New Year's Resolutions: The voice of experience: Give yourself plenty of time

Every year we set ourselves new goals in the form of New Year's Resolutions. Normally though, by the middle of January, most of these "goals" are nothing more than memories as we struggle to cope with our normal lives and our new resolutions (goals).

The only way I can cope with New Year's Resolutions is remembering previous experiences and to allow plenty of time for the goals to become a reality. The biggest time for me to set and achieve projects is between Christmas and New Year, when I am away from "work" - and this year is no exception. As you know, we are in the midst of re-decorating my son's bedroon (yes pics will follow) - but I am also making curtains and cleaning the house at the same time. When you own (or rent) a house it never ceases to amaze me just how much cleaning and maintenance needs to be done on a daily basis, let alone when you want to start a new project.

So a word of advice - don't underestimate the amount of time it takes to do things. For instance the walls needed 3 coats of paint...that's three separate days - with a day to cure in between each painting session. Then there has been the time taken to make the curtains, hanging, hems, and believe me you need to keep your energy levels up as you work. It might also interest you to know I've had most of the material for years, it's just without having curtain tracks to put them onto, didn't have any kind of incentive to sew them.

But the difference. As each job is finished, another major item is crossed off the list of things that needed to be done. Yes the 2008 goal list will be completed before the first week of 2009 - and that is a record in itself for me.

Anyway, I hope you are having a good break - and I hope you are getting lots done and cleared off your personal to do lists.