chatting with my husband about our days), or the screen addiction (thinking I need to read the latest news cycle… hint: I don’t), etc.
My children and husband first in my life. Always. This takes dedication. Every. Single. Day. And recommitting to this daily, weekly, monthly with PowerSheets ensures the NOISE of the outside world doesn’t creep in and put them into second place!!
I will continue to purposely say no to a lot of things so I can spend time on what truly matters!!
….The time freedom we have because I joined something 7 years ago that I thought I hated (direct sales) is a blessing beyond measure — I am here, home, and I decide when I work (time blocking: I work in the mornings, a little in the afternoons, and some evenings, other than that, my phone is out of sight and sometimes placed on my dresser upstairs so I’m not tempted to grab it during a bathroom break and waste 15 minutes here or there!) — I want to be completely present with our homeschool and with our family time! What a blessing! Intentionality is everything!
Tools to help with time blocking and intentionality:
- PowerSheets,
- read Atomic Habits by James Clear,
- get the Full Focus Planner from Michael Hyatt and check out all his free trainings and all of his books too!
- Deep Work by Cal Newport
- Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
- The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
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