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Sweet Sixteen

Think it, Plan it, Do it
Tortoise1000
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Sweet Sixteen

#19027

Postby Tortoise1000 » December 31st, 2016, 3:18 pm

This is a report on the 2016 goals which I posted on a year ago on the ‘Sweet Sixteen’ thread on TMF:

http://boards.fool.co.uk/sweet-sixteen- ... sort=whole

1. Keep working on the retirement investing project.

B minus. Good marks for tracking finances accurately, creating a new long term planning spreadsheet, tax planning and having net worth higher than it was a year ago. Bad marks are various. Too much in cash, objective insufficiently clear, some things I meant to do I haven’t got round to. I haven’t prioritised it, that is the problem. To be addressed next year. .

2. Get fitter (this is a financial goal too. If I am not fit I won’t be collecting my dividends for long. Nor shall I achieve my lifetime target fortune by reinvesting them)

Yes! This one I did prioritise. I am one of that middle aged cohort who had the finger pointed at us recently for being alcoholic overweight slobs. I am pleased to say I am doing something about it. I feel much fitter. I have shed 3 stone and reduced the time it takes me to walk 5k from 65 minutes to 50. (I realise it is fashionable to run the 5k these days, rather than walk it, but I have a bad knee which does not benefit from impact so have stuck to the tortoise approach. ) On the downside, I seem to have developed a tendency to lose my balance and go over sideways for no apparent reason. But at least now if I fall over I shall land with less of a thump.

3. Finish the house refurbishment.

There are jobs left to do, but it is a furnished house now rather than a building site

4. Tidy the garden (currently a mangrove swamp scattered with leftover building materials)

Cconsiderably tidier

5. Support TJ at university.

Sigh. Yes, ongoing saga. Lots of time put into this, lots of stress, but he is still there.

6. Win the Lottery (an alternative short-cut to the target fortune. There is no harm putting it down, like a spell, is there? :-)

Achieved! I won another ticket. Not quite what I intended, though. Try again next year

7. Start finding something else to do.

I have been fairly busy recently so it hasn’t been an issue, but I have given thought to the matter. I realise that procrastinating has been one of my favourite activities over the years. So I may do more of that.

T

futuresaver101
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Re: Sweet Sixteen

#19032

Postby futuresaver101 » December 31st, 2016, 3:26 pm

T,

You are so right ! I have just looked at my Sweet Sixteen goals and I have done more than I realised, and work/life is so much better than 12 months ago. It puts that dodgy work project of the past six months into perspective :)

So, for everyone on Lemon YTST - here is my Sweet Sixteen analysis, and my first draft (probably the only pass through unless I have too much champagne tonight :)) for 2017.

What did I say last year ?

"2015 was a not-nice year for me. Not as bad as 2007 or 2008, but I think I'd put it in the top 5. Looking back, I realise that I lost my ability to focus at work (stress levels etc.) and my home life really suffered from the lack of stability"

And now ? *2016 has been a much much better year. I think I might actually put it in the top 5. My husband said this is the best he has ever seen me in terms of work-life balance.*

I clearly was feeling optimistic 12 months ago :) "I now boldly present my goal of achieving Fellowship of my professional society by the age of 50....will help with a broader reach network and perhaps also with the portfolio career which may want/need to be a priority as employment stability reduces....50s are the prime time for getting made redundant (again) and I want to be more prepared this time."

And the 2016 end of year report is positive here too.

*My new mentor actually suggested I apply in 2016, not wait until 2021. Although my first draft was knocked back, and I am not sure my take 2 in 2017 will get accepted this is underway. I also have been working with a second mentor for post-50s career resilience.*

And then 12 months ago my mind turned to more practical matters:

"I am sat here in my study which is, quite frankly, a tip. There is enough loose paper here to make it a fire hazard, and if it's a reflection of my inner organisation, it's no wonder I have trouble getting things done."

