Setting Practical Goals in 2024
Happy New Year!
We are so excited for 2024 and all the events and experiences to come this year.
When a new year begins, we often make bold resolutions to change how we live our lives. Some of those might include working out every day, keeping your house spotless, and maintaining the perfect family life while also making time to read, craft, hang out with friends, and do fun things every weekend.
While making goals is a good thing, and we should always strive for improvement, sometimes when we get overzealous about the things we want to accomplish, we end up losing motivation to keep up with them.
This new year, we want to offer you practical tools that will help you set realistic, achievable goals. At Home Unlimited events, we don’t simply show you an incredible end product and expect you to get there on your own. At our hands-on seminars, we show you very practically how to turn ideas into reality and make your life a little bit more joyful.
To get involved in Home Unlimited in your area in 2024, head to our website under Events!
“Make few resolutions. Make them definite. — And fulfill them with the help of God."”
-St. Josemaria Escriva
Creating a Schedule
There are so many amazing things to be done this year, but how in the world can we get to them all? Creating daily, weekly, and monthly schedules can help you prioritize what really matters and create a true sense of balance in your life.
Here are some tips we have for creating new routines and schedules in 2024:
Start with priorities:
Begin by identifying and prioritizing your most important tasks and commitments. For a daily schedule, this would mean separating things you have to get done (ex. Make dinner) from the things you want to get done (ex. Read a book in the evening). For a monthly schedule, this would mean marking down family events and commitments that you will definitely be a part of versus activities that are still up in the air.
Use a planner or calendar:
One of the best ways to make sure your goals and desires are realistic is to use a planner to schedule out your days, weeks, and months. You can use a planning app on your phone or a physical calendar, whichever you prefer. Depending on how much structure you like in your schedule, you can purchase planners that even include the times of the day so that you can really see how many hours you have left after all your essential activities are finished.
Include time for prayer, family and friends, and rest:
Often, when we create a schedule, we forget to include the more passive activities in our plans. But when we get overwhelmed about life, it is often because we have not properly rested, spent enough quality time with family and friends, or made time to pray. Avoid this altogether by incorporating contemplative time into your schedule this year. This will not only help you to slow down and appreciate the small, peaceful moments in the day, but it will help you to truly enjoy the active moments in your life as well.
Delegate Tasks:
As women, we often try to do it all, all the time. However, it is impossible to do everything and never lean on anyone for help. Recognize that you don't have to do everything on your own. Delegate tasks that can be done by others among family members to foster a sense of shared responsibility.
Batch Similar Tasks:
Group similar tasks together to increase efficiency. For example, designate a specific time for grocery shopping or batch cooking to streamline meal preparation.
Creating a Meaningful Budget
One of the inhibiting factors in creating happier, more joyful lives is stress, specifically financial stress. The American Psychological Association reports that 72% of adults experience financial stress, 22% experiencing extreme stress in regards to their finances. Nearly one third of Americans say that a lack of finances prevents them from living a healthy lifestyle, and more than half of Americans say that they have just enough to get by from month to month.
One factor that contributes to financial stress is the lack of any structure in regards to finances. In the pursuit of creating happy homes, Home Unlimited recognizes the significance of financial well-being, and our top recommendation in achieving this is to create and stick to a budget. Crafting a purposeful budget is not just about numbers; it is about prioritizing the things that really matter to you and allowing you to experience financial freedom because you have parameters guiding your spending decisions.
Steps to create a helpful budget:
Step 1: Define Your Financial Goals
The first step in creating a budget that aligns with your values is to clearly define your financial goals. Whether it's saving for a family vacation, contributing to a charitable cause, or creating an emergency fund, understanding the purpose behind your budget provides a sense of direction and motivation. Each time you decide not to buy that morning coffee or to eat at home rather than at a restaurant, you can think of your financial goal and look forward to achieving it in the future because of your discipline in the present moment.
Step 2: Prioritize Needs and Values
In the realm of budgeting, prioritization is key. Our community understands the importance of distinguishing between needs and wants, ensuring that our financial decisions reflect our core values. By prioritizing spending on what truly matters, we create a budget that will support who and what we love and achieve the goals we have set for ourselves.
Step 3: Integrating Faith into Financial Planning
We believe that faith plays a major role when considering what to spend our money on. Integrating Christian principles into our budgeting process involves acknowledging our blessings, practicing gratitude, and being mindful of how our financial choices align with our faith and family goals. After looking at your financial needs, you might find that your family is unable to tithe. Offering time in service is a great way to give back to the community without placing undue strain on your home life. The important thing is thoroughly understanding what you need to spend money on so that you can prayerfully consider giving back to those around you.
Step 4: Prepare for the Unexpected
There are many areas of life that present relatively fixed costs, no matter what. Rent or mortgage payments, the phone bill, and insurance are some examples of fairly consistent costs in the average person’s life. However, over 54% of Americans said that the source of their significant financial stress came from unexpected costs. When creating your budget, set aside a chunk of money for the unexpected medical bill or car repair. Even if you can only contribute $20 a month to an emergency fund, you have peace of mind knowing that you are somewhat prepared for an unexpected cost should it arise.
Creating a purposeful budget is not just a financial exercise; it's a reflection of our values, aspirations, and commitment to nurturing happy homes. We hope that this step by step guide helps you tackle 2024 with financial confidence!
