12 Healthy Habits You Should Start Now For The New Year

Healthy habits begin right now.

It’s a new year and it’s the perfect time to improve some things in your life. I like to look at every new year as a brand new chapter. I find it pretty motivating as I know a lot of people do.

Even if you’re not into making New Year’s resolutions, there’s no harm in starting these 12 healthy habits to make the best of this year. Remember, there is so much in life we can control even if outside forces try to disrupt it. We are in charge of our lives. So let’s start with some healthy habits this year.

Create boundaries for your sanity

Creating boundaries for yourself is a very important healthy habit. I focused the most on this last year, which has helped my mental health tremendously.

What are boundaries?

Boundaries are the limits you put on your time, body, mental health, and life in general. If you feel constantly drained, manipulated, and not content with life, you need to start setting some boundaries.

Where can you place boundaries?

• Family
• Friends
• Work
• Relationships
• Yourself

For example, you may have friends that want to go out constantly and you are getting less sleep which affects work. Let’s set a healthy boundary for your time. The way you could communicate this is, “I’m sorry but I can’t go out tonight because I have to work tomorrow. We can make a plan for Saturday.”

Whatever boundaries you put in place, it’s important to stay consistent with them.

Drink more water

It’s not shocking to know that most Americans don’t drink enough water. Know that I’m guilty of this too. Although, since moving down south where it’s hotter than the northwest, I have learned that not drinking water isn’t much of an option so it has helped this become an actual habit a lot.

The benefits I’ve experienced also fuel my motivation to drink more:

• Improved digestion
• Fewer headaches
• Flushing bacteria from your bladder
• Carries nutrients and oxygen to your blood cells
• Improves energy levels

I’ve found that finding a cute water bottle and adding lemon really helps me to stay consistent with drinking enough water every day.

Less screen time

It is so easy to get caught up on social media. Scrolling through TikTok for hours, keeping up with family on Facebook, posting on Instagram, or writing the latest blog post. It can be mentally exhausting and can cause eye strain leading to issues such as headaches.

I know this one is hard, especially if you work from home. It seems like you need to be glued to your phone and computer. There are ways to start this healthy habit though.

Try this: Every day, step away from your phone/computer for 1-2 hours at a time.

• Go for a walk
• Spend time with friends/family in person
• Read a book
• Workout
• Do some journaling (linked is my favorite gratitude journal!)

Find a hobby you love

If you feel like life has become a little bit too serious and you’re not finding enjoyment, you need a hobby. Seriously.

A hobby is something you enjoy doing and doesn’t feel like work. However, there could be a mix of the two. For example, my hobby growing up was writing stories and now I write blog posts and make some money on the side. It’s something that I love to do and that makes me money at the same time! How sweet is that?

First of all, are you more of a creative person? Active person? Nature-loving person?

Some hobbies you can try:

• Knitting
• Painting
• Writing
• Yoga
• Photography
• Gardening
• Reading
• Baking
• Dancing
• Cycling
• Learning a new language
• Completing puzzles

Finding a hobby could also be a healthy habit that helps you stay off of your electronics! It’s a win-win.

Start a vitamin regimen

Let’s put the healthy into a healthy habit and start a vitamin regimen!

Did you know that most Americans don’t meet their daily nutrient needs? Some may find it hard to have a healthy and well-balanced diet and that’s where taking vitamins can help.

Taking a multivitamin every day can help make sure we’re getting enough nutrients which can improve our overall health!

Tip: If you don’t already, I suggest going to the doctor for an annual blood draw. This is important, even if it’s a pain. It can help see if you’re deficient in any vitamins and detect any other potential health problems. This helps you see what you may need to focus on in your health journey!

Enjoy nature more

I often find myself cooped up inside way too much. We’re constantly working, cleaning the house, cooking, or taking care of the kids. A simple thing such as enjoying nature can easily be neglected.

Related: 5 Life-Changing Habits That Will Improve Your Future

Enjoying nature could be as simple as sitting outside if it’s nice enough for an hour and soaking in the sunshine. Maybe even reading one of your favorite books.

