I love goals. In fact, all the planning and goal-setting with the New Year makes it one of my favorite holidays. I start thinking about goals in December, making lists and giving various ideas trial runs. Then during the week after Christmas, I finalize my plans.
This rendition is inspired by Cal Newport’s Analog January Challenge which I adopted last year and attempted to implement.
Read
In 2020 I read 188 books. The majority were for school or read along with book groups or podcasts I follow. This year I am focusing on the Schole Sisters 5×5 Reading Goal—five books read in each of five categories. I am adding the qualification that they be books I choose for myself rather than reading along with others. Here are my categories:
- Contemporary British literature. Honestly I cannot think of five books in this category which is why I want to pursue it. Contenders include Tana French or Girl, Woman, Other.
- Place. Books selected according to geography (where they are set). Think David McCullough’s Pioneers or the classic The Last of the Mohicans.
- Pulitzer/National Book Award winners or nominees (past and current).
- Business books. David Epstein’s Range tops the list of ideas for this category. Also, Malcolm Gladwell and Adam Grant.
- Fun, contemporary novels. Books in this category I wanted to read in 2020 include Sea Wife and Ask Again, Yes.
- Black Authors Matter. Someone else coined that phrase but I’m running with it. I always read at least five books in this category but want to make sure I do so again. I am currently reading The Warmth of Other Suns; a couple other favorites in this category from 2020 include The Vanishing Half and Silver Sparrow.
- Books published in 2021.
- Longform nonfiction. This is the type of thing that would be nominated for the Pulitzer or National Book Award. Previous favorites include The Yellow House and Thick: and Other Essays, both nominated in 2019.
- Contemplative literature. I’ll be kicking off the new year with Wintering by Katherine May which has gotten a lot of mentions lately.
- 20th century novels. I love going back and reading books that I missed but that aren’t necessarily considered “classics.” Previous favorites include Lonesome Dove, Catcher in the Rye and Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier).
You’re saying, That’s more than five categories, Tana! Yes, I know. I plant to reach my goal in at least five categories.
Move
I got an Apple Watch in December (not a Christmas present) as we will be changing insurance plans in the New Year and they have Motion challenge for which they will put money in a HSA based on our activity. Between the two, I have the following daily goals:
- Get up and move around once every hour 12 times
- Get 300 steps in 5 minutes 6 times
- Exercise continuously for 30 minutes
- Get 10,000 steps
Prior to getting the Apple Watch, I was getting around 5000 steps per day using my iPhone as a pedometer. Getting steps is much easier with the Apple Watch, but I still have to push myself. Ironically, the 300 steps in 5 minutes 6 times is the goal I never hit in December. Yesterday it snowed all day, so I got a baseline by only trying to get up and move around once an hour twelve times. Today I’m going for the 300 steps in 5 minutes six times. The other two I’ve gotten at least five days a week so no issues there.
Connect
This is a tough one for me. I don’t work in an office with lots of people where 20 conversations with 20 different people (as Newport recommends) happens with just a bit of extra effort. Justin Whitmel Earley recommends one hour of conversation weekly in his book The Common Rule. For me, that’s a bit easier as I already have a standing date-night with Steve and a weekly virtual coffee with a friend. I’d like to branch out a little, though, and add more friends to the mix.
As someone who works from home (yes, homeschooling is my job), social media long ago took the place of casual water cooler conversations at work. I know Newport was trying to get people off social media with his challenge, but there is something to be said of a well-curated social media feed. I have friends who have quit social media completely, but when we compared notes on their issues and how I use social media, there were vast differences. My plan is to continue to cultivate the online friendships that I have and post more of the things I love to see on social media.
Make
Three goals in this category:
- Knit for 21 minutes every day. This is my 21 in 2021 challenge.
- Learn to play hymns using chord progressions. I think I’ve finally cracked the code on this, but I still have a lot of work to do.
- Cook [almost] all the recipes in the new cookbook I got for Christmas: Ina Garten’s Modern Comfort Food.
Join
This is by far the easiest category for me as I already have many things in place, even with COVID restrictions.
- Church. I play the organ every week so I was there even when churches were closed and everything was online.
- Scouts. Caroline will be crossing over to a troop this spring, and I plan to be involved as an Assistant Scoutmaster.
- Well Read Mom. This year I am leading the group I have been a member of for many years.
- Literary Society. I recently joined a local book group that has grown to being more of a literary society. This group is not for the faint of heart. Selections for the 2021 include Ben-Hur, Candide and St. Augustine’s Confessions.
Once COVID restrictions are lifted, I hope to resume the following:
- Community band. Weekly rehearsals for the greater part of the year.
- Girl Scouts. I am a troop co-leader, and I miss doing activities with the girls.