If there is one lesson I have found useful from my Mother’s diaries it would be her annual habit of assessing the previous year and then outlining what she wanted in the coming year. These were not resolutions so much as simple year-end assessments. How did I do? Did I get what I wanted? What do I want this year? It was her way of mildly setting intentions long before setting intentions was a thing.

My big achievement in 2025 was finishing the edit of those diaries. Which feels terrific. It had been a project sitting on the back burner, literally, for years. Now, as that book goes to print I have big plans to take it to market. This could potentially push my plans to write my own book onto that familiar back burner. Of course I want to continue blog-writing, and I can’t forget, I’m enrolled in a fiction-writing course that has been pushed right off the back burner into the drawer labelled “things to ignore.” All these and a couple of other small projects are on my agenda for 2026. It’s intimidating. Not to mention, I like my time off–I like to have fun, socialize, generally just hang out.

Considering my ambitions for all these projects, I realized I need to be more intentional regarding how I spend my days. Stop taking time for granted. There are plenty of online tools and fancy apps available but they tend to be over-structured and too generic for my needs; I do my best thinking in pencil with a big piece of paper. My 2026 plan is one big page full of messy scribbles, arrows, asterisks, scratched out ideas and a couple of doodles. It looks like really bad graffiti but it works for me.

My biggest bad habit? I treat time like it’s always going to be there when I need it. Then suddenly, the clock runs out and I’m mad at myself.

I am highly skilled at wasting time throughout the day. Because I know this, and because there is no manager who will ask for updates on my projects, I created a template for a perfectly “productive day.” I was honest and took a good look at when, how, and why do I waste the most time? Which activities are a lose-lose game? The New York Times crossword may not be productive, but I find it relaxing. I’ll keep that. TikTok? Fun and entertaining but it’s an unproductive time vortex. I’m pleased to report I deleted it.

A blog post I wrote years ago on how to make more time to be creative gave a short and obvious answer: In order to add “X” into your routine, you have to give up “Y.” Drawing and painting the comics meant I did not read as many books, nor did I spend much time with the newspaper. But it was the most creatively productive time of my life.

I have a lot I want to accomplish this year. It’s early days yet, but so far, my planned schedule is working. It’s not too far removed from my previous routine. I can relate to it, it has flexibility. There are no strict rules. There is freedom to take days off; I’m in charge and I’m really great to work for.

Keep your joy.

Contentment is for Cows: Short and sweet reflections on life’s complications.

Posted every Sunday, unless it’s a holiday or summertime.