Life is busy, and the negative things tend to get most of our attention. I am not a “no bad days” girlie, but I am a believer in keeping tabs on all of our progress toward our goals – those things that seem insignificant today could just be the foundation of our future success. My month-end review practice takes just a few minutes and helps capture all the info you need to make your fastest progress – let’s go!
At the end of each week and month, I like to take a look back and ask a few simple questions. I write my answers in my planner so I can flip back and see my patterns (we all know are brains are a touch unreliable about our own behavior sometimes, right?) and my progress, but write yours wherever you’d like! Feel free to add on or modify as you see fit; the most important part is just doing it.
1. What worked?
No detail is too small to record here. If we are talking about fitness progress, did you make it to all or most of your planned workouts? Did you make it through an office lunch without eating junk you didn’t feel like eating? Did you try something new that you want to try again? Meal prep? Better snacks? Brought your gym clothes to work or decided to stash a set in your trunk so that you don’t get derailed? Improved your sleep? Whatever you did, note it! All of it!
2. What didn’t work?
Did you add too many new things to your list at once? Plan some meals you didn’t enjoy? Try to become a morning person all at once? Whatever didn’t work, write it down and get curious:
- is this something you need to rework or better support so that you can succeed next month?
- is this something you need to take off your list for right now?
- is this step too far in the future? do you need to complete a few intervening steps first before you try to move on?
- are you too tired or hungry to make it happen?
Write down your steps, if any, toward resolution and trying again…and don’t be afraid to table something (indefinitely if needed). Life is short!
3. What’s coming up? (optional)
Take a peek into the upcoming month and note anything you want to do to get prepared for what’s ahead.
4. What should I stop doing? (optional)
I learned about making a “not to-do” list when I was a project manager, and I found it surprisingly helpful. My current not to-do list includes things like overthinking as a delay tactic, drinking more coffee than water, self-doubt, and staying up too late for no good reason. When I feel like things are sliding out of control, a glimpse of this list can usually help me catch whatever bad habit is creeping back into my life.
Do you have any of these classes on your list?! I know I see a lot of you each week, so don’t forget to congratulate yourself for making time to get moving, with or without me <3
- Wednesday 6:30pm Zumba at Jerabeck Athletic Center (free; second floor dance studio, street parking)
- Saturday 9:30am Zumba at Montrose Collective (free, meets at 888 Westheimer, street/garage parking, and make sure to use your Zumba discount at the Plant Project!)
- Sunday 9am Zumba (free, meets at Levy Park – 3801 Eastside)
- Monday 6:30pm Zumba (free, meets at Levy Park – 3801 Eastside)
