I didn’t realize how productive my week was last week until I sat down to cross of my goals! It’s amazing how goal-setting really does inspire me to be more intentional in how I use my time!
Last week’s goals:
Family/Mothering Goals
1. Start reading The Railway Children aloud to all the children, The Missing Video (reading to Kathrynne), and Little House in the Big Woods (reading to Kaitlynn).
2. Go to a baseball game as a family.
3. Write a love note to Jesse.Personal Goals
4. Finish reading The Referral Engine: Teaching Your Business to Market Itself plus one fiction book.
5. Run at least five times; start weight-lifting program.
6. Listen to 2 hours of The One-Minute Entrepreneur.
7. Sleep for at least 8 hours every night.Home Management
8. Clean out my bathroom drawers.
9. Experiment with one new homemade cleaner recipe.Business Goals
10. Start new 4-week blogging series (more details coming this week!)
This week’s goals:
Family/Mothering Goals
1. Read at least a few chapters of The Railway Children aloud to all the children, read a few chapters of The Missing Video (reading to Kathrynne), and read at least two chapters of Little House in the Big Woods (reading to Kaitlynn).
2. Special outing one-on-one with Kaitlynn for her birthday.
3. Write a love note to Jesse.
4. Special family outing for Kaitlynn’s birthday.
Personal Goals
5. Finish reading The Referral Engine: Teaching Your Business to Market Itself plus one fiction book.
6. Run at least five times for 45 minutes each; do weight-training program at least four days.
7. Listen to 2 hours of Stop Acting Rich.
8. Sleep for at least 8 hours every night.
Home Management
9. Scrub the master bedroom shower.
Business Goals
10. Continue blogging the 4 Weeks of Family Fun series.
How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Of, if you’ve blogged about it, leave your direct link below. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives!
You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.
Jess says
Crystal, I am just wondering how you find all the time to read. IT seems like you have a very busy schedule, so is it that you are mostly listening to audio books or are you reading paper books mostly?
Crystal says
I listen to 1-2 audiobooks per month and read the rest. Reading is something I LOVE to do, so I find time for it — I usually read at least 5-15 minutes each weekday and then a few hours on the weekends.
I did a post on how I find time to read here: https://moneysavingmom.com/2011/06/qa-tuesday-how-do-you-find-time-to-read.html
Ashley says
I really enjoy reading your goals every week. I am thinking of posting my goals each week on my blog. Is there a book you would recommend about how important it is to set goals for yourself? I would like to encourage my readers about the importance of goals, but I am not sure how to begin. Thanks! http://www.journeywiththespirit.com
Kristin says
It was really inspiring to read everyone’s goals this week. I really struggled with mine last week, but this helps me re-focus and keep going. A big thank you to all for sharing!
Shelly says
I got many of my goals done last week but I did not get to making any rhubarb jam, I am hoping to get that done this week with the kids. I have not made it before so I am looking forward to giving it a try. We grow rhubarb but I usually make rhubarb bread or crisp with it so I am thinking by making the jam I can have a new use for my rhubarb.
I have never downloaded an audio book from our library. I have gotten them on CD but I will have to check into downloading a book at our local library. It would be great to be able to download them.
I know our library has a system to get free music each week. I can dowload 3 songs a week for free and they are mine to keep. It is a great way to add to your music library if you local library has this service.
Casey says
Perhaps I missed a post, but are you training for a race or just running for fun/fitness? I recently completed my first 10K race. I’m currently training for my first Half Marathon in September. I am by far not the fastest runner, but I really do enjoy running. Plus this training schedule is helping me get in shape. 4 days/week of running. Plus 1 day of other cardio. 1 day of plyometrics (jumping and lunges and such) plus 1 day of rest. Last week was the first week and boy was i sore! I really enjoy the challenge. Have fun with your running this week! 🙂
Crystal says
My goal is to run a 10K by the end of this year.
Yvonne says
My goals this week: Continue working on a blogging schedule, get a few freelance articles completed and make a cake for a dear friend we’ve not seen in a long time who’s visiting on Thursday. 🙂
Jillian @ Mom's Cup Of Ambition says
You reminded me I really need to scrub my shower too. That is one of my most dreaded chores!
This is the first “normal” week I’ve had in a long time. I’m looking forward to it.
Carol@simple_catholic says
I don’t know what took me so long to give audio books a try. Last week I checked out a set of “The Boxcar Children” audio books from the library and my son loved it! It’s been good for me, too. Thaks to the audiobooks our afternoon quiet time has actually been “quiet!”
Melissia @ Bravely Frugal says
First week of setting specific goals with my children in mind since they are home from school now. Excited about making this an intentional summer with them:) With that being said, my husband is keeping them this morning so I can get a pedicure! Got a gift certificate for Christmas and I am anxious to use it.
Crystal says
Enjoy your pedicure!
Kimberly says
You’ve often stated you prefer non-fiction books to fiction. Yet you’ve had reading a fiction book on your list for the past couple of weeks. I’d love to hear what fiction book has captured your attention. I’m always looking for a new book to read!
