Hello, beautiful souls!
I’m Amy, the color-obsessed creative and productivity nerd behind Amy Lollis Design Co.
As we move into the New Year, I’m struck by how different the energy is. You can feel the change in the air. While I’m not a fan of resolutions (who the heck wants to give up cookies?) I do love to use all the transformative energy of the New Year to reflect and refocus.
At the end of last year when I found myself constantly feeling tired-yet-wired, I knew something had to give. I’d said yes to way too many things, and very few of them actually made a dent in my big goals. As a self-help addict, I had read a lot of books on productivity, but rarely ever put them into practice (anyone else?). However, when I decided to simplify both my home and business, I dug out all of those productivity books, and compiled a list of the best advice from each.
And now…I’m giving that advice to you!
Are you ready to get started? Click the image below to grab your copy!
I honestly believe that, as women, we are inundated with planners, journals, and apps that are all designed to help us “do it all.” But hear me out… what if we made a conscious decision to do less? What if we all said “No thanks, I’m only doing the things that are either absolutely necessary or make my soul sing.” What a joyous way to live our lives!
Why Planners Don’t Work
I always thought I was a disorganized failure because I couldn’t use a planner. It was a yearly cycle of shame: buy the planner, fill it out, then promptly forget about it the instant life threw me a curve ball. I’d get frustrated and throw it in a drawer only to pull it out during spring cleaning and toss it in the recycle bin.
The stationary companies weren’t selling me a solution; they were selling me hope that I’d be a better person this year. It turns out, *I* wasn’t the problem, the planners were. They weren’t made for my unique needs, and they made me believe that if I did more, I’d be happier.
Instead of trying to see how much we can pile onto our plates, why not try seeing how much we can take off? That is what this workbook is all about: getting super-focused on the goals that matter, so you can let go of everything else.
The Method
The secret to doing less is planning just ONE big goal in three areas of your life: creative, personal, and family.
Why only one? It’s the lens through which you’ll filter future decisions. For example: my creative goal was to only make vibrant, scrappy quilts this year. I don’t have a set number of quilts I need to make, or a schedule I need to make them on. I just know that no matter what I make, it’s going to be scrappy and bright.
Breaking that goal down a little further, I know that in order for my quilts to be scrappy and bright, I am only going to use small cuts of fabric, and only in bright colors. This keeps me from having decision fatigue later because I’ve already decided what my big goal is. I know that I won’t buy neutrals or large cuts of fabric this year.
If someone asks me to make a quilt that isn’t part of my goal, then the answer is no (unless, of course, it’s a paid job, which falls under the category of “necessary”). This method of planning leaves so much room for spontaneity, but keeps you focused so you don’t waste time overthinking.
The Workbook
The workbook is a 12-page journal to help you get super-clear on your goals so you can go forward with solid boundaries around your time and energy. While it’s a beautiful way to start the New Year, you can revisit it any time you need a refresher on your goals and boundaries! It includes a seasonal review page that you can use to check in with yourself every few months to see how you’re feeling about your goals.
Are you ready to get started? Click below to grab your copy of the Create A Life You Love workbook!
Top Three Tips For Planning a Year of Doing Less
#1: Really think about the projects that make your soul sing, and prioritize those first. Have you always wanted to make a super-intricate quilt, but never had the time? Make it a priority, and know that it’s going to mean saying no to a lot of other projects.
#2: Look around at what you already have. Chances are, most of the items you already own fall into one of three categories: you need them, you love them, or you’d feel bad getting rid of them (they’re either sentimental or expensive). Spend some time holding the things that you truly love, and ask yourself how they make you feel. That feeling is what you’re going for when you plan your year.
Once you take the time to appreciate what you already have, it’ll make it easier to decide what to focus on in your creative, personal, and family goals. This is an excellent practice any time you need to make a decision!
#3: Make a small step toward your goal right now. Do you need to learn a new skill? Clean out your fabric stash? Organize your pattern collection? Do it. Right now.
Is your goal to spend more time with your family? Set an alarm to turn off your phone at a certain hour. Whatever the first step is, do it now.
Research has shown that the brain tingle of starting a new thing makes us happier, so let this be the momentum you use to get started on planning your best year ever!
Are you ready to grab your copy of the workbook? Click below!
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