Hello 2023

My 2022

I may be too slack over the COVID period, my 2022 is like a payback year. Ever since the Singapore government decided to open up the borders in late April this year, work had been pouring down on me like mad. I even shared to my colleagues that I feel like I am Lao-sai-ing (which means diarrhea in Hokkien & Teochew dialects) projects. In the past I only manage 2-3 projects in a year, this year I managed and delivered 4-5 projects in one go.

 Review and Reflection

Let me cut the complains and review my 2022 progress vs my 2022 resolutions:

1. Ensure Kpo Kia can keep up with her school work. Spare at least 15minutes with her to go through her school work every school day.
   – I failed terribly in this. The mum and dad are too lazy, as well as Kpo Kia. So the only time we sit her through her school work is when she announced that she had homework, or if I happened to scan through her books when I was helping her to pack her bag. Of course, there are also ‘learning moments’ with her just before her Spelling and 听写.  
2. Get Kpo Kia back on swimming lesson again by June 2022.
   – We got her back to the same school in April 2022. Her progress is actually much slower than I expected as till now she still needs a swimming board for her lessons. But since she seems happy and did not resist going to lesson, will let her be. Hope she can swim by end of 2023.
3. Do a random activity with Kpo Kia at least once a month – be it baking, science experiment, or outdoor.
   – We did manage to do a few activities, but bi-annually? =X
4. Cut down on 0.5kg per month through lesser oily, process and sweet food. Hopefully, by end of year 2022 I can cut down by 6kgs…
   LOL…  In order to do this, I need to exercise for 15minutes at least once a week and probably eat my overnight oats or salad for lunch, at least once a week?
   – Guess what? I maintained… or maybe gain a Kg or 2 over the year =( 
5. Improve my cooking and planning on food allocation and purchasing. No more than 50% of the food should go into dustbin for one dish.
   – I think I still need to work on this, as much as I was trying to cut down on my food wastage, I feel like the end of the day I had been just stuffing myself with loads of expired food. I seriously need to plan and learn how to handle food better.
6. Cut down on my expenses and increase my savings. I should read more financial management information.
   – Guess what? I maintained… or maybe gain a Kg or 2 over the year =( 
7. Improve in my technical skill (no matter how dread I feel) – Read up more and put them down as notes. Organised the reference materials.
   – I may have gained a bit of knowledge here and there, but it’s not good enough. Should I blog them down or at least share over LinkedIn to keep myself in check?
8. Be present. Cut down on screen time on the phone when I am with Kpo Kia. And hopefully, I can encourage Kpo Kia papa to do the same.
   – Unfortunately, this year I am sort of addicted to XHS (小红书). On the bright side, Kpo Kia likes to watch XHS with me, hope her Mandarin will improve. LOL!
9. Log down backlogs and braindump in my bullet journal. I need to spare 5 minutes to take a look at my bullet journal every day and set up the weekly layout at least one week in advance.
   – Hmm… somehow I didn’t log most of the time, this year, I will be changing my journal to a ‘light-weight’ version in hope I can bring it out and log during my free time, wonder if it works?
10. Be consistent in doing my backup, catching up on backlogs and decluttering my assets. This need to be done on a weekly basis.
    – I realised my digital assets had been gaining and not clearing much. Need to tackle this with a more realistic approach in 2023…

My achievement and gratitude for 2022

• Although my IG followers and engagement did not gain as much as I wish, I guess it is all attributed to IG revised algorithm and my refusal to join the F2F groups. Glad that I was still selected by a few brands for collaborations, and I really love these gigs. I feel I gained a lot of knowledge trying to understand the products/services and they forced me to review and improve my photography and even video editing skills.
• I cut down on my creation, and sit back to relax after IG revised its algorithm~ LOL! This may be a good thing since I can refocus on other stuff.
• I managed to continue trying out recipes from social media, and cook for my lunch every now and then. Sometimes I managed to do some simple plating which I thought is an amazing change, compared to how I present my food when I first started cooking.
• My eczema is getting under control although my scalp still needs help. Perhaps need to highlight this to the skin doc on my next visit. On the flipped side, I don’t dare to bake bread as I’m worried the washing will trigger my eczema.
• Although I don’t seem to improve a lot in my project management skill, I survived through the year! I am grateful to my wonderful team of colleagues and understanding / supportive business users who didn’t give up on me.
• For some reason, I got to travel to Malaysia 3 times this year. Everytime I passed by the “greenery”, they remind me of my childhood. :X

My 2023 resolutions

For my 2023 resolutions, I would like to keep them as achievable as possible.

1. Check Kpo Kia school bag for undone homework instead of depending on her to “confess”. Revised her spelling and 听写 with her.
   Side note: Need to research more interesting ways to make her learning less “dry”.
2. Plan an activity (baking, science experiment, etc?) with Kpo Kia at least once a quarter – to draft out each plan and date by the first week of the quarter.
3. Pack own cooking/food for lunch at least once a week.
4. Research for recipes that can be prepared in advance and consumed for a few days.
5. Plan in advance on what food to cook for the week and buy them at one go to reduce wastage of time and trips.
6. Cut down on unnecessary spending, but not ill-treating myself. I need to replenish out-of-shapes clothing and expired items with decent-quality ones.
7. Increase my assets by 5%.
8. Read more financial management information.
9. Read more on RFID/IIoT.
   Possible ways to log them: Share on LinkedIn, Blog them down as notes.
10. List down all backlogs at beginning of every month. Stock take and archive them except the more important 10 items.
11. No more stress over fancy layouts for my bullet journal. Since I can’t do them the “artistic way” to keep myself motivated, I will go simple – list them down and check off them as soon as possible.
12. Be consistent:
    – Spare one day to declutter my stuff every month.
    – Spare one day to back up and delete not meaningful photos/files every month.
    – Post at least once – every Sunday on IG.
    – Post all food logs on XHS.
    – Post recipes sharing on IG and Blog.

Motivation

Some rewards I’m thinking of rewarding myself if I can follow through:

• Insta360 camera (S$500)
• Stand mixer for bread (S$1,700)
• Sewing Machine (around $300?)
• Bread Maker

Let me share my top 9 Instagram photos for 2022! Feel it can’t compare to 2021 as I am less committed in 2022, and also blame it on IG (LOL!).

Oh yeah… decided to make it a template to include the Singapore Public/School Holiday list for the coming year in my end-of-year post. What to do? I no longer than the 6 days of childcare leaves and Kpo Kia can only travel during school holidays or Public holidays.