Crystal says
Much to my surprise, I’ve really started enjoying fiction this year — thanks to Tricia Goyer! You can see all of the fiction books (and non-fiction books) I’ve read so far this year here:
http://pinterest.com/crystal_paine/books-read-in-2012/
Victoria @Snail Pace Transformations says
Looks like your running is really coming along. I can’t seem to run that many days in a row, I prefer to switch it up with a bike day and a swim day, and then longer runs on run days.
Crystal says
It’s getting more and more where if I don’t run, I miss it so much!
Victoria @Snail Pace Transformations says
Oh! yes I know that feeling well. I am like that with my long runs. At first when I started out I thought only crazy people ran long (and long back then was anything over 5 miles). Now, if I have not run over 10 miles sometime during my week, its hard to explain but my body seems to ache for it. I just have to get out there and go long.
Christine says
Oops, I ol;y have my name in the link. Sorry, first time. I love your website and have for a while now! Thank you for the motivaationm!
Elise Photini Adams (@ElisePhotini.com) says
This article is inspiring me. Since refocusing on my family I’ve slipped away from goal-setting…but I think that’s gotten me a bit depressed. Time to ‘get back up on that horse’. Thanks for getting me going again! Next week, I’ll have my own Weekly Goals post ready!
Kristen says
I just started my blog a couple weeks ago and I am out looking at others for inspiration. I have to say that I like your layout and design. I mostly do coupons and deals right now, but I am thinking about branching out and doing recipes and crafts next. I am a stay at home Mom and need to bring in a little money. I am trying to get some ads on my blog, but not getting a lot of views. Do you have any suggestions about how you got more views? I am currently doing a raffle where I am giving away a $10 Target gift card every week in June for my readers and fans on Facebook.
Crystal says
I have a series here that might be helpful to you: https://moneysavingmom.com/how-to-make-money-blogging
Elise Photini Adams (@ElisePhotini.com) says
Whoops! I left my link on the wrong article 🙁 I meant my link to be on the Frugal Family Fun post…forgive me Crystal!
April says
I’ve noticed you write love notes each week to your husband. Have you always done this? I’ve never written one for my husband and am just curious about it.
Crystal says
It’s something I started in the last year and it’s been such a fun — and helpful! — thing for our marriage. Just taking the time to write how much you appreciate your spouse and love them, etc. helps you love and appreciate them even more. Plus, I find that sometimes I think things but don’t always verbalize them.
By the way, my husband often writes notes back since he enjoys receiving them so much! 🙂 It’s just been one simple way for us to keep the spark in our romance.
Alicia says
I have had this on my goal sheet now for several weeks. You have encouraged me to actually follow through this week!
My husband is really a different person when I praise him and remind him of his strong points. I get bogged down too often with life and forget to smile and be positive with him.
Our husbands really need that from us.
April says
I might give it a try sometime. I sure don’t show my husband I appreciate his hard work. It’s hard to find a balance with two kids. This is a great idea.
Jody Susan says
Goals: Keep up with my “normal” routine
Keep plugging away at W3schools to learn techno lingo. 🙂
Edit “Quitting the Gym” e-book twice through each week til’ end of the month.
Proverbs 6 has been on my mind a lot. Every weekend I have been watching a new documentary about ants to learn how to be a better worker. 🙂
See You In the Garden says
“Proverbs 6 has been on my mind a lot. Every weekend I have been watching a new documentary about ants to learn how to be a better worker. ”
This is an interesting idea. Do you feel it is working as a reminder and encouragment?
Jody Susan says
It has been an encouragement to me – to not get discouraged if I have to start over, but keep plugging away; to not just do my own thing (but pitch in with the other “ants”; to enjoy the fact that we are created differently and therefore contribute differently . . .
I was watching some ants run around in circles in our backyard as they moved forward – I feel like I do that a lot and that’s where I get frustrated – seeing them make progress in a circular way made me laugh and see that life is just like that sometimes. 🙂
Kelly says
Do you have any read-aloud book recommendations for very young children? My 1 year old and 2 year old love to listen to me read while they play. Thanks!
Crystal says
Check out this list: https://moneysavingmom.com/2012/03/15-must-read-childrens-books.html
Kelly says
Thank you!
Crystal says
Where do you generally get your audiobooks? I recently “borrowed” one from One Click Digital via the Kansas State library site, but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of choices….and popular ones are on a rather lengthy waiting list. Any other suggestions?
Crystal says
There are a lot of classic audiobooks available for free download online or you might check your local library. Most of them (at least here in Kansas) have a lot of audiobooks. My husband and I share our online libraries and he’s a huge fan of audiobooks, so most of the ones I listen to are ones he’s downloaded and has really liked.
Cassi says
I use Audible.com and I love it! To me, it is totally worth the $15 per month-I can use the books, my husband can, and I sometimes get books for my students to listen to. I also watch for free audio books and I borrow from our digital library. Crystal is actually the one who got me started with a post about a free audio book-it only took one and I was hooked!
Jody Susan says
librivox.org has loads of free classics. My favorite is Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss.
Sarah May says
You have probably already thought of this, but you can get virtually any audiobook ever made through interlibrary loan through your library for free or very inexpensive. If you hear of one you would like or see one somewhere, just ask your library to borrow it for you.
Crystal says
Thanks so much for sharing this great idea! I need to figure out how to use interlibrary loan here so that I can request some other books that I really want to read that our library doesn’t have.