If you were just too busy to make resolutions on January 1st, don’t despair—it’s never too late to start anew. Let’s face it, the holidays whizzed by in a blur… once the family finally went home, decorations were put away and the last holiday cupcake was eaten, it was already time to go back to work and the resolutions you meant to make got left behind. But you don’t have to wait until next year to make fresh start. We’ve gathered nine of the most popular resolutions (because ten is too obvious) and a few ways to make sure they stick.If you were just too busy to make resolutions on January 1st, don’t despair — it’s never too late to start anew. Let’s face it, the holidays whizzed by in a blur…once the family finally went home, decorations were put away and the last holiday cupcake was eaten, it was already time to go back to work and the resolutions you meant to make got left behind. But you don’t have to wait until next year to make fresh start. We’ve gathered nine of the most popular resolutions (because ten is too obvious) and a few ways to make sure they stick.
Spend More Time with Family
Most people spend more time with their co-workers than they do with their kids so this is a big one. After all, isn’t it more important to enjoy a picnic with your family than it is to finish the quarterly reports on time? You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have fun with your family—get out the board games, or go for a walk, head to the beach, the park or the mountains. Don’t think too hard about it—just get up and go. If you are still stuck, check out https://fun.familyeducation.com/ for kid-friendly ideas.
Stress Less
Everyone knows that stress is bad for you, so stop it already. There are many ways to help alleviate tension like massage, yoga or meditation. For a quick fix, squeeze your stress away with a custom stress ball… they are great for relieving road rage and work anxiety. We think it’s much better to crush a rubber ball than risk blowing up at your boss.
Fit in Fitness
While you may want to exercise more, it’s sometimes difficult to find time to make it to the gym or schedule a spin class. Make it easier on yourself to stick to your fitness goals by walking more. It’s easy, free and can be done almost anywhere. If you are snowbound this winter, take a jaunt to your local mall or look for an indoor track. Even if you only walk for 15 minutes a day, by the end of the year you will have logged in enough miles to make a difference. The important thing is taking the first step.
Quit Smoking
The beginning of a new year (and new decade) is an ideal time to put down the butts, once and for all. Instead of grabbing a cigarette, reach for some gum, light a candle or take ten deep breaths when a craving hits. You don’t have to go it alone—there are lots of online resources for managing cravings and kicking the habit… for good.
Enjoy Life More
Workaholism is out and having fun is in—find ways to squeeze more fun out of your day to day. Whether that means taking a five-minute break in the office or stopping to smell the flowers on your daily walk, it’s important to take time out to enjoy yourself. Schedule in at least 15 minutes of fun (or more) every day…it will do you good.
Spend Less, Save More
I think we can all agree that the days of spend, spend, spend are behind us and that’s a good thing. It’s time to start taking saving seriously—set up a direct deposit savings account so your savings is automatic, save your change (dimes and quarters add up to dollars faster than you think) and use coupons when shopping for groceries. Spend less by entertaining at home, leaving your credit cards in your desk drawer and giving creative, thoughtful gifts, rather than pricey ones.
Learn Something New
You don’t have to be a full time student to keep learning new things. If you have always wanted to learn to play guitar, knit or cook like a pro, there are no shortage of teachers who can help you unleash your inner rock star or nurture your culinary skills. If you are more the bookish type, check out your local community college for in person or online classes on everything from French to Physics. If you have an artistic bent, try your hand at writing poetry, photography or jump into an Improv class. Not only will you expand your horizons, you’ll probably have a lot of fun too.
Help Others
Helping others is a great way to contribute to your community and it feels good too. Check out https://www.charitynavigator.org/ to help you choose a worthy charity to donate your dollars to, or log on to https://www.volunteermatch.org/ to find volunteer opportunities in your area. One of our New Years resolutions at Rush Imprint is to step up our charitable giving so we are putting our money where our mouth is. Stay tuned for news and photos highlighting our new charitable venture.
Get Organized
How many times have you vowed to get organized once and for all? Whether you want to reorganize your sock drawer, clean out your closet or simply manage your “to do” list, it can be difficult to get started. You don’t have to do it all in one day, or even in one week. Commit to just 15 minutes a day, and before you know it, your drawers, closets and desk will be ship shape.
A Final Word
Hopefully you have found a resolution or two that will help you have a more meaningful, less stressful, more active, fun-filled, healthier, more enjoyable, thriftier, educational, giving and clutter-free 2010. The point of resolutions is to make your life better, so have fun with it and choose a change that you can manage. It’s better to pick one resolution and stick with it than to make a dozen that you’re never going to keep.