10 Things You Should Do This Year

With 80% of New Year’s Resolutions failing by February, it’s easy to see why some people have given up on theirs already. You know what, that’s okay. If you weren’t really committed to your resolution from day one, there was no way you were going to stick with it. Today, I’m talking about 10 Things You Should Do This Year that will make a positive impact on your life.

These 10 things do not require a lot of money, time, or fancy supplies. They simply require that you have a strong desire to make a positive impact on your life. If that sounds like you, then continue reading. If you’re not quite there yet, it’s okay. Bookmark this page and come back when you are.

1| Drink More Water I can’t stress enough how important it is to drink water. Staying hydrated is important for everyone, not just professional athletes! Is water too boring for you? Then jazz up a glass with some sliced lemons and a few blueberries. Drink it with bubbles, drink it without bubbles. Just drink it. Try making yourself a motivational water bottle if you think that will help you get excited about drinking more water! Not crafty? You can alway buy a bluetooth water bottle and receive gentle reminders during the day.

2| Eat More Fruits and Veggies Yep. Just like your momma used to say – Eat Your Fruits and Veggies! I’m a firm believer in the 80/20 rule. 80 percent of what I consume is healthy, good-for-me foods. The other 20 percent – well, that’s reserved for things like donuts.

3| Get More Sleep I had a little laugh as I wrote this one down. Sleeping is NOT something that I excel at. Some days, five hours is all I can manage. I am, however, pretty awesome at naps.

4| Say NO more often How many times do you agree to do something ONLY because you think that it will please someone else? Stop it. Stop doing that! If you’re not 100% into it, then JUST SAY NO. Trust me, it is only hard the first few times. I used to be a YES person and that nearly sucked the life out of me. Saying NO also creates more time in your day.

5| Read More Reading is a hobby that I’ve had for so many years! Every year I have a goal to read X number of books – and for the last couple of years I haven’t hit that goal. Why? Because I haven’t planned my reading time. This year, I’m scheduling reading as part of my routine and set a goal on Goodreads to read 20 books! I’ll be sharing my key takeaways in my monthly book club posts.

6| Schedule regular breaks I talked about this in a previous Staying Healthy While Working from Home post because I believe this is so important for those of us who work desk jobs. Taking time away from work during the work day is a great way to reduce stress and get your blood flowing. A five-minute walk around your neighborhood or house can make a huge difference.

7| Have regular family meals Mealtime is a great way to catch up with your family. We have family dinner at the table almost every night. As we’re enjoying a simple meal together, we use this time to talk about what we did during the day and to plan how we’ll spend our weekends or vacation time. It’s one of my favorite parts to the day.

8| Cook at Home Making meals in your own kitchen will save you money and unwanted calories. It also makes having regular family meals so much easier! Cooking at home doesn’t need to be an elaborate feast every night, homemade Lobster Mac and Cheese and Jamaican Grilled Chicken Wings are favorites of ours!

9| Create a Household Budget Do you want to save $728 this year with minimal effort? Check out my simple budgeting tips for families and you’ll learn how to do that and more!

10| Keep your financial records organized Have you started to gather documents to prepare your taxes? Are you finding that it is a mess and everything is all over the place? Make a promise to yourself that this disaster record keeping won’t happen again. If you’re a small business owner, track your expenses on a spreadsheet or using financial software like QuickBooks; and keep your receipts in a folder or envelope. The key is to stay on top of things. Make it a goal for this week to organize January receipts, expenses and income; and schedule time on your calendar every month to do the same!