Happy New Year! We said goodbye to 2023 and rang in a fresh start with the New Year. It’s the perfect time to reflect and recalibrate. Looking back at last year, is there an area of your life that could use a reset?
The beginning of the new year is a great time to kick start new habits that will bring positive changes to our lives. Maybe it’s time to downsize and declutter. Perhaps you'd like to make healthier diet choices and spend more active time together as a family. Maybe you've decided to ramp up the cleanliness of your home. Or if you're like me, all of the above!
Making a commitment to tackle one or even several goals for the New Year might feel overwhelming at first, but anything is possible when you set yourself up for success. Read on to learn how you can help yourself stay on track even when life inevitably gets in the way.
Hack Yourself Healthy
If you are like me, you probably start the week with the best intentions. For example, planning to keep the house super clean, planning out healthy meals, and scheduling time for physical exercise. But unfortunately, life can get in our way and derail our plans as early as on day one. I’m looking at you, unseasonably busy Mondays.
Is there a hack for a more simple and less stressful life? Let's dive in. Try this method to shake up your routines. Make a plan to break up your tasks throughout the work week. Try scheduling chores and tasks for certain days or times. Just like you use your calendar to book your meetings and events, give your home life priorities a place on your calendar.
This might be your daily planner or your email calendar. If you're not able to work on a scheduled task when the time comes, no problem, just reschedule for another time just as you would for any other appointment. Treat your scheduled personal tasks with as much importance as all other scheduled events on your calendar.
For meal planning and prepping, consider your strengths. Are you someone who likes to prep ahead by chopping veggies and storing in the fridge to cook later? Do you utilize pre-made ingredients and combine them with homemade sauces? Are you using your freezer to set you up for success? Try this hack I just learned, store sauteed garlic and onions in the fridge to cut down dinner’s cooking time.
Check out some of our favorite resources!
- https://cleanmama.com/ - Get to know Becky and her cleaning routine. GAME CHANGER!
- https://konmari.com/about-the-konmari-method/ - Escape the vicious cycle of clutter
- https://www.eatwell101.com/low-effort-healthy-dinners-recipes - Low Effort and Healthy Dinner Recipes
- https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/easy-30-minute-vegetarian-dinners/ - Easy Vegetarian Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes or Less
- https://www.housebeautiful.com/ - Bringing you the best in home inspiration and design education
You will find tons of great information and home tips in the shared resources above. Try selecting one new method, process, or easy recipe per week to slowly incorporate new habits into your lifestyle. Enlist the support of your family and friends. Ask questions, and start conversations. Empowerment is like smiling, it's contagious!
Ready to reset? Remember, change is hard for all of us and progress looks different for everyone. Making changes will take some time. Every step forward counts, even baby steps. Be gentle with yourself. It might seem daunting, but you've got this!
Written By Allie Franconeri 1/7/2024
Photo Credit Nick Morrison