Another year has passed and it’s time to make plans for the future!
While not necessarily associated with making those dreaded resolutions, there’s a way to make practical plans so that you won’t be taken off guard come January.
In honour of the new year, here’s how you can prepare for 2023.
Plan for the Whole Year
Invest in a small calendar (by month, not day) so that you can have a sort of bird’s eye view of what the next year will bring. This prevents you from micromanaging every little detail and missing out on the bigger picture (such as holidays, etc).
Most people plan by day (planning for specific dates under each month). The above template is a good example to follow.
Create a simple table digitally where you can type and move plans around neatly instead of using pen and paper. Make sure all 12 months are in one sheet so you can figure out a pattern.
Some things you may need to plan for other than vacations include school events, taxes, car repairs, retail sales, etc. Basically, any time-sensitive occasion or responsibility that may need your attention.
Research Public Holidays
Parenthood comes first once you become a mother, and this means spending as much quality time with your kids as possible.
This means maximising family vacation time throughout the entire year by synchronising your work schedule with school holidays, etc.
It’s best to apply for your annual leaves ahead of time. This way, your boss and colleagues won’t be able to surprise you with any last-minute work.
Hence, no more missed vacations.
Budget
For each special event you’ve planned (beach day, road trip, picnic, etc.) make sure you have an allocated budget but this doesn’t have to be totally specific. A ballpark figure will do, especially if you model off of previous years’ spendings.
Families are known to do pretty much the same holiday rituals each year and spend relatively the same amount of money. But don’t forget to leave plenty of room of unexpected purchases as well.
You can plan your savings and salary around these events. This way, you’ll know exactly how much you have left after each month and once commitments have been deducted.
Allow Room for Flexibility
Know that there will be unsuspecting hiccups in your beautifully constructed scheme, no matter how much you plan.
So allow room for flexibility. Don’t pack too many things within a single month unless you have to.
Things like your annual health check-ups (PAP smear/mammogram, etc), dentist appointments should be prioritised, of course. But space them out so that there’s plenty of breathing space.
Even it’s just so you can relax and not think about anything. Your weekends don’t always have to be productive.
But for major things like house renovations, moving homes, having a baby and starting a career change may need plenty of prior planning so you don’t end up blindsided.
Check Your House
Make a household itinerary for repairs, removals and additions or just anything that needs looking at.
This includes clothes, furniture, fixtures, appliances, food, storage, etc. Bathroom, bedroom, living room, kitchen; leave no stone unturned.
This is as much an exercise in decluttering as it is a new year’s preparation. We often may waste so much time trying to get our homes in order during those chaotic times that it just gets exhausting.
For instance, isn’t it stressful that on that one day you wake up with a headache, your washing machine decides to break down in the middle of a cycle and there’s no Paracetamol left in the medicine cabinet?
These things pile up more often than you realise. So, make sure all the essentials are stocked, maintained and ready to go.
Fine-tune the Details
Once you’ve briefed out your plans and schedules for the coming year, now’s the time to add in the details!
Again, you don’t have to be too meticulous. Circling dates and making a little notation will usually suffice.
You can, of course, supplement this step by making reminders on your phone calendar so that you don’t forget.
Often when we’re in the flow of things we tend to miss all our planning. So be sure to set alarms, ideally the day or week before the important date (depending on how much more planning you need to do).
Between all the planning and scheduling and the setting of reminders, a solid day would be plenty of time to get it all sorted.
Here’s to a Stress-Free New Year
Our new year preparations may at times be riddled with anxiety and dread. The thought of going through another year can be just as stressful.
But actually, setting the time out of the day to properly chart out the year can be rewarding. Even if it can be stressful for some people.
Just remember, planning ahead is already half the battle won. Once you got all your ducks in a row, rest assured you can take a load off and actually enjoy the fruits of your labour.
As a wise person once said: If you prepare for the worst, then the worst may not happen.
And that’s a pretty good philosophy to have for any parent!
Motherhood wishes all our beloved readers a Happy New Year! May 2023 be great one for you and yours filled with only good health and blessings.
For more insightful stories and fun recipes, stay tuned to Motherhood Story!