And now, at the end of 2016 ? *Whoop whoop whoop ! It took until Sept to really get going on this but once I started, and with the help of Marie Kondo, I freed my office from the clutter. I so enjoy sitting in this room now*

I also set some practical targets

Home/Work Routine 2016 goals
1) Don't go into work "late" more than twice/month *managed this*

2) Leave the office 5 pm at the latest (this lets me get to exercise classes) *hmmmm, this might be a bit optimistic for 2017, I managed it about 15-20 percent of the time. Will define it as three days/week for 2017*

3) Be in bed lights out by 10 pm at the latest *more focus required on this, probably more like 10-15 percent of the time. Will define as three days/week for 2017*

4) Don't play online scrabble except during the commute *yes, have stuck to this one whilst working. Have binged on scrabble playing during the holidays though :) *

5) Fit in a short daily meditation *yes, managed maybe 25 percent of the time. Will refine for 2017 to be 3 days/week*

I will keep the 5 above for 2017, and add a sixth for 2017.

2017 - Daily (hamstring and more) stretches. 15 minutes total. Be able to get my head to touch the ground when doing a forward bend. Clearly I will be doing as wide a stance - stretching required in a different direction - as I can manage at the same time. Maybe I set the splits as a 2018 target, let's see how I go with this one first :)

Professional goals - an end of 2016 review.

1) Complete my CPD plan for 2016, and flow down CPD guidance to my CEng mentees *really nailed this one, got audited and passed on my record, ran CPD mentee groups and more*

2) Approach my professional society for a fellowship mentor *did this, and have enjoyed working with them. Am making progress too *

3) Approach a senior semi-retired person in my field for sector guidance *turned out to be the same person as for 2*

4) Meet people in my network in my home town for coffee and catch up (C, Cl, S, Gl?, R, Ro, S, D, DS, K, Sa, V, I - hope I can remember what all these initials stand for :))

*I have noooo idea who all those people are :) I think that's a fail ! For 2017, I am replacing it with networking with senior people outside of my employer. Well, first working out how to network with senior people ;)*

5) Decide to complete my membership application for the professional society in sector I have just quit. *I ended up ruling this one out in my Sweet Sixteen post, building my new sector career has taken priority*

So, building on 2016, I present my professional goals for 2017

2017 #1 - Fellowship application accepted, with my new sector career developing rapidly towards Fellowship level profile (I have a new fancy job title which will help with that).

2017 #2 - Add a professional Society CPD committee membership to my activities

2017 #3 - Write and publish a CPD blog series in house

2017 #4 - Get a (project) management mentor - and a qualification ?

2017 #5 - Define and start implementing my 5 year "post 50s career resilience" plan

Underpinning all of this is

2017 #6 - Get a good (this is mid band) in my April 2017 appraisal and have my employer continue support my technical and professional development (resources, objectives). Set a potential path towards next band promotion, will including being sponsored to receive management coaching and also secondments.

Review of study and life admin goals from 2016. NB: am keeping them all for 2017.

1) Keep 1 m radius clear around my desk
*yes, yes, yes :) *

2) Put away *at the end of each day* clutter on the desk
*yes, yes, although had a bit of a pre Christmas lapse. Now back on track*

3) Do my tax return *can't get too excited about this, same as for 2017. Have gift aided some of my professional subscriptions so can claim back the higher relief.*

4) File and organise my certificates *done. Hope to add the Fellowship one sometime this year :) *

5) Clear out one storage cube (there are 12, so this is a goal that will be completed end 2016 :))
*It took me to September to get going, but I did it ! 2017

I will add a sixth. This is a big one, it may be at the same level as my CEng registration. It is (cue drum roll) clear out the conservatory (about a day's worth of work) and the garage (about a week's worth of work) and my hubby's workshop (2-3 day's worth of work).

I think that's enough talking from me. I had better sign off before I commit myself to some really crazy stretchy 2017 goals.

Take care all, thanks for the company and support over the past few years. Here's to a Lemony 2017 !

FS101

doone100
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Joined: November 4th, 2016, 4:50 pm

Re: Sweet Sixteen

#19735

Postby doone100 » January 3rd, 2017, 3:37 pm

I glumly decided to check my 2016 goals and find that I did better than I had thought.

