My 2020 Life Reset: Quarter 3 Update
I’m back just in time for my 2020 life reset, quarter 3 update! (ICYMI: My original 2020 life reset post, quarter 1 update, quarter 2 update.) Not much has changed over the past three months. I’m in the home stretch now—can you believe there are only three months left of 2020? Let’s hope I can finish as strong as possible!
2020 Life Reset: Quarter 3 Update
1. Declutter and organize one room per month
Haven’t been doing this! Shocker! That said, I am staying on top of: purging pre-loved items from my closet (check ‘em out on Poshmark), tossing expired food found in the refrigerator, keeping the dishes rotating through the dishwasher, and I also picked out and tossed some expired spices from our spice shelf that desperately needs to be organized. AND we have multiple boxes/bags of things that are ready to be donated.
2. Use up products before buying new ones
This one is going great. I love emptying products! I have quite the assortment of skincare-related products that I’m currently working through, but somehow I’ve still managed to come very close to renewing my Sephora VIB status for next year. I think it’s because I’m trying a few new-to-me hair products: the Olaplex No. 0 and Olaplex No. 3 treatments (I first purchased this kit that includes both and then purchased the regular size No. 3) AND the Briogeo deep conditioning mask. So far, I love everything. I’ve been alternating between Olaplex and Briogeo; one night I’ll do the Olaplex treatment, and then the next time I wash my hair, I’ll skip Olaplex and deep condition with Briogeo instead. So far that routine is working well. I’ve also been using up some cleaning products!
3. Learn how to and start investing
My main brokerage account is doing fine, so now the goal is to start a Roth IRA. If you’re reading this, stop what you’re doing and open a Roth IRA if you don’t already have one. I wish my parents had forced me to open one when I started working three years ago. Gah! I have a pension through my employer, but that’s it, and I’ve lost out on sooo much retirement income because I never started a Roth IRA! (I should have started one as a grad student, tbh.) I actually opened a Roth IRA with the same brokerage, but it doesn’t allow for automatic recurring deposits, and I need that to stay on top of things so I haven’t transferred any money into it. I’m currently reading I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi, and he goes into detail about where to start a Roth IRA and when (the answer is now). Side note: I highly recommend this book! There are too many options for Roth IRAs, and since I’m a Libra and suck at making decisions, it’s taking me longer to pick a brokerage. Do you have a favorite? Ramit recommends Vanguard (and my colleagues like them too).
4. Figure out a better work/blog/life balance
You may have noticed that I switched my post schedule slightly so that my posts now go live early on M/W/F instead of late in the day on M/W/F or early the next morning. I love it so far! That said, the switch didn’t really help my work/blog/life balance. I’m still spending way too much of my “free” time on blog-related things. I realized that I’ve been working harder, not smarter…I’ve published over 1,100 posts since I started seven years ago (I actually counted them all up—I’m up to 1,146 including this post), and I don’t have much to show for it. Ha! I think I peaked 4-5 years ago. Blogging is still something I enjoy, of course. I love that it has served as a personal style/life diary all these years! I just need to figure out how to work smarter, not harder…and maybe then I’ll have more time to complete #1 on this list? 😜
5. Improve my mental health
I had every intention of making that call this month and then I just…ran out of time. At least, that’s my excuse. I did create my online account, so that’s a start! I wish I didn’t have to call to get everything set up, though. Oh well. New (original?) goal is to have this all sorted before the end of the year. I’ve been limiting or avoiding situations that I know negatively impact my mental health (including but not limited to scrolling on Facebook or Twitter for too long—it’s weird feeling like Instagram is my “safe space” lol, that definitely did not used to be the case). Reading has helped a LOT, and the trip we took last weekend was so good for the soul, too.