For regular gym-goers, this is a good week to do workouts at home, as that rush of "resolution" enthusiasm scatters many a dormant member to the elliptical machines. Luckily, the herd will thin back to status quo before the 31st. This is a good metaphor for a popular approach to self-improvement of just about any kind.
All jokes aside, the beginning of a new year is a great time to do some self-reflection and set fresh goals. Unfortunately, the idea of a specific resolution (or a list of them!) can seem a little overwhelming. Resolutions can involve biting off more than one can realistically chew, and can quickly lead to disappointment and a sense of failure. But what if there was a way to actually make meaningful changes without all that pressure?
That's exactly what this list of attainable, tangible actions will help you do. Starting simple will make you feel successful and in control, even if you just choose one of these 10. The bonus benefit is that the encouragement from a small victory can help make bigger goals seem far less daunting. For convenience, these 10 life hacks for an easier 2017 have been grouped by their intended effect.
For a Creativity Boost
1. Meditation
Research tells us that key to improving your mood is to "get out of your own head" and shift your thinking. When you’re in a calm headspace, you can shut out distractions and let your creativity flow. Try doing this several days in a row, at a designated time. All it takes is a few minutes of guided meditation, counting your blessings to trigger gratitude, envisioning your ideal version of yourself, or thinking about the big picture goals toward which you're working. Each of these methods delivers benefits for your mood and will enhance your chances for fresh ideas.
2. Take a class
Find out what kind of community education services your local community college offers. You might be surprised at the wealth and diversity of topics and skillsets covered - not to mention tuition is far cheaper than formal higher education! The people you meet and ideas introduced in a leisure class can be a boon to your creativity. Some of the immediate benefits are structured and facilitated discussion, a novel environment, and an obligation that forces you to follow through on a specific day.
For Higher Productivity
3. Pomodoro Method
If you've heard about this famous technique for time management, but never tried it, it's not too late to give it a whirl. Perhaps you, like myself, have cynically dismissed it as unnecessarily complex. Let's promise each other that this is the year we at least try it before we knock it. If you're unfamiliar, the gist of the Pomodoro method is breaking tasks down into 25-minute sprints of focused work time with 3-5 minute breaks immediately following. The concept, at its most complete, also involves a system for self-observation and collection of personal data. This information can help you understand you work patterns and allow for better allocate time allocation in the future.
4. Reduce time spent on emails
It's not easy, and in some organizations, it could be downright ugly: trying to move away from email as a primarily form of internal communication. Surely companies such as Slack are creating tools that have made it far easier than ever before to go on an email diet, but for many it's just too tough to cut the cord. That's fine. You can just do you -- limit yourself to email-checking windows at the start and end of each day; nothing more. And for your own sanity, turn off email notifications on your phone.
For Feeling Less Stressed
5. Outsource it
What better way to feel less stressed than to actually take some of that burden off your shoulders? You can do it, you absolutely have the power to delegate, thanks to amazing websites such as Leverage, Scripted, TaskRabbit and similar cloud delegation/outsourcing tools. You can read our whole blog piece from last year on the value of crowdsourcing to reduce the pressure you feel in most aspects of life.
6. Aromatherapy
As old a "medicine" as any, aromatherapy can have a profound calming effect when utilized correctly. It works by the mechanism in which "smell" receptors in your nose communicate with parts of your brain (the amygdala and hippocampus) that serve as centers for emotions and memories. When these molecules are inhaled, some research has shown that they stimulate these parts of your brain and influence physical, emotional, and mental health. Lavender, for example, is believed to stimulate the activity of brain cells in the amygdala similar to the way some sedative medications work. Unlike many convention forms of medication, there are no unpleasant side effects to aromatherapy, and it doesn't pose any risk of addiction.
For Better Health
7. Create a healthy habit with a built-in reward
Let's face it, starting a new fitness routine can be difficult, to say the least. And without immediate results, it can be very hard to keep up the enthusiasm. Instead of thinking all-or-nothing, try incorporating some physical activity in a pleasant, genuinely rewarding way. Your success at following through on this will also depend largely on how easily it becomes a genuine habit. Choose a time and place for an activity (something as simple as an evening stroll) that fits in with what you want to do anyway. Make the "destination" a local park, a coffee shop, or similar spot with which you have a positive association. At least in the beginning, make a concerted effort to "treat" yourself at the destination: read some of your neglected book, buy yourself a coffee, watch the sunset, etc. This is a lot more relaxing than sitting in traffic to get to the gym after a hectic day at work.
8. Make an effort to get more active at work
Break room dance party, anyone? Think about how much time you spend sitting down at work. You might realize not every task must be done sitting at a desk. In fact, it'll probably benefit your brain chemistry in a number of ways if you make a point to move around in your workspace. Standing desks can be an instant fix, but if you're looking to start smaller, try walking meetings (every video conference can be a walking meeting with a smartphone!) Additionally, keep track of how long you've been sitting and find excuses to get up, talk to people, and take a walk before too many hours go by. Even something as simple as a standing stretch will greatly increase your bloodflow and overall feeling of well-being during the day.
