It is New Year’s Eve and I am thinking about resolutions.

My resolutions typically aren’t practical. It would be nice to lose the ten pounds that have crept on, but that resolution is pretty vague. That resolution isn't likely to be accomplished. This year I want to make practical resolutions that I can accomplish. My hope is that my New Year’s resolutions will become New Year’s habits that last all year long. If my resolutions can become habits I’ll consider them a success.

As I look back over the year, I can find several things that consistently affect my personal and professional life. This is a great place to start creating resolutions. The goal for my resolutions is to motivate me to make real change that will last through the coming year.

There are three issues I would like to address:

1. Time Management

2. Technology management

3. Real, meaningful family time

Time management has potential to be one of those vague resolutions. To make this one practical, I need to hone in on the details. Almost every day I find myself wishing the day was a couple of hours longer. I know I’m not alone in this. I suspect most working moms feel the same way. I want to use the hours I do have more effectively. While I’m not exactly sure what that means, I know it means sitting down and tackling tasks that need to be accomplished. My time management goal for 2013 is to return to the TO DO List. I used to be a list maker, but have strayed from it the past five years. My daily goal will be to write my TO DO List. I like to keep a running list, where I add or delete items as I accomplish them or need to accomplish them. I am going to make or update my list at the end of each day, and check it each morning. My hope is that keeping a running list will help keep me focused. I resolve to keep a list and keep focused on it.

Technology management is a big one. Not just for me, but for my kids, too. Technology is great, but when I look around the room and see five people on five different devices it makes me think we have an issue. It is very hard for me, working online, to actually turn off the computer. When I do, I’m pretty quick to pick up my I Pad. I am afraid I am teaching my kids that being connected is a twenty four hour a day necessity. It isn't and I need to remember that and model it for my kids. For 2013 I resolve to take real breaks from technology myself and more closely monitor the time my kids spend with computers and devices. I resolve to have a turn in time for I Phones and I Touches. I resolve to stick to this resolution.

I spend a lot of time with my kids. I am home when they return from school. I drive them to and from their activities every day. However, I am becoming acutely aware of the quality of that time. I feel like all I do is reprimand them or ask them how much homework they have. I want to enjoy my kids. I resolve to talk at them less and listen to them more. I resolve to improve the quality of the time I spend with my children. I hope making these resolutions will help make 2013 a more productive, happy and meaningful year.

What are your hopes for 2013?

Will you be making any resolutions tonight?