1. Drink more water
Pretty standard New Year’s resolution, but also an important one. Our days can get quite busy, so sometimes it’s hard to remind ourselves to drink that much-needed H20. Try setting reminders on your phone, or buying a smart water bottle that reminds you to drink as you sip.
2. Read more books
Reading books are a great way to elevate our knowledge and to find different perspectives through literature—whether that be fiction or non-fiction. Book topics we are interested in can also give us something to relate to. Start by making yourself a reading goal for the year, and even carve out time in the morning or before bed to read a chapter or two. If you’re super strapped for time, you can even listen to audiobooks in the car on the way to and from work.
3. Exercise every day
Whether it’s a sweaty workout once per day, or even a brisk walk, exercising every day isn’t as hard as it sounds. Moving our bodies through exercise releases a chemical called endorphins, which gives us a positive feeling in our bodies. So making time to exercise is a perfect way to prioritise happiness and health in 2022, especially when we might need it the most.
4. Cut down on alcohol
This is one NYE resolution that comes up often, especially when one might feel rather under the weather on New Year’s Day after a big night. One way you could cut down on the booze in 2022 is by giving yourself a limit of drinks you can drink per week, and sticking to it. You can also join in on national initiatives such as Dry July and Ocsober and give up booze for a whole month.
5. Get creative with your culinary skills
We all want to eat healthier in the new year, but why not take that resolution to the next level by upgrading your skills in the kitchen too? You can do this by buying cookbooks or finding new recipes online. It really is fulfilling when you sit at the table after cooking something new and it tastes amazing.
6. Eat less meat
Limiting our meat intake is one of the best ways we can personally reduce our environmental impact, (especially beef) due to the high levels of greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation in the production process. We can do our bit by having meat-free days. You could even get involved in initiatives such as Meat Free Monday.
7. Learn a new skill
Whether it’s learning a new language, how to DJ, craft pottery pieces, sew, or rollerblade, 2022 is a perfect time to up-skill. Perhaps pick a skill you’d like to start learning and make time each week to dedicate to the skill.
8. Care for more house plants
Becoming a plant parent has plenty of benefits, and not just our households transformed into a jungle oasis. A study found that caring for house plants can reduce stress and lower blood pressure. You could also start your very own veggie garden to look after. BRB, I’m off to Bunnings.
9. Plan a well-deserved holiday
Even though the fate of travel in 2022 may seem a bit iffy at the moment, we can always organise and hope when it comes to holiday plans. If all goes well in the next few months and travel is still a go, take some time to plan a well-deserved trip to somewhere that’s been on your bucket list for too long now.
10. Take up regular meditation or yoga sessions
Meditation and yoga sessions are awesome ways to relax and de-stress from our busy minds. Yoga helps us stretch our bodies out, especially if we’re feeling a little sore. You don’t even need to attend physical sessions either. Down Dog is an awesome app for yoga sessions at home, and Calm for meditation and better sleep.
11. Make a budget
2022 could be your year for epic saving. Whether you’re wanting to save up to invest, buy something you’ve been wanting for a while, or holiday cash, a budget will help you smash your financial goals this year. Check out this free online budget planner that’ll help you make an easy budget tailored to you and your needs.
12. Volunteer for a cause
Volunteering your time is a lovely way to give back to the community without expecting anything in return. Whether it be helping out with a local tree-planting organisation or at a charity, your extra time could make a big difference this year.
13. Curate a regular cleaning schedule
Regular cleaning tasks—or a dedicated cleaning day per week—can reduce the spread of germs, lower stress, keeps pests away, and more. When we clean the house, it can also give us a feeling of fulfillment, especially noticing the before and after.
14. Donate clothes to the op shop
Before buying new clothes, take a rummage through your wardrobes and see what you’ve got first. Whatever clothes you don’t want, donate them to the op shop. This will give your clothes a second life instead of just going in the bin. Depending on the area you live in, you could very well find some scores in your local op shop too, so be sure to have a look.
15. Dance as often as you can
Dancing has SO MANY health benefits. I can’t stress this enough. Not only can dancing keep you fit and release endorphins. It can also improve the condition of your heart and lungs, help with physical confidence, improve balance and overall mental functioning. So whenever you can, we urge you to dance. Whether it be in your living room or out with your friends, keep dancing! You could even make a pact with yourself that you’ll dance your way into 2022 on your New Year’s resolutions.
16. Write up to-do lists
To-do lists are a beneficial way to stay organised and focused on the tasks you need to complete. This can absolutely help you with being more efficient and reducing that urge to overthink things. Try buying a diary planner to keep track of your daily tasks. In fact, you could even start a to-do list now and put making New Year’s resolutions at the top of that list.
17. Make your bed each morning
Probably the easiest one on this list to make part of your daily routine. Wake up, crawl out of bed, make the bed. Not only does making my bed every morning turn my room into a tidy space, it almost feels like I’ve achieved something from the moment I first leave your bedroom. Even if it’s something so simple.
18. Take a social media break
Social media can be a chaotic place, especially during a pandemic. It seems like bad news every day, and sometimes like you can’t escape from it. Well news flash: you can. It’s called a social media detox, and sometimes, it’s essential to protect our mental health. Just to take a step back and be with ourselves for a while. Perhaps reconnect with things that aren’t a screen, like nature and our loved ones.
19. Be kind to yourself
If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that our mental health is more important than ever. You can take simple steps in being kind to yourself, such as taking yourself out on a date, writing yourself little encouragement notes. Or you can do what I did in 2020 and find the cutest childhood photo of yourself you can and then set it as your phone lock screen. Why? Just so that if I’m ever being unkind to myself, it makes me ask myself whether I’d treat my four-year-old self that way.
20. Eat local as much as possible
Eating local helps support local businesses and also helps the environment. Eating local could include shopping at farmer’s markets instead of Woolies and Coles and checking out new restaurants in the area. If you’re adding this to your New Year’s resolutions, you could even start off with eating local once per week.
21. Explore your city
Instead of going on a road trip and escaping the city every weekend, why not explore the local nooks of your city that you’ve never been to? You never know what you might find, and it could make you fall in your love with your home even more.
22. Take more baths
Soaking in the bath can have a bundle of health benefits. We’re talking reduced fatigue, stress, and depression. The magic of a good bath can also help relieve congestion when you’re sick, lessen a fever, and relax sore muscles.
We hope this helped with your New Year’s resolutions, and that you smash your goals in 2022!