I bet you can’t wait to leave the year behind and get a fresh start in the new year. We all definitely have something to look forward to next year. To help you feel more connected to yourself and everyone around you, here are 5 non-typical new year resolutions.
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New Year Resolution #1: Be more organized
If you find yourself constantly looking for things in the house, maybe because you can’t remember where you last put your stuff or everything’s strewn about in a haphazard mess, then it’s time to get organized!
Living in a messy environment is not conducive to productivity, especially when working at home. So, our first tip for the new year is to be more organized in one – or many, if you can juggle it – aspect of your life.
Let’s say you want to acquire healthy eating habits. One way to do this is by learning how to cook from scratch. So, how do you become more organized in the kitchen?
Here are a few ideas:
- Buy or make a DIY spice rack
- Sort commonly used ingredients alphabetically
- Store the not-so-frequently-used ingredients in airtight containers
- Have a handy collection of healthy recipes (if you’re doing keto, check out our keto recipes here)
- Organize your kitchen into zones, e.g. there should be a separate food prep zone, cooking zone, storage zone, washing zone, etc. The kitchenware and utensils you use should be placed in their respective zones.
- Sort your grocery checklist by category, e.g. meat, fruit, veggies, dairy, etc. Don’t add a category for junk food!
- Label all the food accordingly, i.e. name, purchase date, expiration date
- Organize your fridge by putting the about-to-expire food in front so it’s easier to grab
- Keep your countertop clean at all times
New Year Resolution #2: Be more physically fit
Keeping yourself fit and healthy should be at the top of your list. I know it’s a Herculean task to try to stay fit when you’re busy with work and family. But if you haven’t been working out at home, then you better add fitness to your new year’s resolution – and make sure you stick to it as well!
Fortunately, you don’t need to spend tons of money on fancy exercise machines. Instead, you can use your body weight to help you get fit and boost your immunity, too. You can start by doing various household chores daily. Then add a few reps of jumping jacks, lunges, push ups, sit ups, skips, and more, to your daily workout.
And if you’re bored of exercising at home? Well, try picking up a new outdoor hobby instead (don’t forget to follow all the health safety protocols). For instance, you can walk, jog, run, take the dogs out for a walk, hike, or go biking. The fresh air and new scenery will hopefully encourage you to stick to your new year’s resolution.
Oh, and if you’ve got kids at home, check out our blog post on indoor play ideas for kids (because kids do need exercise as well).
New Year Resolution #3: Be better with money
Strive to handle your finances better to remain afloat despite economically challenging times. Here are a few finance-related resolutions to help you get started:
- Build an emergency fund worth at least 3-6 months of your monthly expenses
- Create a budget and stick to it
- Track all your income and expenses using an app or good old-fashioned spreadsheet
- Save a portion of your income every month
- Start paying off all your debts
- Pick up a side hustle
- Learn how to invest in a business
- Pay off your credit card bills in full and on time
New Year Resolution #4: Habit building
It’s time to let go of bad habits and pick up good ones in exchange! But what’s the difference between bad and good habits, anyway?
Bad habits often lead to short-term satisfaction, but they can be really bad for you in the long run. For example, cigarette smoking is a bad habit. But it makes you feel good and it releases some of the tension you’re feeling. However, as we all know, smoking is bad and can cause all sorts of health problems later on.
Good habits, on the other hand, may seem like a chore. But they’re actually good for your health, productivity, finances, and overall life status. Take a look at saving money, for instance. It’s hard to consistently save a percentage of your monthly income and not spend it on the latest gadgets. But if you turn saving into a habit and discipline yourself not to spend willy-nilly, you’ll end up in a good place financially.
Here are examples of good daily habits to develop:
- Wake up early and enjoy the sunrise
- Do one small act of kindness
- Do at least 5-10 minutes of exercise a day
- Read something for fun or knowledge
- Cook a healthy dish
- Eat healthy snacks, not junk
- Drink a glass of milk every day
- Learn to say “no” to negative habits
- Laugh everyday (try laughter yoga)
- Drink at least 8 glasses of water
- Start a daily journal where you write down your to-do list, goals, what you’re grateful for, etc.
New Year Resolution #5: Follow through with your resolutions
How many new year resolutions have you made over the years? How many did you actually achieve? If you’re saying none so far, you’re not alone. It’s estimated that only about 20% of new year’s resolutions actually come to fruition (1). The rest fail, so don’t feel too bad if you’ve never made it to the other side.
That said, try not to dwell on the past. Use your failures to propel you to success. Learn from your mistakes. Figure out why losing weight didn’t work. Find out why you still find it hard to save a bit of money every payday. Or why you can’t consistently stick to a good exercise routine.
The bottom line is to ensure you follow through with your new year resolutions. How? By following a habit change approach. If you work on your resolution daily for at least 18 to 254 days (2), you’re more likely to turn it into a routine. And if you continue following your new routine, then it’ll become second nature to you, thus ensuring you’ll achieve your goals!
