I use attainable goals as a way of staying focused on what I care about as well as things I really need to get done. Here are my monthly goals for April 2021.
If you’re a long term reader of this blog, you know that I love to set monthly goals. But you also know that they might not look like your stereotypical goals.
I use monthly goal setting as a way to focus on things that truly matter to me, as well as things that just have to happen. It’s a habit I have mostly kept going for over a decade now. You’ll notice that most of my goals are simple and attainable. You’ll also notice that I often fail to accomplish all of them – even though they ARE simple! That’s just life, sometimes.
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Looking back on March to Set April Goals
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Reflecting on how I did with the last month’s goals helps me figure out realistic goals I can set for a new month.
This year my goals are pretty simple, because I’m teaching middle school (online, although that may change in April) and homeschooling my two youngest children. Schools here are not really open yet, and nor is my husband’s office. So we have six people home all day every day. Mostly, that has been a good thing. In a typical year, my husband travels constantly. This past year of having him home all day every day made for lots of quality family time.
To cope with everything, I created sanity habits: swimming or walking, crafting, and making some time for music every day. Sometimes these are short walks and micro music or craft sessions. Sometimes they don’t happen. But focusing on this overall has an enormous impact on my overall happiness.
One really exciting thing happened in March: my Question a Day Journal for Kids went on sale! I loved writing this book of journal prompts for children, and so far it’s selling really well. So exciting!!!
For crafting, I made good progress on crocheting Little Red Riding Hood from the Once Upon a Time… in Crochet. Right I have a body with legs attached, arms that need attaching, a head and hair that need attaching, and a few accessories that need to be made. Hopefully we will finish this month! I also spent a lot of time helping Emma sew. She’s been making clothes for herself ever since I bought her a sewing machine for her birthday.
The biggest daily challenge remains keeping my students engaged in school when it’s all over Zoom. But we are all doing our best, and I’ve come up with some fun projects that I might find time to blog some day.
April 2021 Monthly Goals
I’m sticking with simple for my April 2021 goals, because I know this month will be incredibly busy with school. There is also real uncertainty, because the school I teach at is opening. It’s not clear, however, if electives teachers will return to campus or continue online. My work schedule (what happens at what time of day) might also change.
With all of that uncertainty in mind, here’s what I hope to accomplish:
- Work to keep my students engaged. It’s really hard to go to school over Zoom, and the students I teach often live in noisy, crowded, and un-ideal for learning circumstances. We might go back to in person school this month. Of course, that raises new challenges for me. My two older children are in school but so far still online. My two younger children are currently homeschooling, and we don’t plan to change that before next school year. Focus: education and mindfulness
- Maintain what I feel like are “sanity habits”: swimming or walking every day, crafting every day, and making time for some sort of music every day. Ideally music in addition to the music I’m teaching for school! These might have to change if I wind up commuting in to school in April. Focus: mindfulness and gratitude
- Continue to prioritize family time. It’s been the big win for us with all of the restrictions our community has been under these past 12+ months. Focus: gratitude
That’s it! Honestly, I’m mainly treading water here until my teaching year ends on June 16th. I’m glad I took the job, but also glad I’m not planning to go back in the fall. I hope to use the time I free up to focus on this site, as well as everything else that has gone untended these past few months.
What did March look like in your house this year? What monthly goals are you setting for April 2021?
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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.