Four Simple Goals Update II

Originally uploaded to Flickr by Flor A

You may remember that some time ago I pledged to complete Four Simple Goals before the year is out. One of those goals was to get more sleep. My aim was to go to bed by 10.30 every night. As any mother of small children will tell you chronic sleep deprivation becomes the norm after a while and you find yourself regularly struggling to get 6-7 hours a sleep a night (especially when a certain someone wakes you up at 6am every single morning). By this time of year, however, my body starts to tell me in no uncertain terms that that is just not enough - I start to feel more anxious than usual (and that's really saying something!), I develop eczema and I start to find the constant juggling of work, home and family more of a struggle than usual. At times I've been so concerned about not getting enough sleep that I've jettisoned reading in bed in favour of half an hour more sleep. Before long I realised that all I was reading were newspapers and magazines (and blogs!) and that it had been many months since I'd read a book cover-to-cover.

So what's changed? Well, I can honestly say that most nights I am at least on my way to bed by 10.30 (stopping to tidy the living room, take off make-up etc) if not actually in bed. Interestingly, what I've found since I've been reading in bed again is that I drop off to sleep much more easily if I've spent some time in someone else's head. Without reading I just turn off the light and lay awake ruminating over the events of the day and worrying about things that may never happen in the future - very counterproductive. It's still a bit of a struggle to keep myself from wandering around the house doing odd-jobs at midnight but I think just being conscious that I have a choice has to be a good thing.

Are you a bit of a worry-wart too? Do you ever worry about not getting enough sleep?

Four Simple Goals...

Recently I visited Tracey over at Quiet Paws and saw that she had joined the Four Simple Goals project started by A Beautiful Mess. The idea behind the project is to think up four simple (easily achievable) goals that will make your life richer and happier before 2011. Who doesn't want that? So here are mine.

1. Bring music back into my life. I'm embarrassed to say that I've had an iPod since Christmas and have never really used it. I did set it up when I first got it but then I sort of forgot about it. A few months ago the radio in my car broke and I haven't replaced that either. Going back to dance classes recently reminded me how much I've been missing music in my life.

2. Buy some beautiful new bed linen. Tom and I have trouble agreeing on colours and patterns and as a result we pretty much do nothing and struggle on with whatever boring stuff we already have. Well no more I say! Beautiful soft linen here I come.

3. Get more sleep (in the bed with beautiful bed linen). The older I get the more I realise that if I don't get enough sleep over the space of a few weeks I get a bit (a lot!) ratty. With Daylight Savings just around the corner I know that Henry will be getting me up at 6am rather than 7am so this going to bed at midnight for no apparent reaon needs to stop. I'm going to aim for 10.30pm with some reading time on top.

4. Resurrect the vegie garden. I have tried, really I have but I just can't seem to keep the up the momentum. Yesterday I read that the best way to plan your garden was to make a list of things you like to eat rather than a list of plants and the lightbulb went on! So this Spring I'm going to plant tomatoes, strawberries and salad greens. I'm also going to add to my herb garden and buy a lemon tree.

Doesn't sound too hard does it? And I think I'll be happier and springy-er if I can get them all ticked off. Perhaps you'd like to play along too? More details are available at Elsie's blog here and I'll keep you posted on my progress as I reach each goal.