I decided to take a week off of work and work on all the things I have been "too tired" to do. While I want my vacation to be restful, I also wanted it to be productive. My problem is I have a million to do items. I could spend the whole week doing one chore after another. I needed to prioritize, so I listed everything out and picked the most important things and created "projects" for each day.
Project #1: Update Resume
It probably says something that the first thing I do on my day off is update my resume. I've been browsing job postings for months, but haven't take any action to find a new job. Even if there was something I wanted to apply for, I am completely unprepared.
I went to the library and got a couple of books that had resume samples. I worked in Human Resources for 4 years, so I know that format and design are important, especially when you are reviewing hundreds of resumes. So I did the fun part first and cleaned-up the look of my resume. Then I got to work on updating and adding work history. You really need to tailor the resume to the job, but I now have a solid base resume that is ready for customization.
Project #2: Wardrobe & Makeup
I have to confess I let my work wardrobe get really pitiful. I was wearing faded cardigans, fraying shirts, unhemmed pants and tattered shoes (not all at once). I almost convinced myself I was minimal and not giving into consumerism. The truth is I find shopping for clothes hard. I was not born with a fashion bone and really haven't developed how to dress myself stylishly. Also my makeup was in a sad sad sad state.
I do have a "uniform" for work that works: pants, blouse, cardigan. A couple of months ago I bought some quality slacks, but failed to have them hemmed. So first up was getting that done. Then I got online and ordered what I could, but I did also have to go the mall (I really dislike the mall). My project was to get everything together and organized: go through my clothes and get rid off/throw away things, make sure I have the right accessories, etc. I am not going to lie, this was a chore. I envy people that love fashion.
Project #3: Urban Gardening
I've been learning a lot about the quality of food and the urban farming revolution. While I would love to have a vegetable garden, the reality is I live in an apartment. I did a sunlight map and found my patio gets only about 2-3 hours of direct sunlight everyday. That means I can have an herb garden, so that is what I will have.
I did plant an herb garden in the Spring, but it needs some TLC. The rosemary, cilantro and oregano died. I got more of those herbs and some Stevia and lemon verbena. I also read up on what each herb prefers in terms of sunlight and water and then positioned them in the patio accordingly. This may not sound very exciting, but it is a start. One day I will have a yard or a patio that gets sunlight and I will have a garden of herbs and vegetables. It made me happy to do what I could.
Project #4: Preparing to Move
At the end of the year, I will mostly likely be moving. Boo! I love my currently apartment (except that for the lack of sunlight), but it is eating up all my disposable income. I am fully enjoying the time I get to spend here, but need to prepare to move on. I got a For Rent book and made a list of potential apartments to look at in September. I really hate moving, so even that small step was a big deal.
Project #5: Errands
Oh errands! A million done and million to go. It is never done. I got my truck an oil change, went to the post office, the library, grocery shopping and Target. I felt accomplished but also exhausted.
Having done all those productive things, I also did some fun and relaxing this. I sat by the pool a lot, hung out with friends and went to CrossFit and yoga to my heart's content. It was a good week!
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