Happy (belated) New Year! We’re a week into the 2022 and you know what that means. A week into the fresh start that 2022 brings. Nows a good time to check in with yourself and see how you’re doing on those resolutions. Maybe you’re right on track, maybe you didn’t set any resolutions. Whatever the case is, the start of something new always fills me up with excitement. I can reinvent myself, curb bad habits, start new ones, whatever the case is. The start of a new year always feels like a blank slate and it’s important to look back and look forward. After looking back, here’s 7 habits I want to leave behind and 7 habits I want to bring into 2022.
7 Habits I Want to Leave Behind
Backing Out of Plans I Make With Myself
Now, I’m normally very good at keeping up with plans. But sometimes all I want to do is back out of the plans I’ve made for myself. It’s usually when I’ve set aside time to re-organize my kitchen, go through my closet, or most frequently, work out. It’s so much easier to sit down, read a book, hang out with friends, or watch TV. But thinking on it further, the whole reason I’ve made plans to do these things is that I know they need to get done.
Hitting Snooze
I’m a morning person. I wake up early and then keep pressing snooze and just lie in bed, all cozy and warm. I love it. But, I don’t think it’s the best use of my time, so this year I want to try setting a later alarm and using it as my reminder to get out of bed.
Skipping Breakfast
I’ve seen a lot of different views on this, but I think I do better when I don’t skip breakfast. It’s not a diet thing. It’s that if I end up skipping breakfast and getting to work, I end up getting hungrier earlier and reach for the first quick fix that I can find (and it’s not the best option, or one that I would have chosen if I had more time to prepare or wait for food before the hanger strike). So, upon reflection, I think that eating breakfast (even if it’s just some toast to go with my tea), is a habit I want to bring into the new year.
Multitasking
Don’t get me wrong. I love to multi task. But I want to focus on being more in the moment when I’m with people or working or just going about my day, so I want to focus. Worded differently, I want to focus on giving tasks my whole attention rather than doing a half-baked job on each, or having the task take longer. Like, I know it doesn’t take 40 minutes to fold a load of laundry (don’t judge me too hard, please)… but when I put on an episode, that’s how long it takes for me to do it. Does anyone else have this issue? I feel like I can’t be the only one.
Embarrassing Amounts of Screen Time
Phones are great. I love mine. It’s a phenomenal tool. But “with great power comes great responsibility.” And I go through phases where I’m super responsible and others where I’m embarrassed by how much time I spend on my phone. Plus, I feel like if I’m embarrassed about it, it’s definitely not one of the habits I want to bring into the new year
Mindlessly Reaching for My Phone
In line with the above, I want to change how I use my phone. When I have a down minute, it’s the first thing I reach for. Why? Habit. It’s definitely a habit I want to change, so I’ll be using these 9 tips.
Retail Therapy
This one hurts a bit, not gonna lie. After having a bad day, it’s so easy for me to “add to cart” and feel just a little bit better, especially if I’m stressed about work. After all, I work hard so that I can enjoy my life, pay my bills, and do some frivolous shopping. But, the cost is that, I’ve ended up with quite a few things that I don’t really need. Like, do I really need another cute dress when I’ve got a few others that look perfectly nice, hanging in my closet? Probably not. It’s not that I’ve been spending too much, it’s more that I want to be intentional with my money and things and I don’t think that I’ve been as intentional as I could have been last year.
7 Habits I Want to Bring Into the New Year
Established Morning Routine
I love how productive I feel on the mornings where I adhere to my morning routine. It’s simple, but because I’ve done all the necessary steps, I don’t feel like I’m missing anything. Most importantly, I feel productive because I’ve already accomplished a lot!
Working Out in the Morning
This is in line with the above, but working out in the morning really just works best for me. I haven’t been made exhausted by work or distracted by a book, a tv show, or spur of the moment plans. Planning a work out in the morning helps me adhere to a schedule and stick to my plan. So that’s definitely one of the habits I want to bring into the new year.
Reading More Self-Help and Nonfiction Books
I love to read. Love it. Can’t get enough hours in the day to read as much as I would like to. But I do know that I read a lot of romance and fiction books and I have enjoyed stretching myself over the past year to read more non-fiction books. It helps me be more well rounded and I get to learn something new.
Drinking a TON of Water
Super basic, but a classic. Drinking the 8 cups of water a day has seemed really excessive to me, but I feel so much better when I’m fully hydrated.
Scheduling In Self Care
I have loved scheduling in my “me time” for self care into my calendar. Honestly, it’s the best. It ensures that I make time to prioritize myself. I write in “self care” on my planner, and then I plan it out. Whether it’s a weekly bath, putting a massage or acupuncture on the books, it’s important that you take care of yourself. Remember– you can’t pour from an empty vessel, so make sure you’re taking care of yourself!
Following Up With Friends
Does it seem a little lame to phrase it this way? Yes. Does it work though? Also yes. I make a list of people that I want to reach out to each month and I follow up with them. Did we say we were going to make plans? Time to follow up. Did they mention a big life event happening soon? Send a card to follow up and wish them well. Too often time flies by and it’s “out of sight, out of mind” but following up with my friends has helped me be a better friend to them and is a habit I want to bring into the new year.
Gratitude
Everyone always talks about having an attitude of gratitude or the power of positive thinking. At first it was too “woo woo” for me, but it’s all about your mindset and training your brain what to focus on. When I practice gratitude, I’m happier and I don’t sweat the small stuff. I honestly can’t recommend this habit enough.
So there you have it! Those are 7 of the habits I want to bring into the new year and 7 that I don’t. What’re some of the habits you want to implement in 2022?
