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Breathe Through the Overwhelm (May 2021Goals)

Setting monthly goals really works if you pay attention to demands and life circumstances. May 2021 goals feature breathing through overwhelm. Learn more on how to cope when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

May 2021 Goals

Setting Monthly Goals When Live is Overwhelming

How is life going here? Well, not awesomely, if writing goals for the month several days into said month is any indicator.

But, really, there is an awful lot to be grateful for. I live in a beautiful home in a safe neighborhood, and I love my family. The students at the school I’m teaching at inspire me, even if juggling that job with everything else is a serious challenge.

I have six weeks of teaching to go, so this is a “take it one day at a time” period of my life.

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What Worked in April?

April goals were, intentionally, super doable.

April Goal #1: Work to Keep Students Engaged

As an elective (music) teacher, I’m teaching over Zoom through the end of the year, but about half of my students now attend school in person. It turns out that this works wonders with attendance, but engagement is still 100% my problem. I switch it up a lot with learning games, interesting videos, and a range of ways students can participate. Participation rates remain lower than I would like, but they’ve improved and I’ll take it. I feel a lot of empathy for students who are at the tail end of an entire year of going to school almost entirely through a computer screen.

How do you homeschool and teach online at the same time? I teach my daughters before and after school ends, and also create lessons they can complete on their own. It’s not ideal, but it works. I wouldn’t recommend juggling it all long term, though. As much as I love the school I work at, I’m returning to my typical freelance work from home set up for this upcoming fall.

April Goal #2: Maintain Sanity Habits

Sanity habits are things we do daily to stay sane. Swimming, crafting, and playing music works wonders with sanity for me. I’m also a fan of prayer, meditation, and mindfulness. And conversations with friends and family. You could say it takes a lot to keep me sane, but if it works? Go for it

April Goal #3: Prioritize Family Time

The biggest family time win in our home in April turned out to be our new tradition of turning internet off – for the entire house – for a couple hours every Sunday afternoon. This means that everyone also has to put away their phones for two hours. I bought the Enchanted Forest EXIT game, and the kids and I spent a couple hours completing it. Unfortunately, the other games in this line feel a little dark for my crew, but we highly recommend that one.

We’ve used the time to play, go on walks, bake, craft, and simply hang out together. It’s my new favorite family tradition.

Red tulips

May 2021 Monthly Goals

I’m in a holding pattern, so I’m actually repeating the same goals for May that I set in April. Not exactly, but very close…:

  • Work to keep my students engaged while juggling the care of my own children, who are all home all day every day. Focus: education and mindfulness
  • Maintain “sanity habits”: swimming or walking, crafting, playing music, and conversations with family and friends. Focus: mindfulness and gratitude
  • Continue to prioritize family time. Children grow up so fast! Focus: gratitude

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MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.

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