Another year is almost behind us, and it seems that most of us are excited to bid farewell to this year in particular. Regardless of what happens in the New Year, you can set the tone in a positive light by incorporating three healthy habits that will serve you well for years to come.
If you have trouble sticking to those resolutions, why not work on these healthy habits that are easy to follow no matter what’s happening in the world around you!
1 – Jump on the meal-planning trolley
Perhaps one of your resolutions each year is to eat healthier foods. You might have started with the best of intentions, but when life got hectic, and your schedule turned busy, you went back to your old ways. Instead of getting caught in the chaos, start meal planning.
During downtime, take a moment to look at healthy meals you can prepare ahead. Build a shopping list that makes it easy to craft numerous healthy meals from the same base of ingredients. And then let your slow cooker, Instant Pot, and other kitchen tools help you get the job done.
Freezing leftovers properly will ensure you always have healthy and delicious meals at the ready. So when you get home from work and realize you forgot to plan dinner, you will only have to snatch it from the freezer and heat it up. Bonus: you can put your feet up while you wait!
2 – Make more time for sleep
We all feel deep regrets for the naps we refused to take as children. Now, as adults, we wish we had more time for rest. But in all honesty, we still have time. We compromise ourselves trying to take on too much.
End that cycle by setting a firm bedtime for yourself. You can select a bedtime alarm on your phone that will tell you when to put out that midnight oil and get ready for bed. Read a few pages of a good book and then pull up the covers. You’ll start feeling happier and less anxious when you take this time for yourself.
3 – Take time to unplug from the digital world
So much of what we do involves being digitally-tethered. We’re always on our devices for work, and when we’re done for the day, we’re entranced with our smartphones and the endless barrage of social media platforms.
Remember the days when the internet was an escape from reality? Now we need to make reality an escape from the online world. Unplug from your devices each day at a particular time and make time for those in the real world under your roof. Make time for yourself too. You’ll be no good to anyone else if you’re not in tune with your own beat.
These three healthy habits might seem small, but they will make a big difference in how you charge forth into the New Year. And with the way this year has been, going into a new one with strength and a positive attitude is the best way to stay on top no matter what happens.
