My New Year Goals for Saving Time by Seeing Clearly, Hearing Better, and Winning the Daily Scavenger Hunt for My Coffee
Another of my December birthdays has come and gone, so it’s time to look ahead to the new year. At my age, I’m starting to realize how precious time is, so this year, I want to focus on getting the most out of the next 8,760 hours that lie ahead of us.
To help with that, I’ve set some goals for 2025. I’m not sure they meet the standards of SMART goals like we talk about in the workplace all the time, but I think they’ll help me anyway.
Top Time-Saving Goals
- Remember what I’m doing more, so I don’t waste valuable minutes asking myself “Why did I come in here?”, “What was I talking about?”, and “What was I planning to google?”
- Keep better track of where I put things, so I can save a few hours by not wandering around the house trying to find my cup of coffee, reading glasses (see also goal No. 5), hairbrush, etc.
- Cancel my membership in the arthritis and back pain club, which will save countless hours getting treatment and wondering if I already took my pills.
- Hear better, so I can get back all the minutes wasted making people repeat themselves (and getting yelled at by my son for not hearing him when he obviously did not mumble).
- See more clearly, so I don’t have to bother looking for those reading glasses (only occasionally discovering that they’re hanging from a lovely Brighton chain around my neck) or asking other people to read small print for me.
- Remember to breathe while I’m sleeping. I can save a lot of time by not having to wake up multiple times during the night.
- Make lists of which stories I’ve told to my closest friends, so I’m not wasting everyone’s time always asking, “Have I told you this story before?”
- Make lists of who told me repeatable stories, so I don’t lose precious minutes retelling stories to the original story tellers.
While these goals might not meet the workplace-approved SMART goal criteria, I’m feeling hopeful and look forward to reclaiming a bunch of hours in the day.
I’m also following Jon Gordon’s tips for for the new year, especially No. 1. In case you can’t find your reading glasses, No. 1 is “Stay Positive.” It reads, “You can listen to the cynics and doubters and believe that success is impossible, or you can trust that with faith and an optimistic attitude, all things are possible.” (If you want to be able to see all Jon’s tips more clearly, download the list yourself at https://jongordon.com/20tips/.
Possibility. That’s what I’m counting on this year. With God, all things are possible (Matt. 19:26) and that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13).
So don’t be a cynic or doubter. Instead, join me in believing that we can make the most of every day. And please share any additional time-saving suggestions or your own similar time-saving goals for 2025.
Shelley Urban 