I’m not really one for making resolutions (or so I tell myself every January). When I’m thinking rationally, and not caught up in the hype of the promise of a glowing New Year, I don’t see the necessity of them. Why decide to be better now, and not in March or last September?
What January holds (and the other months lack) is a concrete idea of new beginnings, an idea that so many people around you are also invested in. It offers a spirit of community and (I am going to be completely honest here) gives you the knowledge that with every day you succeed you have succeeded one day more than someone else who’s given up. And as a competitive person at heart, that idea, although somewhat mean, speaks to me.
This year, I’m not focusing on resolutions made hastily before midnight on the 31st December and abandoned by the 3rd January. This year, I have a plan. A plan which I am aware may fail but a plan none the less. Towards the end of last year, I came across a tag on tumblr designed for students – #100daysofproductivity. 100 days. That’s all. Not a whole year, only 100 days. Manageable. Do-able. Achievable. So that is what I am aiming for with my goals. I’m not starting out with the year stretching before me, overwhelmed with what lies ahead. I have taken time to plan, to think, to strategise.
The best part of the 100 day challenge is that it gives me breathing space. Space to make mistakes and miss things and not be derailed by it. Because for me, the aim is not to pick one thing and work on it every day (as much as I’d like to be able to do that). For me, the aim is to work a little on any of goals every day for 100 days. So if I miss going for a walk one day and the words refuse to come, when editing seems more like brain surgery or when I would rather bury myself alive than look at another French verb, it doesn’t matter in the long term, as long as I do one of those things.
100 days of productivity is a way of achieving my goals that suits me and my lifestyle and which I should succeed at. And by mid-April, when the 100 days draw to a close, I’ll be better for it than if I had made hasty resolutions and abandoned them soon after.
So, what are my goals?
- Finish editing 2nd section of Queen of Hearts
- Add 20,000 words to Rebellion Rising (and get a better name for it!)
- Finish writing Enarenel (approx. 10,000 words)
- Improve my French
- Expand my Swedish vocabulary & grammar knowledge
- Get to level 6 on Duolinguo for Spanish
- Go for walks (because gym membership is expensive)
- Find a job
I’ll be starting the 100 Days of Productivity challenge on January 11th because I’m moving house the weekend before that date and because it gives me more time to plan. After all – if you fail. to plan, you plan to fail (which is not a mantra I ever use in regards to my writing….). I’d be chuffed if you wanted to join me on this fun venture. 🙂 Let me know if you’re interested and I can start up a linky thing for progress posts. And best of luck for your resolutions if you made them. I hope you keep at them. 🙂
R.E. Navan 