New Year’s Resolutions – we all make them, and inevitably we end up breaking them! (usually by the end of January…just us?!). We have the best intentions, and – once the hangover is out of the way – the start of the New Year is a great opportunity to take a positive look at what you want to achieve in the new year.
So here are our top tips for detoxing key areas of your life, so you can kick off happier, healthier, more organised and ready to take on the world!
DETOX
The dreaded ‘D’ word. We know that January is a hard month to give anything up, so instead of resolving to quit bad habits, try making good new ones.
Start by giving your immune system a post-NYE boost with this easy Kiwi, ginger and banana smoothie:
Peel 3 kiwi fruit and blend for 30 seconds with 1 banana, 4 tbsp porridge oats, 200ml milk, 250g plain yogurt and a handful of ice cubes. For a sweeter tooth add 2-3 tsps of honey.
And for an easy, healthy snack, try our perfect guacamole – or nibble on these low-fat, guilt-free treats.
DEFEAT THE EXERCISE SLUMP
Resolving to make this the year you get fitter and stronger?
Check out our review of outdoor exercise classes – a fabulous way to make to meet new people, make the most of the daylight hours, and burn up to 600 calories in just one session.
And try our Top Five Fat Burning exercises at home for a speedy endorphin boost. Go on…we know you can do it!
DIVIDE AND CONQUER
January is notoriously the month where people rethink their career. Before you panic, consider doing a short personal assessment (yes, we thought this sounded horrendous too – but it really works!). Grab a cuppa and notepad, and ask yourself questions such as:
What went well in last year?
What did I want to achieve that didn’t happen?
What great things shall I carry on doing?
Jotting down all these things – big or small – will help you feel positive and enthusiastic about everything that could happen in 12 months.
Use your notes to steer yourself this year – whether it’s changing career, having more family time or being stronger. If you need some motivation, have a read of Karren Brady’s Strong Woman – an inspiring example of what you can achieve with focus and ambition.
DEVOTE ‘YOU’ TIME
Take a bubble bath, book that holiday you’ve been dreaming of for months, or give a much-missed friend a call. Us Janes can be so busy striving to do it all, that taking time out to appreciate what we have can get forgotten. Worried you won’t find the time? We love the getsomeheadspace.com meditation app. It’s easy to use, and needs just 10 minutes in your day to unwind, remember your personal goals and focus on your positive moments.
DECLUTTER
Post-Christmas is the perfect time to clear out the old and make space for the new…sales shopping anyone?!. A top tip is to give yourself 30 minutes per room, using a timer. Be ruthless about what you haven’t used for ages, and have plastic bags ready for dividing into charity shop and rubbish.
Invest in some stylish storage like these baskets from Next Home. Or if your pockets are feeling a bit depleted post-festivities, we love these cheap, pretty filing boxes from Ikea.
So there you have it – our resolutions for a fabulous 12 months!
What are your New Year’s resolutions? Share with us @tweetjanes