April showers bring May flowers and here’s hoping that May is better than April in all aspects. It feels like the weather is finally improving and I hope that is reflected in my life! Here’s my April goals recap before I get into my 10 goals for May 2024.
APRIL GOALS RECAP
Get a job
Fail. I’ve had a fair few interviews but once again, I’m either unsuccessful or I don’t even hear back from them. Whilst I’m still looking for jobs, I’m going to use some of my focus on my freelance business again. I’m sure potential workplaces will read this and question me on it (it’s already happened) but I’m open to any and all opportunities.
Get to the cinema three times
Another fail. I’ve only been once this month and I snuck that in on the very last day. I went to see Challengers and I was fairly disappointed with it. I didn’t like the editing at all but loved all three lead actors’ performances.
Stick to April budget
DONE. I spent about half of what I’d planned to spend! Despite being over in groceries, books, beauty and Amazon, I managed to spend less frivolously in most other categories.
Stick to posting four blog posts a week
Fail. I only posted four blog posts in the whole month so definitely not per week! It’s something I really need to work on getting into a routine with, especially if I plan on going back into full-time work.
Post on TikTok twice a week
Fail. I posted once a week, which I suppose is better than nothing. It’s a platform that I’d still like to experiment with a bit more and see if it’s worth my time.
Read 6 books
Fail. I managed four books. Again, that isn’t too bad (it’s still one a week) but I’m still behind on my yearly reading goal right now.
Workout three times a week
Massive fail. I don’t even think I managed one workout in April! Oh well, we’ll start again in May.
Complete desk makeover
DONE. Finally, I’ve completed my desk makeover. It’s probably not the finished article but it’s done enough for me. My home office/spare bedroom is a catch-all room so it’s still not exactly tidy. However, my desk area is for now!
Stand at my desk for an hour every weekday
Another fail. I was really good initially when I got my new desk but I’ll be honest. I’ve done a lot of work from the sofa in April.
Listen to TS11 on repeat
DONE. I’ve probably listened to it a total of ten times since it was released and it’s still a grower to me. Some songs stand out but lots of them sound very similar. It’s also very wordy and because I only stream music nowadays, it’s harder to learn the lyrics. I’ll have to up my game if she’s going to add a TTPD set into the Eras Tour!
APRIL STATS
13 – TV shows watched (The Couple Next Door, Mr Bates vs the Post Office, Grey’s Anatomy s8-10, DCC MTT s3-10
3 – Films watched (Center Stage, Hannah Montana the Movie, Challengers)
4 – Blog posts written (10 Goals for April 2024, What I Watched in February + March 2024, Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands Review, April 2024 in Review)
24 – No-spend days
1 – Empties
4 – Books read
1308 – Pages read
1 – Theatre show seen
116,655 – Total steps
3888 – Average steps for the month
1 – Solo date days
10 GOALS FOR MAY 2024
Get a job or a new client
I need to make this happen in May. Whether it’s a full-time job, a part-time role or some more freelance work, I’m open to every opportunity. I’m happy to give my freelance career a proper push if that’s what happens or fully grow into a full-time job.
Complete a 31 day challenge
I’ve been putting this off just about every month of the year but whilst I still have some spare time, I need to make my health a priority. My challenge will consist of working out as many days as possible, getting outside in the fresh air for more walks, and trying to meal prep new recipes. The main goal is to workout or walk every single day.
Find a blogging routine
I’ve been neglecting my blogs so far in 2024 and whilst trying to run three simultaneously was ambitious, I’d at least like to get this blog back on track. I’m using the Bank Holiday weekends (since we have two in May) to write as many posts as I can and plan my content calendar properly.
Read 6 books
I’ve added this goal again but I want to note that once I’ve finished my current library books, I need to make a start on my physical TBR shelves. I have an addiction to The Works and have purchased so many books over the past year or so. Most of them have gone unread so I need to make a start on getting through them!
Try 2 new coffee shops/cafes
This is a fun goal for me because I want to try more independents. I’m slightly cheating because I’m out of town twice in May so will aim to try two then. However, Hull has a tonne that I’ve not tried yet so I want to make a start on getting through a handful on my list in my bullet journal.
Cook 2 new recipes
April was such a crap month for me in terms of diet. I did a lot of lazy cooking (i.e. freezer food) and didn’t do a great deal of meal planning or prepping. May is when I get back to eating more nutritious meals and trying some new recipes. I’d love to try a slow cooker butter chicken and we have some gnocchi to try in the cupboard too (I’ve never had it before).
Make use of my standing desk on weekdays
Because I didn’t do so well with this in April, I want to try again in May. The aim is for an hour every weekday when I’m at home. That’ll probably work out at 3-4 hours a week, which is a significant improvement! In fairness, when I do stand, I end up standing for a couple of hours!
Go to the opticians
This is something that I’ve been putting off since February when I was due to go for an eye test after my last one two years ago. I definitely think my eyesight has got worse as I do get frequent headaches and dry eyes.
Redo business packages
If I do decide to stick with my freelance work, I need to redo my website. I’ve already brainstormed my packages but now I need to finalise them and create/write the website pages. Then I can promote them on Instagram and LinkedIn and hopefully, that will lead to more clients!
Stick to May budget
May is a month that’s a bit all over the shop. I’ve got a couple of out-of-town theatre trips and have some travel in June to save for. That’s why I’m limiting myself to one shop in The Works, one toiletry shop and one clothes shop (probably in Leeds). However, I do want to get out of the house a couple of times a week. My coffee shop/eating out budgets are slightly higher this month to allow for this. I want to make use of my Odeon Limitless pass too but I plan on taking my own snacks for those visits!
And that’s everything for my 10 goals for May 2024. It sounds dramatic but I’m aiming for quite a transformative month because I need some big changes to happen!
If you enjoyed my 10 goals for May 2024 blog post, I do monthly goals and recaps every month and you can find them here. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok too.
