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Last challenge was my most successful so far, and I noticed how quickly I went from super productive to hardly productive when I let things go a little last week. Maybe I'll be a little more adventurous next time, but because it worked so well last time - and because I'm going to have a week of chaos (checking out Poland!) in the middle of this challenge that would normally throw me for a loop if I tried to be more ambitious - I'm going to follow the same method (with almost the same goals) this time around! That is, I have some framework goals: Open my planner, check it, and plan my day every morning. Every night, check my planner again, write down any tasks or other things I forgot to note down during the day, and think about my plan for the next day. Stop using the computer at 10 p.m. at the latest on weeknights (Sunday to Thursday nights). No bread or added sugar (honey and fruit are okay) until after work on weekdays. (This one won't apply while I'm in Poland.) The idea is that these framework goals will help me accomplish some/many/all of my bullet point goals. I'm mostly not being strict with myself about "do X activity Y times a week" or anything here - instead, being a little more deliberate about how I spend my time overall should naturally lead to accomplishing things. Here are my current bullet point goals (pretty much all of them repeats/continuations from last challenge): Complete another 30-day pushup challenge (currently primarily knee pushups). This challenge build-up is a little more intense than the previous one, so at some point I might have to either do some windowsill pushups as well or switch back to the previous challenge's structure. For now, though, let's see how this one goes! Currently on day 8. Continue running at least three miles three times a week (except for Poland) and start going to the more serious running group again. I tried the group out a couple months ago but couldn't keep up with them. Over the last several weeks I've been working on my stamina by increasing the distance until my first/only walking break and I'm currently up to 2.5 miles. Shortly after coming back from the trip, I'd like to do the whole three miles without any breaks, at which point I should feel comfortable trying that group again. Finish at least one book. Recently started a David Sedaris book - a quick, easy, fun read that shouldn't be too hard to finish over the next few weeks. Also started listening to the audiobook of The Goldfinch without knowing what it was about or how long it was. Turns out it's super long (34 hours!), so I can't promise I'll finish that one by the end of this challenge, but I'll do my best! Be reasonable about food. The fourth framework goal will help with this, and I'd like to continue making vegetable soup at least once a week. Already made broccoli soup this week! Finish a translation project for a friend. This is one of the goals I didn't make much progress on last time. Keep the house in a reasonably clean state. I'd like to get it pretty clean before we go on our trip so my boyfriend's mom doesn't feel like she needs to clean the place when she comes to take care of the cat. And then...ideally...keep it pretty clean when we're back! Be better about bureaucracy. Organize paperwork and stay on top of recurring and one-time deadlines. Organize a big event for my running group. Sigh. This one's not going to be easy - a lot of relying on other people and fidgeting nervously while I wait for them to get back to me. Let's go!

Over the course of fifteen days, I followed a program that worked me up to ten normal pushups. At that point, I was able to easily to 8, could manage a 9th, and was able to barely squeeze out the 10th. The next day I took a break day, and the following day I was only able to do 6. A week ago today I could only do 3 and had to revert to knee pushups (17). Why did this happen? What can I do to make sure it doesn't happen again?