1- Be kinder to yourself.
It is easy to be critical of yourself after the Christmas period, where the only thing that isn’t feeling bloated is your wallet. This is precisely why you should take some time to be extra kind to yourself, and give yourself the self-love you deserve. Meditation is a great way to be at one with your body that doesn’t cost anything. Meditation in the morning is proven to make you more productive and calm throughout your day. Give yourself more compliments, repeat positive affirmations, and try gentle exercise such as Yoga that will stimulate your mind as well as your body.
2- Budget Better.
After Christmas, most of us will be tightening our belts, and live a little more frugally after the expense of the season. This is a perfect opportunity to sit yourself down and create a budget for the following year, which is both realistic and achievable. The kind of things you should think about while budgeting is how much you have been spending each month up to that point, any outstanding debts, spending habits, and of course current income and essential expenses. Creating a realistic savings plan will be easy once you have figured out your overall expenditure.
3- Read more.
How many of us have said that we need to read more while scrolling endlessly on our electronic devices every night before bed? Now is the time to put your money where your mouth is and do something. There is no longer the excuse of not having the storage space for books, as you can get a Kindle with thousands of books available. Reading regularly before bed helps you sleep better, reducing stress levels, and is a great way to unwind before sleeping. Far preferable to using an electronic device that can be detrimental to your sleeping patterns and has even been linked to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
4- Prioritize time spent with family and friends.
If you have grown up kids or aging parents, and the likelihood is that you may have both at the same time, you may want to make spending quality time a priority. The time spent with close family members tends to lessen the older you get, and Christmas is a wonderful time to see family and strengthen bonds, taking this into the New Year.
5-Try a New hobby.
Finding a new hobby isn’t just for children. As an adult, there are plenty of new hobbies that you can try out. Filling your spare time with activities that don’t include alcohol or happy hours, if that’s your thing, can be much more rewarding. Most of us have something that we are good at, however niche, but when it comes to hobbies, it’s a case of finding out what makes you tick regardless of whether you are the most talented person in the world. An enjoyable hobby is something that helps you relax, that occupies you without it feeling like a chore, and stimulates your mind or body in some way. Remember, you don’t have to be good at it, you just have to enjoy it.
6- Organize your diary.
Getting a new diary is an excellent way to help prepare you for the new year. Organize your year by underlining important appointments, birthdays, deadlines and everything in between. After the excesses of Christmas, you’ll want to remember to schedule in a dentist’s appointment, or perhaps it’s finally time to get your wisdom teeth sorted. Putting off wisdom tooth extraction due to fear of the procedure makes no sense at all when you consider the problems you can face if you keep them in. The damage to adjacent teeth can be considerable, and cause a great deal of pain to boot. Aside from medical appointments, remember to pen in birthdays and celebrations well in advance, so you don’t have to worry about missing an important occasion.
7- Declutter your home.
The New Year is the perfect time to make new habits and leave the old ones behind. Decluttering your home is also a way to clear your mind. Physical acts like giving things away by donating to charity or handing down old clothes to family or friends, can be cathartic and allow you to welcome positive things into your life. Make sure your recycling is on point, as living greener has never been as important as it is now.
8- Get Greener.
Being eco-friendly has never been more vital. In recent years climate change activists have made it clear that time is not on our side when it comes to global warming. If young climate change activist Greta Thunberg has taught us anything, it is that we have the power to make positive changes in our world. If we take this crisis seriously and act now, then there are positive impacts we can make. The very minimum we have to do as individuals is to cut down or eliminate our plastic consumption, recycle, consume less meat, and support eco-friendly businesses.
9- Spend less time on technology.
After the holidays might not be the best time to suggest cutting down on technology. Whether you have a new gadget to play with, it’s a good idea to consider cutting down on the amount of time spent using electronic devices. The time you spend on your phone or tablet could be spent on much more productive activities. The blue light from your device’s screen can lead to eye damage, with studies suggesting that this can damage your retinas over time. Instead of spending so much time on your electronic device, try reading, journaling, painting, and other creative activities.
10 Don’t set yourself unrealistic expectations.
The worst thing you can do when setting yourself new year’s resolutions is to set ridiculously hard to keep resolutions that you will inevitably break. Studies suggest that as many as four out of five people will break their resolutions as early as the end of January. Stick to a couple of resolutions that you feel are achievable for you this year.