I Make My Resolutions in September

As hot August nights roll into crisp September mornings, I kick back into gear. My body knows that something is up. I naturally begin waking up earlier despite my love of sleeping in. Perhaps this is because, after nine weeks of summer, I’ve finally caught up on all the sleep I missed during school-year mornings. Most likely, these earlier wakeups are prompted by my mind gearing up for all the new beginnings September holds.

Even more so than in January, I catch myself making resolutions for the new year in September. I’ve lived my entire life to the rhythm of the academic year–first as a student, then as a teacher, and now as a mom of four school-age kids. As a result, Labor Day has always been the beginning of my year. 

And I love it. It’s a chance to start anew. Fresh folders and perfectly pointy pencils. Revamped routines and optimistic outlooks. I’m recharged from summer and ready to return some structure to my days. The sky's the limit. 

As a stay-at-home mom, I have up to six hours a day, five days a week, (so 30 hours total each week) of kid-free time to manage as I see fit. There’s incredible potential there to live a full, healthy, productive life. And yet, my hopes and dreams (as well as some more-involved chores) too often get back-burnered in favor of the daily must-dos. Activities I'd like to do with some regularity only surface sporadically.

Precious daytime hours seem to evaporate in the blink of an eye. I drop off the kids at school, check in the PTA office to address any immediate needs, run a few laps in Central Park and shower off, throw in a load of laundry, gobble down lunch, send a dozen emails, marinate meat for dinner, and the next thing I know I’m dashing out the door–park bag loaded with snacks and gear–to make it to school pickup on time.

I’m done feeling frazzled. If there’s not enough time to take care of my responsibilities and still have time to do what I love, then I have signed up for too many obligations and need to scale back. Even unavoidable duties can simmer down in terms of expectations and time commitment. Yes, I need to feed my family of six. No, it does not need to be gourmet. Yes, I need to respond to email. No, it does not need to be during evening reading time with my kids. Yes, I need to exercise. No, I don’t need to do so on a strict schedule or in a specific way.

This year I’m trying something new: Pick one big-picture focus for each day of the school week (aside from any daily must-dos) and prioritize that. Anything else that fits in is a bonus. Come May, I expect I’ll be crawling toward the academic year finish line. But for now, I will ride this wave of motivation and start the year off with my priorities straight. Here are the goals my weekdays will revolve around this year:

Monday - School

Set Limits to Preserve the Joy of Volunteering

As PTA President, I could spend hours each day taking care of odds and ends at school or on my computer. This year, instead of PTA work spilling into every day, I’ll set aside Mondays to strategically plan out the school week, mapping out what projects are happening and which people and supplies are in place to facilitate those projects.

My goal is to dedicate my time to aspects of volunteering that match my skills and interests. If there’s a particular project I’m jazzed about, I will gladly spearhead it or support those taking the lead. For instance, I love building my kids’ class yearbooks, setting up leadership opportunities for our graduating 5th graders, running events that help all families connect to the school community, and keeping our Executive Board organized.

For the remaining projects, I’ll invite others to take the reins on those they are excited about. I’m convinced that, for every task, there’s a parent somewhere in our school community who would love to tackle it. It’s just a matter of finding them, inviting them to help, and setting them up for success. When it comes down to it, though, we are all volunteers, not paid employees. So there’s no need to coerce others into roles that are a poor fit. If no one signs up to run a particular booth at the Carnival or brew coffee for a parent mixer, for instance, we can just skip those things rather than me running around last-minute picking up loose ends.

 

Tuesday - City

Embrace New York City

On Tuesdays, I hope to enjoy the rich cultural landscape of NYC. It’s ridiculous to live on this expensive island without taking advantage of all it has to offer. I will carve out one outing each week as a chance to embrace this wonderful city and push beyond the 10-block radius where I spend most of my days.

I’ll visit museums, stroll through gardens, sample cuisine, explore neighborhoods, watch shows, and take classes. I’ll finally sign up for the Broadway ticket lotteries that I never make time for! I’ll walk the High Line, which I haven’t visited since a small section of it opened over a decade ago. I’ll make the most of the New York Public Library’s Culture Pass to pop into places I’ve yet to tour. To keep me accountable, I’ll invite a friend along or make reservations ahead of time.

 

Wednesday - Home

Habitstack Dreaded Housework

On Wednesdays, I’ll piggy-back off my already established habit of running in the park to tackle dirty housework. While I’m already gross and in need of a shower after exercising, I’ll clean the apartment. Since my husband works from the office on Wednesdays, I can play music and vacuum without needing to keep the noise down and mop without added foot traffic. Deep cleaning the bathroom always gets shoved to the end of my to-do list–especially the shower, which is so hard to clean if I’m already dressed for the day. But post-run I’ll need to change anyway, so I have no excuse but to jump in and scrub.

I’m tired of procrastinating. Every day that I think about dusting (...or washing water bottles…or wiping down the fridge shelves…or sanitizing the sink…) but decide not to means another day spent with the guilt of not cleaning plaguing my conscience and cluttering my to-do list. Better to just schedule it, take care of the task, and then have a whole week free before the following Wednesday rolls around. 

 

Thursday - Church

Spend Time on Spiritual Disciplines

Thursdays I will spend more time on the spiritual disciplines I value but that too often fall to the wayside, including reading the Bible, praying, memorizing scripture, and serving others. I attend a women’s Bible Study on Thursday mornings, where I relish the opportunity to read and discuss the Bible together with other women in my church community.

My goal for this year is to take this time a step further. Instead of rushing back uptown to whatever chores await me, I’ll set aside the middle of the day as well. Some weeks I’ll stay after to help the volunteers in the kitchen who make sandwiches to feed the homeless served at the Bowery Mission downtown. Other weeks, I’ll linger with the ladies after our study concludes, spending time praying for one another and reciting our scripture memory work or grabbing a bite to eat together before proceeding with our days.

 

Friday - People

Invest in Relationships

For my Friday focus, I’d like to spend more unhurried time with those who matter most. This might look like planning a lunch date with my husband (who works remotely on Fridays), catching up with friends over coffee or a walk in the park, or carrying on longer conversations with school parents at the playground after dismissal.

To kick off the weekend, Friday evenings are a great time to play games with my kids or invite family friends over for dinner. We’ve enjoyed much of this during the summer, and I hope to pull some of that routine into our school year as well. A well-planned out week will allow for meaningful family time when the weekend rolls around.

With any luck, these five areas of focus will spice up my weekday grind and ensure that those 30 school-day hours don’t slip through my fingers without me accomplishing anything I actually mean to do.