A Year of Riding for Me
What would happen if your riding goals were your top priority? If the laundry and dishes could wait, if someone else managed the kids’ schedule and checked homework, if the grocery shopping were taken care of, would your riding improve?
I found myself asking that question as I looked at my day planner, doing my Sunday night check. It’s a habit I’ve had for years. An hour or so to set the tone for the week. I sync my calendar with husband’s, check my son’s sports & schedule for projects and homework, plan my menu and order groceries. I flipped to a new week today and noticed that something was missing: time for my rides.
Elf and I are in a generally good place. His feet are improving. Our new barn is wonderful with great footing and trails galore. I feel busy but have mornings and school hours to knock out my to do list.
So, why am I not riding?
I have no excuse. I know that riding consistently is an essential component of maintaining Elf’s fitness & making progress on my riding goals. It takes commitment like most good things.
What would happen if I gave myself a year for my priorities? A year where the first thing that went on my calendar every week was my ride? I don’t know, but it’s time to find out.
Consistent Riding
I have a lot of, admittedly modest, riding goals. I want to go to schooling shows regularly and participate in a clinic about once a quarter. My long term goal is to earn my USDF Bronze medal.
But it all starts with simply riding more.
All of the productivity and life transformation gurus usually recommend this strategy – pick one small thing and make it a habit. When it doesn’t feel hard, pick another small thing and do the same until we’ve incorporated these new habits as integral parts of our life.
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I do best with some external accountability when I’m trying to do something for myself, so I’m making this blog my commitment check. Every week, for 52 weeks, I’ll type up a ride report. Whether I get in one ride or five, whether we’re productive or meander on the trails, I just want to ride consistently. I’ll work on the rest of it later.
5 Strategies for More Barn Time
I’m generally considered to be an organized person. Real talk: I’m not that together. In fact my brain swirls like a kaleidoscope with ideas and social obligations and worries and wishes. It’s forced me to put a few rock solid systems in place that give me breathing room. I know how to do it, now it’s time to make them a priority.
Meal Planning & Slow Cooker Meals
I simply did not appreciate how much effort and energy goes into thinking up a dinner meal every single day when I was a kid. Deciding what to make and making sure we have all the supplies and managing my time so that dinner gets on the table at a decent hour. The school year started recently for us with the homework and after school activitives that make dinner time even more of a challenge.
My answer? A list of 20 dinners that I know my family enjoys. Each meal cooks in the slow cooker, can be made ahead of time or takes less than 30 minutes to get on the table. I pick 5 meals from that list each week, make 1 new or more consuming one weekend day and leave one day for leftovers (aka find your own damn dinner night).
Stick to the Calendar
Friends often take my always-at-hand day planner as a sign of my organization, but it’s there because without it I wouldn’t know where I am. I have three calendars: my Day Designer (the paper planner that lives on my desk and holds my daily to do list), the Google Calendar on my phone that syncs to my husband’s calendar, and the dry erase calendar that hangs in my kitchen with color coded activities.
I joke that if I don’t write it down it doesn’t get done. But that can be an affirmative thing, too. If I didn’t write it on my calendar, it doesn’t need to happen. Obviously, there are emergencies and exceptions but as a general rule sticking to my calendar means that my priorities are in line.
And yes, I schedule random fun with my son and dates with my husband.
Make a Uniform
I’m not exactly a fashion plate. Even on my best days, I don’t think I edge into stylish. Choosing the right outfits is something of an uncomfortable thing for me. To take that off the table I choose a uniform. I work from home but the same concept still applies. I found comfortable clothing for three situations I need – riding, working out with yoga and my Peloton, and work/mom tasks. I try to keep about a weeks worth of those every day clothes. That lets me do laundry on the weekend and essentially lay out my clothes for the whole week. It takes one more decision out of my morning.
Outsource
As a small business owner, outsourcing is key to strategy to getting everything done. It is not a smart use of my time to do things that I can affordably have someone else do. The easiest example of this is grocery shopping. I started using grocery pick up or delivery almost 4 years ago. I combine my pick ups with trips that I’m making anyway like driving my son to his practice. It adds less than 15 minutes and ensures we have the lunches, snacks and household items we need, even same day.
I use Amazon subscribe and save where it makes sense for things that we use regularly – toilet paper, paper towels, & toiletries. Dog food and dog treats are ordered online, too.
I found a vet that comes to my home for routine dog care to save a little time. It’s little bits here and there, but it adds up.
Saying No
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A long time ago, a friend told me that everytime I say yes it was a no to something else. We only have so many “yeses” at our disposal in a given day/week. In this season, with a busy kid and a business and a husband who travels 30-50% of the month for work, I have ever fewer than normal.
I’ll be saying no more in the coming months. I’ll be saying no to things that I’d like to do and things that I feel pressured to do. I’ll be jealous and a bit greedy with my yeses to make sure that I have room for my ride and family (the other top priority).
I will say no. No to everything that doesn’t support what is most important to me. And I’ll include my ride time in that priority list.
Is 52 weeks of consistent riding going to make all of my goals happen? Probably not. I’m sure there will be rides that are sidelined by weather, thrown shoes, and a flu or two. I do know, though, that making this commitment to something that is just for me has greater impact than dressage score.
Faith and GOALS are my greatest strength
<3 it makes such a difference