New Year's Resolutions You'll Actually Want to Keep

January 05, 2021

Every January, many of us sit down and reflect on the past year and look forward to the new one. For those of us who make resolutions, it's a time to look at our habits and environment and see if everything is still working for us.

There are always the predictable New Year's resolutions of eating better, exercising more and saving more money. This year, instead of making resolutions that feel like a punishment (I’m looking at you, weight loss), we're trying to make resolutions we feel excited about accomplishing.

We're thinking about what habits we can cultivate in the new year. Also, how can our home environment work better for us? Are you also looking to improve your habits and environment?

Here are 5 ideas for resolutions you'll want to keep:

Develop a sleep routine.
Stress takes a toll on your sleep patterns and can leave you waking up feeling unrested. A good night’s sleep helps you function well in all areas of your life. Set up a sleep routine to develop good habits that respect your need for sleep. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, keep electronics outside the bedroom and avoid hitting that snooze button. Also, invest in your sleep with a good mattress and bedding you want to be in.
Value your time.
No one else is going to value your time, if you don’t. There are a lot of messages out making us feel that "busy" equals productive. Yet, people are more creative, more productive, and better at their jobs, when they take time off. This year, vow to use all your vacation days, plan random days off and allow yourself unscheduled time. Enjoy that quiet cup of tea or finish reading that book.
Experience more nature.
Spending time in nature has many benefits for your physical and mental health. Getting outdoors in public spaces such a park can also help you feel connected to your community. Make it a priority to spend at least 15 minutes a day outdoors.
Keep learning.
Continuing to learn keeps your brain sharp as you age and is also fun. Let’s face it, work can feel like a treadmill and outside of work we feel often compelled to learn more skills for our jobs. While those skills are valuable, they don’t replace the joy of learning something new, just for the fun of it.
Power off.
Our phones are designed to be distracting and we all spend too much time staring at screens. Make this the year you consume less of what everyone else is doing and instead learn more, get outside, or work on a new hobby. Think about setting limits on apps through your phone or even deleting apps entirely to force the break. (Go ahead, delete your work email app for a weekend, you won’t regret it!) Make your phone slightly less accessible by storing it in a pouch instead of your pocket.