New Year’s resolution are popular, but are not always the most effective. Starting the new year off to a good start begins at the end of the previous year and continues when the clock strikes midnight. There are things that you can do to ease your transition into the new year to eliminate and minimize chaos and stress. Of course, there are many things that are out of our control and we can’t prevent. However, there are certain things that are in our control to help make our new year transition easier.
Below are steps you can take for a joyful new year.
Organize
Start your new year on a clean slate. Get rid of excess clutter and organize the items you have. Depending on how large your space is, this may take a while. You can complete this over the course of a weekend or take a couple of weeks. Separate each room and divide each category of items.
Go through everything. Determine how often you use it and the last time you use it. If it’s been a while or you don’t even remember that you have it, donate it. Maybe you have multiples of the same thing. Donate the ones you don’t need. If it’s completely unusable then throw it out. For products, check the expiration dates. Toss them if needed.
Bedrooms
- Clothes
- Knicknacks/chotchies
Bathrooms
- Old products: makeup, skincare, haircare, perfume
- Bedding, towels, linens
Kitchen
- Fridge
- Pantry
- Dishes/pots, pans, silverware, utensils (ex: 5 slotted spoons)
Cleaning Supplies
- Tools: mop, broom, vacuum
- Cleaning Products
Living Space
- Home decor and accessories
- Clean furniture and rugs
- Smell goods: candles, essential oils, wall plug-ins
Phone
- Photos: move them to an external hard drive; delete those random photos you don’t need
- Contacts: delete the people who you no longer speak with
Plan
Habits
This isn’t about setting a million New Year’s resolution goals that you’re probably not going to accomplish. This is about establishing habits and focusing on the journey instead of the outcome. Something that was mentioned in the book Atomic Habits is to focus on the type of person it takes to accomplish the goal. For example, if you want to become more fit and healthier, think about the actions that a healthy person would do instead of focusing on the outcome of a specific goal weight.
With setting habits, choose to focus on a few to start with then build as you go. There is the potential to overwhelm yourself if you start out with a lot of new habits.
Separate your new habits into categories. Listed are some examples of what could fall under each category. Use these or create your own.
Fitness
- Stretch before bed
- Exercise daily: This doesn’t have to be a major gym routine if you’re new to this, walk around your neighborhood, complete a Youtube fitness video, join a fitness class.
Health
- Drink water before coffee
- Eat fruit and/or veggies at each meal
Work
- Work without looking at your phone for the first hour
- Organize your desk at the end of each day
Mental Health
- Attend a support group
- Spend at least 15 minutes outside everyday
Hobbies
- Try something new once a week: write a list of hobbies and try engaging in one each week until you find something you like
- Find a group to join
Set Routines
These don’t have to be extensive. Set intentions to complete a couple of things to do in the morning to slowly wake yourself and prepare for the day. Have practices in the evening to wind down to prepare for a good night’s rest. Below are some examples of what you can include.
Morning Routine
- Skincare
- Encouraging messages: podcasts, scriptures, etc.
- Morning stretches
Evening Routine
- Daily Reflection
- Soft music
- Reading
Wrap Up to Set Your New Year’s Resolution
For any projects or tasks that you intended to complete this year, make a decision to complete them. Depending on how many and how extensive these things are, you may not be able to complete them all, but you can choose a few or one to complete.
