November Reset

I heard on the radio that many people use November as the month to reset. It is a time to declutter and deal with things before the year ends. The announcer was initiating interaction with her listeners and wanted them to post what they called their clutter spot and what they do to manage that area.  

People with clutter zones often give them a pet name. My friend said that all her bills and uncompleted forms are in the same box which she calls her "Action Plan". According to her there are various levels of the plan, but it is all in the same box waiting for action. I have a "Command Center" which I stole the name from my dear friend. My command center is not as grand as hers, but one none the less. So, my pet names are the "command center" in my laundry room; the table is the "landing pad" for things that have reached their expiry date and have to be dealt with. The "holding pen" is the bowl on the table, which periodically gets cleaned out and looks like the pretty bowl it is meant to be.  

I have always felt that bills and papers are the biggest offenders of creating ongoing issues. Paper anything has to be dealt with, and it is hard to keep it looking neat. I haven't gone paperless or set up automatic bill payment, but I am proud of how I manage my bills. I do have a wee system; on the rare occasion when I get my mail, and I get bills, I go directly to my online banking and pay them as soon as I can. I set the date for the payment to be made and then tuck the bill away in the box to be filed. I have so little filing, and probably the garbage is where it should go. If for some reason a bill or form has to wait, I put it by the microwave. That way it bothers me, and I don't forget about it. The flyers go from the mailbox directly into the recycle bin. And that is how I deal with paper. 

As usual I did a google search and of course there are articles on how November is the month to decide what you want to carry into December and the new year. Rituals to end the year strong, calm before the festive storm is how they describe it. 

They suggested a good way to get started is to think of three things you are proud of from the past 10 months. Then decide on one thing that is left to accomplish. The next step is to decide what you want to carry with you into December. One recommendation is to stop saying "yes" out of guilt. "No" as in November is meant to help you as you go into a busy month. 

I liked their suggestions for resetting and going into the new year strong. I might have to try some of them. 

1. Clear up digital space:

I think everyone has the ongoing issue of "pictures on our phones". I have two words that describe my digital pictures, they are "A MESS". I believe there is 3 places on my phone where the same pictures are stored, that is 2 places to many. There must be thousands of pictures on phones. I try to keep my phone sort of clean. I find digital cleanup a frustrating process. My computer is another story, it is also a mess, a lesser mess, but certainly needs some attention. Moving forward I could make an effort to delete text messages and phone calls as soon as they happen. I am sure my phone would love that. 

2. Reconnect with finances:

I am not fond of managing money. I do it, as I am a responsible adult, but it holds not one ounce of pleasure for me. I find the more I focus on money the more anxious I become. Who needs that! The news makes it hard to connect with finances. Every time I listen to the news there is a segment on how expensive food is and how hard it is to feed a family. I get that, I am surprised at how much it costs to feed me. Some people are not paying bills to buy groceries. This is a tough one right now for so many. 

3. Refresh your space:

There are various ways of doing this. It has started to snow. That means get out the winter coats, boats and mitts. Put the summer clothes away. I have to change out my clothes each season, so refreshing my closet is easy for me. I know families, often do a toy purge in preparation for the Christmas haul. Some women do that "last clean" of their windows before winter. The article says to open the windows and enjoy the freshness. It might be a bit late for that, because right now the air is certainly "fresh". 

4. Health habits:

Many people realize in November they have money left in their benefits and are in a frenzy to book massages to use it up. I just recently got a pedicure, and I noticed that November is a "quiet" time in the nail world. Not for manicures all of those chairs were full, women love to have pretty nails. I used to do "foot care" and foot health is so important. If your feet hurt, you are uncomfortable and not yourself. Treat yourself to a pedicure even in the winter. 

5. Realistic movement goals:

I recently wrote about the target of 150 minutes of exercise a week. I already have about 120 at the gym. That leaves 30 minutes for me to structure myself. Whatever you chose to help you move and become stronger is an individual decision. From experience, I know you have to enjoy what you pick as an exercise program, or it doesn't happen.  

6. Sleep:

I think there are more people that sleep poorly than those that sleep well and wake up refreshed. I feel people that sleep well usually take something to help them sleep or they have always been good sleepers. There are three things that prevent a person from sleeping: noise, pain or thoughts.  

If you are like me, you have always thought that January is the month to reset. It is proven that most resolutions made in January are broken in a short amount of time. I actually like the idea of finishing the year strong. It probably begins with being honest with yourself and reflecting on your habits. As with anything in life, take it on one goal at a time, then go on to the next one. If you like the thought of a November reset, good luck. Who knew that it was the month to change it up.