I need to do less and do it better! It is somewhat ironic but in many ways the more time I have the less I get done Рthere is always tomorrow right? Must be that ma̱ana culture!
Well enough is enough. Starting today and for the next three months I am going to focus on three things and three things only:
– Fitness
– Spanish
– Almerimar Life.
I will still do other things, including this blog naturally, but only after I have focussed on the above three. By focus I mean I will spend at least 2 hours a day on each specific area. Why these three:
Fitness
I used to be really fit. I have no allusions that I can get back to my previous levels at my age and with my injuries, but I can be a lot fitter. Apart from the obvious long term health benefits and short term vanity appeal, what I really like about being fit is the day to day focus and sense of purpose that it brings to life. For example, knowing that I am going to run in the morning helps me eat healthier and go to bed earlier the night before. As the weather is getting much hotter now I have specifically decided to spend the next three months getting fit as it will make me get up and run early every morning.
So what does getting fit entail mean for me?
First off it means eating very healthy foods – predominantly vegetarian, no ‘treats’ and as much low GI food as possible. Second it means rest, plenty of it to give my body the chance to maximise it’s energy. I will run at least five mornings a week, and lift some light weights and do some pilates five times a week. Only ‘golden rule’ is to never exercise on a Sunday – always give myself that day to recharge for the week ahead.
Spanish
To be blunt my level of Spanish is embarrassingly poor considering how long we have owned a property here. I could trot out a lot of reasons, not least the fact that I genuinely really struggle with languages. Still at the end of the day there can be no valid excuse so I just have to focus on it.
I am going to listen to one 30 minute lesson every morning when I run, and again later in the day before/after the siesta. The other hour will be spent consolidating – going over the verb sheets, communicating with Spanish friends only in Spanish, using Spanish around the house for the day to day phrases.
Almerimar Life
Not only is this site a great opportunity in the short and long term, but it is also a great way of improving our spanish and developing/using our skills. It is already paying for itself but it holds way more potential both in it’s own right and as a ‘shop window’ locally for the services I can offer.
It is also something that I can do with Sandra which I am really enjoying. Over the next three months we want to build up the content, add a lot more information, develop a unique Version 2.0 of the site, and use it as a ‘spring board’ for our Spanish.
We will be approaching this as if it was a business – in fact yesterday we spent a great hour or so over coffee and tostados in the marina discussing this weeks content, some design ideas and general ideas for the future. It was a very rewarding discussion.
Where does this leave this blog? Well to be honest I sort of see this blog as a ‘way of life’ so I don’t intend to change much at all! I have finished tinkering with Version 3.0, and while I have some ideas already for Version 4.0 that is very much in the future.
One thing I do need to look at as a result of the renewed focus is my daily work pattern. I am pretty sure that I have worked it out, but give me a week or so and I will be able to share it with you.
As these aren’t objectives I don’t have specific targets in mind; sure I want to be fluent in Spanish but by when I don’t know. I want to lose some weight, but I don’t have a target weight. What I am hoping is that the revised focus will ‘jump start’ a revised lifestyle which will be sustainable in the long term. As you would expect I will share my progress with you from time to time.
And yes – the fact that I need to a) save money and b) generate money to fund the planned Mac Pro is a significant influence behind the timing of this – that plus the fact that I will be 44 at the end of the month.
If you have anything specific that you have decided to focus on let me know – maybe we can help motivate each other.
I hope you also have plans for taking more photos, or have you given that up?
Not at all 🙂 I actually want to capture the whole of the marina as part of the Almerimar Life focus.
In fact the re focus is an attempt to get me out taking photos more rather than sitting in front of the Mac all day as I do way too much.
You made various nice points there. I did a search on the subject and found mainly persons will go along with with your blog.