Health Hacks: New Year, New(ish) You

We have all fallen victim to it. You tell yourself, this is the year I am going to [fill in the blank]. You come up with some resolutions, maybe you reassure yourself you actually are going to stick with them this year. For most of us, we have higher hopes for ourselves than are actually manageable.  

 Less than 25% of people actually follow through with their New Year’s resolutions after January, according to a study by Forbes. The numbers get much worse when you look at how many have stayed committed when December rolls around—a whopping 8%.

So instead of setting impossible expectations for yourself and letting that fizzle out as January wears on, here are some small lifestyle changes that won’t upset your day-to-day life too much - And just maybe will lead you to a healthier 2020.

1.     Drink more water

Consider buying a reusable water bottle or keeping a cup going all the time in your house. When you finish each glass, immediately refill it. Soon you will find yourself drinking more water without even having to think about it.

2.     Plan out your day for the entire week

By thinking ahead for the whole week, you will be able to allocate your time the best. You’ll have a better sense of which days you can get work done, workout, etc . . .  And which days you can afford some downtime.

3.     Cook at home a little more 

This will save you money and let you make healthier choices. Now, we aren’t saying every evening you should cook an elaborate all-natural, organic-GMO-Gluten-Dairy-fun-free (you get the point) meal, but just having a few vegetables on hand never hurt.

4.     Utilize your Sundays

We all do it. You wake up on Sunday morning and all you want to do is stay in bed all day, dreading the feeling of your alarm going off on Monday morning. To make your Mondays a little less terrible, get as much done on Sunday as you realistically can, and your week will at least feel like it’s off to a better start.

5.     Block out time to decompress

Out of everything on this list, this one might be the most important. Whether it’s a few hours to binge your favorite show, or five minutes zoning out to your favorite song, make sure to give yourself time every day to step back, check out and let your mind reset.