5 Things I Do At The Beginning Of Every Month

This monthly tasks post is sponsored by Tampax and Always.  All content and opinions are 100% my own. 

Top: Amazon Star V-Neck Tee (XS / TTS) – (similar)
Bottom: AE High-Waisted Jegging (24 x-short / size down)
Headphones: Sudio Regent II Over-Ear c/o (similar, similar, splurge)
Phone: Amazon Cell Phone Stand
Cup: Corkcicle x Rifle Paper Co. Lively Tumbler
Frames: Target Gold Gallery Frame

Can you believe it’s August already??  While 2020 has been one of the slowest years, it’s also been one of the fastest years — does that even make sense?  I know that with all the time I’ve been spending at home lately, sometimes the days start blending together, but there’s just something about the fresh start of a new month that gets me excited!

Over the last few months, I’ve become much more deliberate in how I prepare myself when a new month comes along.  I’ve noticed that when I go into the month with a clear focus and a plan, it’s helped tremendously with my productivity as well as feeling less anxious overall!  Keep reading for my list of 5 things I do at the beginning of each month to set myself up for success.

5 Monthly Tasks I do at the Beginning of Each Month

Do Some Housekeeping

Top: Heart Print Ruffle Blouse (similar, similar, similar)
Bottom: Ann Taylor ‘Marino’ Tie Waist Shorts (00P) – (similar)
Earrings: similar circle hoops

First things first: I like to get the least exciting tasks out of the way first, and that means just a little bit of housekeeping to make sure everything runs smoothly for the next month.  At minimum, that means checking to make sure I have my meal recipe delivery kits scheduled out and household essential items are stocked up on.  Of course, I always double check to see that I’m loaded on tampons and pads as any shortage of those items would for sure result in embarrassment on my side!

SuperValu is currently running a promotion on my go-to brands Tampax tampons and Always pads — clip the $2 to save from now until this Saturday, August 8th!  You can also find this deal in the BrandSaver weekly paper, available inside SuperValu stores.

Have A Retrospective

I kinda nerd out when it comes to project managements and many of you guys know that I also work full-time as a software engineering consultant where manage a small team for my corporate job.  I’ve transitioned two teams that I’ve led to use agile and it’s been a game changer every time.  I decided I needed better time and work management when it came to my influencer side hustle so of course, I turned to agile!  I could do a whole post on how I plan my “sprints” as well as use scrum for budgeting time / complexity — it gets me super excited so let me know if there’s any interest on that topic!

But, back to retrospectives.  One of my favorite parts of the agile process is having a “retrospective” at the end of a work cycle to reflect back and see what worked, what didn’t work, and any takeaways that need to be implemented going forward.  This translates into 3 categories that I fill in:  Start, Stop and Continue.  It’s super simple but honestly it forces me to pause, reflect, and brainstorm — so important regardless of whether it’s in a corporate setting or you’re getting serious about your side hustle!

Plan Ahead + Update My Calendar

dry erase calendar

Our calendars fill up pretty fast around here, especially as Adrian and I need to juggle commitments for the kids alongside our schedule.  At the start of every month, I like to take note of any important dates including deadlines, birthdays, and special events.  These are usually the non-negotiables that need to be prioritized each month, so I try to make sure that I tailor my schedule around these dates.

We make heavy use of our family calendar to communicate our own individual dates — I make sure to check with Adrian if I have any commitments where I may need his help at home or with the kids as well.

Set Goals to Learn Something New

weekly family bike rides have been a favorite new healthy habit

It can be easy to get comfortable, so I always set goals to challenge myself.  Learning something new is something that always gets me excited and pushes me out of my comfort zone.  Whether it’s cooking a new recipe, listening to a new podcast, trying a new workout, or just committing to a new healthy habit.  At the start of quarantine, I committed to weekly family bike rides which have been such a fun new tradition to enjoy with the kids!

Visualize + Commit

Top: Amazon Star V-Neck Tee (XS / TTS) – (similar)
Bottom: AE High-Waisted Jegging (24 x-short / size down)
Headphones: Sudio Regent II Over-Ear c/o (similar, similar, splurge)
Phone: Amazon Cell Phone Stand
Cup: Corkcicle x Rifle Paper Co. Lively Tumbler
Frames: Target Gold Gallery Frame

And lastly, it is so important to spend a little time committing to and visualizing your goals.  Half the battle of making goals happen is to visualize it happening — it’s a mindset!

What are some of your monthly tasks?  Let me know in a comment below!