I’m in full planning mode for 2012. So incredibly excited about the opportunities in front of me for this upcoming year. I have had several questions emailed to me the past couple of weeks. The most common question was “How do you do it all?”

First, I don’t get it all done. I try my best, but there are times it just doesn’t get done. Sick kids, long day at the hospital, plain bad days, etc. Life happens for me, just like it does for you. I don’t want my blog to suggest that everything is always perfect. Come stay with me for a week and you’ll quickly see that I have the same struggles as all of you.  :)

This blog and blogging in general is a work in progress and I don’t have all the answers. I am merely trying my best to be intentional this year in accomplishing my dreams. If you have any suggestions, I’m always willing to learn something new.  Here is how I am tackling my busy schedule.

1. Prioritize. I know that I want to accomplish the 39 things on my list before I turn 39 next November. I spread them out between now and next November on my calendar. I have 6 yet to be scheduled. But as soon as possible they will be scheduled and planned for. {I color coded those 39 items as I want to keep those things in the forefront of my mind.}

2. Set up Google calendar and google reader. Jeff and I are busy.  Trying to synchronize our work schedules, kid sport activities, and my blog calendar is a difficult task. Getting it all on a shared calendar is important to keeping things straight and I’m very hopeful that Google calendar will work.  I’m also working on setting up Google Reader to help me with blog posts that I want to read from other bloggers that I follow. A blog post just on this item will follow soon.

3. Respond to emails within 24 hours. I am allotting myself 24 hours to respond to emails. I got behind this past year and it was beyond annoying. If I don’t have an answer, I will reply immediately and then try to reply again within 72 hours with the answer.

4. Get rid of anything that doesn’t help me accomplish my goals or dreams. I mentioned in my intentional post that I went to part time at work, and quit being a girl scout leader, room mom, and team mom. I also have greatly limited my time with those who put me (or my ideas) down. Pessimism has no place in my life.  Finally, I limit my time watching TV or other activities that seem to just waste my time. Don’t get me wrong, I love TV like everyone else and can get lost in it.  It can be a nice escape – but not at the expense of not living.

5. Focus. My header says Learn With Jenny – Live, Learn, and Record. I want to make sure that my life list items point me in the direction of experiencing things that make me feel alive, that stretch my brain with learning, and that I am able to capture those memories and stories through Project Life, December Daily, and mini books. I will continue to add to my list and take things away. It’s liberating.

6. Say no to obstacles and say yes to opportunities. I’m a people pleaser, but it’s time to be intentional about what I want to accomplish in the short amount of time I have left on this earth. It might be 1 year or 60+ years. Either way, it’s time to savor all that I’m blessed to be able to experience.

* I want to thank all of you for the wonderful compliments to our video submission to Becky Higgins. And a thank you for the overwhelming response to Jeff’s guest post. He told me that if I don’t bring my A game, that he has about 1,000 women in the world that will have him. Never a dull moment in our house.