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New Year’s resolutions have long been a way to take stock of what’s truly important in our lives, allowing us to pause and reflect on the year behind us, as well as plan for the year ahead.
If living through a global pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we shouldn’t take health and wellness for granted. In 2023, improving your body, mind and soul is a great way to organise your long-term goals for the new year.
Focusing on your health and well-being doesn’t have to translate to starting a new diet or workout plan, though. You can set your sights on taking charge of your mental health, finally optimising a better sleep routine or diving headfirst into reclaiming your space (wave goodbye to messy closets and disastrous bathrooms).
Start here to create a list of attainable New Year’s resolutions that allow you to make healthier lifestyle tweaks every day. You’ll kick off the year with a stronger, well-nourished body and an enriched mind if you adopt any of these daily habits.
Keep your new resolutions by using a planner to help you stay on track, checking off daily fitness goals and tackling frequent decluttering tasks. This year, it’s time to put you first!
Build a better budget
If there’s one New Year’s resolution that will help you the most in the long run, it’s making a vow to save more money.
Before you head back to the office in January, outline a rough budget that works for you — and make a plan for how you’ll stick to it. Budgeting apps can help you do this as painlessly as possible. And supercharge your shopping habits by rethinking when and how you buy things for your home and family; often, there are savings you’re leaving on the table.
Practice mindfulness
Anxiety can nag at anyone during any season, in all parts of life — and it can be easy to let the idea of the future or past experiences inform your reality of the present. Practicing mindfulness means doing everything you can to be grateful for what you have in the moment, where you are in life, and who you are right now, shared Sabrina Romanoff, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist in New York City and Yeshiva University professor. Romanoff and other leading psychological experts say committing to mindfulness can help you become a better person in less than a year’s time.
Read more books
January is the perfect time of year to snuggle up with a new book. To keep yourself accountable all year long, why not link up with friends and peers to connect over the best pages you’ve read? Our Good Housekeeping Book Club can help you get started on this and, together, you’ll have a clear snapshot of how many books you’ll end up finishing before the year’s out.
Learn to love vegetables
Whether you’re working on weight management or towards a balanced diet, vegetables are your friends, says Stefani Sassos, deputy director of the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Nutrition Lab.
Fiber-rich vegetables are especially crucial for healthy hearts and strong veins: “A heart-healthy diet emphasizes produce, balanced by fiber-rich whole grains, fish, nuts, legumes, and lean proteins,” she says. The healthiest vegetables that you should try to eat daily often double down on gut-healthy fiber.
Commit to a healthier sleep routine
So many issues can be traced back to a poor night’s sleep. And yet, there is so much more that we can aim to improve beyond a reasonable bedtime. Creating a plan to improve your sleep hygiene — the habits you maintain to get good sleep every night — may look different for everyone, as it depends on when you need to be active and working throughout the day.
Your brain actually relies on cues to regulate your internal circadian rhythm, and the choices you make throughout the day can interfere with these. Start taking charge of your sleep by mastering these 10 to-dos as the year progresses.
Drink less alcohol
You already know you don’t need to drink to have fun – so why not make this year the one you cut back and join the sober curious movement? Doing so can help to improve your mood, sleep, skin and your immune system. Plus, it’ll also help you save money in the long run. — goodhousekeeping.com
