It’s almost a new year! We made it through 2020 and the new year is ahead of us. 2020 has easily been one of the most eventful years of our lives. However, 2020 has given everybody perspective on what is truly important to them. As a result of the pandemic, we have been unable to go out, travel, or have normal social interaction. We have been forced to live our lives in a much different way. If you are having some trouble making a New Year’s resolution then here are 7 New Year’s resolutions that you can add to your list for 2021.
1. Drink more water! It can be difficult to remind yourself to drink water, because we typically only drink water when we are thirsty. If you’ve never heard of the 8×8 rule then you feel free to try it out this new year. You drink 8 ounces of water 8 times a day and it’s supposed to be great for your health and improve your overall lifestyle. It’s as easy as setting an alarm 8 times a day to remind you to drink water. Your skin will thank you!
2. Become a Virtual Volunteer! Even though we are currently in a pandemic, believe it or not you can volunteer your time doing things remotely. It could be as simple as emailing, calling, following up with people, transcribing, or you can help think of ideas to help an organization. You can check out more opportunities at dosomething.org.
3. Workout at home! Even though gyms are closed for the unforeseeable future, you can always work out at home. Muscleandstrength has a list of great free workout plans to help guide you through it. Walking your dog counts too!
4. Explore new Hobbies! Some people are stuck at home now and find themselves with a lot free time. Whether your interest lies in gardening, films, music, food, art, working out, reading, or any other things, there are so many things you can easily pick up from the comfort of your home. Lifehack has compiled a list of 50 low cost hobbies you can do from home. Put down the Netflix remote!
5. Write a letter to your future self. Who is your best and worst critic other than yourself? You know yourself better than anyone else. You know your habits, hopes, dreams, desires, and basically you know everything about yourself. “We have such a hard time channeling compassion for ourselves,” says Emma Seppala, Ph.D. of Stanford’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research. “Writing it down makes it easier to shift perspective.”
6. Make your bed every morning. By making your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. You will feel accomplished and that will encourage you to do another task followed by another and another. “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.” says William McRaven, US Navy Admiral.
7. Learn a new skill. With the ease of access of YouTube among a plethora of other platforms you can easily look up any skill you want to learn. Whether you want to learn a skill towards your career or just an everyday skill. Whether you would like to pay for classes and have a coach or if you want to go at your own pace and take them for free. You can look up free courses online. There is something for everyone at all skill levels.
8. Start an Emergency Fund. No-one saw the Pandemic coming. Many people found themselves in a state of emergency financially. This is why emergency fund is so important. You can save 10-20% of every paycheck into an account until you have 6 months worth of expenses. ADP has calculators to help you figure out how much you can earn by starting a fund.
9. Start a Mindfulness Journal. Starting a Mindfulness journal reduces stress. Journaling is an incredible stress management tool. Journaling 15 to 20 minutes a day three to five times over the course of 4 months was just enough to lower blood pressure and improve liver functionality.
10. Marie Kondo your home. Marie Kondo took the world by storm with her Konmari method. Her book “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up”, teaches us how to truly keep your life tidy and organized with minimum effort. Clearing the clutter and unnecessary junk from your home can really make a difference in your mood and lifestyle. You simply take a look at whatever item you have in question and answer to yourself “Does the object “Spark Joy?” If the answer is yes, you keep it, but if the answer is no, get rid of it.
