SMART Habit Saturday

I found this blog/group called SMART habit Saturday by Lara of The Lazy Organizer. As the graphic explains, SMART stands for Saving Money, Associations, Reasources and Time. Since we are just into the first week of the new year, it seems like a great time to have found something like this. From my days as a language teacher, I remember a mentor once told me that when it comes to learning a new language, you often have to learn and forget a concept three times before it sticks. I know of times in my own language learning past, and experiences with my students that this is often the case. So it makes sense to me that forming new habits or breaking old ones is not something that can be done overnight (much as we would like). I've read somewhere that it takes 21-30 days of doing something to make it a habit. So I like the idea that at The Lazy Organizer, she is looking to focus on one new habit a month. I don't know what 12 things I will focus on in the next year, I think to be successful I need to flexible about what I am focusing on. We have a couple of things that will change in our lives over the next year and I am sure there are things to which we will need to adapt. For January I have two SMART habits I want to focus on- only because I couldn't decide which to tackle first.

My first priority is Menu Planning. My goal here is to eat better, to know what I am making for supper, to shop for my menu needs Sunday when I go to Sobeys (our supermarket) instead of heading out to pick out ingredients for supper every or every other day and of course, to stick to this plan. This is also one of my new years resolutions and I started last week. We've just finished one full week of a menu plan and we followed the plan 5 out of 7 nights. I think it was successful for the first week. We tried 3 new recipes, have a second helping of one in the freezer and found at least one we really liked. The other two may take just a little tweaking.

My second priority is tidyness. Since my living room, dining room and kitchen areas are open concept and all together, I want to focus on tidying this area of my house everyday. My goal is to pick up Ryan's toys, clear off/wipe down my table and counters and finish the dishes before I go to bed everynight. Vacuming and washing the floors every day or other day would be great but may need to wait until February.

I want to thank my sister-in-law because it was from her blog that I found first An Ordinary Mom and from there The Lazy Organizer. She is not only a great sister but a good mom, friend and someone I admire and respect.