Friend and fellow #5DadsGoWild dad blogger Dale Allen Berg decided to set 20 goals for 2020. I like the idea… but I’m not going to be quite as ambitious. What I will say, though, is that your goals should be based on what you can reasonably control. Rather than striving to gain a certain number of subscribers on YouTube, for example, aim to publish a certain number of videos.

And so, here follow a list of 7 goals I’ve set for 2020. Call them new year’s resolutions if you must. Whatever the case, wish me luck!

1. Read 25 Books

If you caught my 2019 year in review earlier this week, you’ll know I read 30 books last year. The original goal was 24 books: two each month. I could stretch myself further, but I feel like this is already a great pace and it’ll “free” me up to pursue the goals on this list.

To that end, let’s go with reading 25 books in 2020. To see what I’m reading, follow me on Goodreads, if you haven’t already.

2. Hit My Daily Step Goal 250 Times

Having a fitness tracker has been beneficial to my overall health. I could probably stand to lose a few pounds, but weight loss is not really the point of this goal for 2020. It’s more about choosing to lead a healthier, more active lifestyle. It’s about choosing to feel better… and being able to keep up with an increasingly active kindergartner.

Hitting my step goal (currently set at 8,000 steps) 250 times works out to about two-thirds of 2020’s 366 days. That gives me some room to breathe while also providing a reasonable goal to strive for.

3. Cut Myself Some Slack

My guiding words for 2019 were “Freedom and Rational Thinking.” I’d like to keep up with that kind of mindset for 2020. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves all the time. I know at least I do. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is give ourselves some room to breathe, guilt-free.

4. Apply for the BCTESG

That’s the British Columbia Training and Education Savings Grant, worth $1,200 from the BC government. We’ll have to wait until Addie turns 6 in the fall before we can apply, so I’m basically just leaving this in here as a reminder. Who am I to turn down “free” money from the government, right? College ain’t getting any cheaper!

5. Take a Kid-Free Vacation

Ever since we could afford it, we’ve loved traveling. We’ve been everywhere from Australia to Taiwan, Maui to Milan. But, ever since becoming parents, we’ve never gone on a vacation without the kiddo in tow. It’d be nice to take a trip, even if it’s short, as just a couple. We just have to figure out the logistics of it all.

6. Stop Working One Hour Before Bed

It’s not just about the amount of sleep; it’s about the quality of sleep. I’ve been trying to cut caffeine after about 4 p.m. most days, for example. Avoiding screens before bedtime is a good idea too. And while circumstances oftentimes dictate that I work the third shift, I need to stop working right up until when I want to go to sleep. Because it never works in my favor.

I need a buffer. Every time I’ve worked until 1 a.m., for example, and tried to fall asleep at 1:05 a.m., it’s never worked. I just toss and turn. So, let’s start with creating (at least) a one-hour buffer. It’s not like I can sleep in until noon anymore.

7. Play a “Real” Video Game One Hour a Week

This isn’t a typical new year’s resolution, I know. If anything, there are probably folks out there who want to play video games less. But, here’s the thing. While I dabble in Words with Friends and Dr. Mario on mobile, I don’t play “real” games nearly as much as I once did. And gaming sparks joy for me.

I bought Tekken 7 and Dragon Ball FighterZ back in April when they were on sale. The former I’ve clocked in about an hour total, and the latter has been installed but never opened. I want to finish the single-player campaign in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the Switch too.

What Are Your 2020 Goals?

No, this isn’t quite same as Dale’s 2020 Twenty. I really don’t think I could try to balance that many priorities in my head at the same time. I do think, though, that these seven goals should lay a strong foundation for the year. They can serve as north stars, so to speak, to guide this journey. Of course, who knows what the future holds. It’s not like I have 2020 vision.

So, what say you? What are your biggest goals or priorities for 2020? What do you hope to achieve?