Welcome to the new year! Are you properly hydrated? How’s your posture? Did you get enough sleep last night?!
You already know my thoughts on New Year’s resolutions: namely, that they don’t work. No matter when you’re reading this, it’s never too late to start taking better care of yourself and living a more fulfilling life. According to habit-changing experts like Leo Babauta, tackling one small–yet meaningful–change at a time is the key.
So with that in mind, try picking just one thing from the following suggestions that appeals to you–or come up with your own–and try it out for seven days. If you notice a positive difference, keep doing it! If you feel empowered to take on another incremental habit change, then add one more micro-habit to your routine. However, resist the temptation to take on too much at once.
Tiny Habits, Big Payoffs
If you try to overhaul every aspect of your life all at once, you will fail spectacularly. Sorry, but that’s a fact. We develop our bad, unhelpful habits for a reason–usually because they’re easier or less intimidating than the alternative. Even if they’re not especially pleasant, we keep doing them because change is scary.
The good news is that small changes add up over time! Just stick with it and take it one step at a time.
Self-Care (That Actually Works)
A lot of self-care tips out there are just ads for a “life-changing” product or training course. However, that doesn’t mean the concept is totally bogus.
Take a Nap
Why don’t adults take naps in America? In some countries, an afternoon siesta is simply part of the culture. 20-60 minutes of sleep at midday or early afternoon can help you feel more refreshed and alert for the rest of the day. Instead of doom-scrolling during your lunch break, find yourself a comfy spot to grab a quick nap.
Create a Ritual
I’m about to get woo-woo, but stick with me for a minute. Creating a small daily habit of prayer or ritual can be a really beneficial grounding exercise.
Whatever your personal beliefs, find some way to honor them at a regularly scheduled moment every day. Light a candle, ring a bell, recite a verse–whatever floats your spiritual boat.
Mindful Moments, or How Curiosity Can Change Your Life
Take a Moment Before You Make a Decision
Most adults make tens of thousands of decisions every day, many of them without conscious thought. It’s exhausting, and to cope with that, we automate the process for the vast majority of those decisions. Sometimes, though, that leads to developing bad habits without realizing it.
If you have issues with any kind of impulsive or overindulgent behavior, make yourself take a moment to think about it before you proceed. Still want to do it! Be my guest. At least you didn’t make that decision on autopilot.
Journaling Before Bed
Gratitude journals work for some people–although they’re not for everyone, and there’s no one-size-fits-all method. If you’d like to be more mindful of your moods and how they connect to the events of the day, however, writing in a journal before bed could be helpful.
Don’t spend too much time–ten minutes is probably enough–and try not to judge yourself. Think of it as a report about your mental weather for that day.
Basic Health Stuff We Should All Know By Now, And Yet…
Check Your Posture
Most of us have terrible posture and will end up looking like the witch in Snow White by the time we hit retirement. (Haha, who am I kidding? We will never get to retire.)
Better posture can help you feel more confident and put less pressure on your body, resulting in fewer aches and pains. Check yourself every five or ten minutes to see if you’ve slumped back into a tortured question mark at your desk. Take a deep breath, realign your spine and shift your shoulders back, and carry on.
Eat More Vegetables
Maybe you’re already a veggie master who doesn’t need to hear this tip. But for those of us who have had a serious internal debate about whether coffee counts as a vegetable, making an effort to eat just one additional serving of fresh produce is a worthwhile microhabit to pursue.
Stay Hydrated
Although experts debate the exact number of ounces we should drink every day, it’s usually a lot more than we actually get. Keep a reusable water bottle by your side and take frequent sips. Don’t drink so much water that you feel nauseated, however.
Balance water intake with less sodium in your diet, and try to eat foods with a higher moisture content. Avoid chugging water at the end of the day just to hit your target if you want to get enough sleep that night!