Home- start renovation and de-clutter, de-clutter, de-clutterAlthough not much de-cluttering happened, we did redecorate two rooms, including having the windows replaced with double glazed sashes which are identical to those that were removed. Expensive but worth it. New furniture bought for one of the rooms

Health- lose 20lbs- exercise more I lost 12lb but didn't exercise as much as I should have

Family- make time to visit Mum,Several visits to mum in 2016 including one longish one following her knee surgery
be patient with FIL, he is not the easiest of people to get on with but is approaching his 88th birthday.FIL becoming increasingly frail and is an increasing cause for concern
Support Master Doone financially while he is recovering from his op.Master Doone recovered from op, he is no on a 2 year blacksmithing course and has moved back home together with his GF
Be nice to Mr Doone, he is now taking Garbapentin for the pain that he has suffered since his hip replacement in 2009 and he is suffering side effects, mainly anxiety.Mr Doone stopped that Garbarpentin due to the side effects, I still need to be nicer to him though
Speak more often with Miss Doone.We chat most days now

Finance- The financial support that we are providing to Master Doone will deplete our savings so economies will need to be made. Starting this month, our utility bill monthly payments will reduce and our small overdraft has, this morning been transferred to a 0% BT offer. Goal for 2016 is to keep within overdraft and add to savings account. mmm, things were going quite well until the end of summer

Hobby- Enjoy the 2016 season. 2015 was a bit of a chore at times for various reasons. Make two medieval recipes each month.Nope

Sewing- make new gowns for me, weight loss depending. New over-gown for Mr Doone. Help club members with their sewing projects.I new gown made for me, no new gown for Mr Doone but have been providing help and advice to the new members.

Brava21
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Re: Sweet Sixteen

#19885

Postby Brava21 » January 4th, 2017, 9:52 am

Hi all
Thanks T for posting the link to the Sweet Sixteen TMF thread (I’ve have spent ages looking for it otherwise!)
It made depressing reading for me. It was just before Mum died, but we didn’t know that was going to happen, at that point we were told we were looking at months. I remember taking the view that 2016 would be spent devoted to taking care of Mum, and you can see from my list of goals (replicated below) that I was finding it hard to look beyond the immediate situation. However, I have placed a comment below detailing what I did do about these... 

1. Continue to support mum
Yes, but it wasn’t for much longer. I posted to the Sweet Sixteen thread on 4 January, exactly a year ago today, and Mum died on 17th.

2. Fit in a ten minute meditation each day
This goal references the fact that I completed an 8 week mindfulness course in late 2016. It went completely unachieved, though. I recall that at the time, I just couldn’t meditate – every time I closed my eyes I just worried about Mum. So I stopped trying, and have not done so again to this day. What a waste, I must do something about that.

3. Go running as much as possible – aim for three times a week
A quick look at my diary reveals that yes, I was as hopeless with this as I recall. From mid Jan onwards everything went out of the window, and I did not start running regularly again until early November (at which point, having taken a blow to the head as you know, I found myself suddenly addicted to running again).

4. Go for a walk at lunch time when it is dry enough
Oh I did, when it was, and still always do.

5. Continue to work on attitude to work, with a view to trying to make it more bearable
I did not achieve this in 2016 but oddly enough (or possibly obviously enough, whichever way you look at it) I seem to have found a new attitude following the aforementioned blow to the head, which I suppose could be described as a wee bit more ‘devil may care’ 

6. Buy compost and gravel and repot conifers to front of house
What an odd thing to be thinking about at that sort of time!! But yes, I did do it and they did look a treat. Then, when we put the house on the market in early Feb, the front of the house looked much tarted up for a bit of proper decoration.

7. Decide what to do to liven up the plain expanse of gravel at the front of the house (by way of a border of sorts) and plan, so that when the weather is better I can crack on as and when I have time
I never did decide what to do with this space – comments as for 6. Above really, why on earth was I thinking of that? But in late Jan I did tidy it by raking thoroughly and trimming away bits of exposed liner here and there, and as above, the front of the house did look significantly better. I am not sure I would go as far as to say it had much kerb appeal, but we did sell within days, so can’t grumble.

8. Research front door styles and local companies so that in the spring, I am ready to order the new door to replace ours.
As we moved house, I never did get far with this, but funnily enough I want a new front door for our current house, so here we go again 
On the whole, 2016 wasn’t great; Mum died, we had the stress of moving house, and then, just as I thought things were looking up, I had that accident in the autumn (sorry to bang on about that again). I hope 2017 will be better, not just for me but for all of us, and I will think of some January goals to post on the other thread soon.


Brava x


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