It could also be having a family day out at the park and having a fun picnic! Adding in some social time could be an additional benefit for your mental health.

Benefits of getting outside:

• Reduces anxiety
• Helps improve your immunity
• Improves your focus
• Helps boost your self-esteem
• Improves your sleep

Even if it’s for 20 minutes a day, get outside and get some fresh air!

Use a planner

One of the most helpful things I’ve done for myself is start using a planner.

Related Post: The Erin Condren Planner: Why You Should Have One

If you don’t already, I highly recommend you start using one. Yes, even if you don’t have a typical 9-5 job or kids. Being consistent with your planner, there are no more missed important appointments or deadlines.

You’d be surprised what “little” tasks I even include in my planner though. If you deal with anxiety, ADHD, or even depression, adding tiny tasks can help keep you going and on track. Such as…

• Take a shower
• Do my nails
• Go for a walk
• Call my friend
• Reply to emails

There are physical planners you can write in to keep by your bed and there are digital planners you can have on your phone or computer! Little secret? I use both!

Regular chats with loved ones

Sometimes life is so crazy busy that we don’t chat with our friends & family as often as we probably should. I know that I’m guilty of this!

My rule of thumb is whenever somebody pops into my mind like a friend or cousin, I’ll at least text them a “Hi! I just wanted to let you know that I love you.” or I’ll give them a call.

via GIPHY

But every week, I like to have a day that I sit down for an hour and chat with some friends. Even if we don’t see each other in person, I like to let them know that I’m thinking of them and catch up on anything new.

Plus, being social is good for your mental health!

Have a healthy nighttime routine

Have you noticed whenever you have a bad night’s sleep, the day after is usually not the best? Creating a healthy nighttime routine can set you up for a good night’s rest and a productive day after.

Related: Create A Relaxing Nighttime Routine For Better Sleep

What does a nighttime routine consist of?

• Make your space comfy cozy
• Self-care is a must
• Journal & plan
• Put that phone down an hour before bed
• Do a relaxing activity

I actually have a whole blog post that goes into specific detail on these bullet points on how you can create a nighttime routine!

Try something new every month

Trying one new thing every month is a great healthy habit.

One thing I believe wholeheartedly is we can never stop learning. There are also so many things that we may not have tried that we may end up loving.

Take out a piece of paper or pull up your phone notes and brainstorm a list of everything you want to try. It could be as simple as trying a new recipe or more complex as learning a new language.

Then take your planner and dedicate one new thing you’re going to try for each month.

By the end of the year, you will have learned new things and maybe found a new favorite interest.

Cook more

Cooking more at home is such a good healthy habit to have.

Eating out can be quick and convenient at times but it’s not always cheaper or healthier. Plus, I’ve found that learning to cook and trying new recipes can actually be fun!

Make a weekly night out of it! You could start by scrolling through Pinterest and finding some yummy recipes you want to try. Make sure to create a board you pin those to so you can go back and look at them. Then choose a night when you cook one of those recipes. You can even make it fun and invite some friends over!

Who knows, maybe you’ll discover that not only do you like cooking but you’re pretty good at it too!

Save Some Dollars

I don’t know anyone who isn’t interested in saving some dollars, am I right?

Starting this healthy habit at the beginning of the year can potentially put you in a better financial situation by the end of the year. These tips aren’t too hard but are very rewarding.

Put a certain amount in savings each paycheck

Let’s say you put $100 away into savings every month, you’ll have over $1200 in your savings in 1 year. No matter how little you put in, even if you can only afford to put away $25 right now, it’s still money that will add up!

Use a Savings account with a high APY

The interest from your savings accounts APY helps accumulate whatever money you put in each month. For example, I use the Credit Karmas Money Save account with a current 3.5% APY! Of course that rate changes with the current economic standing but it’s one of my favorite and most rewarding savings accounts that I’ve tried so far.

Use cash-back apps like honey

Did you know you can spend money and get some back? Honey is a web and mobile extension I use constantly. It gives you active codes for sites like Amazon and Ulta to save money on certain items. It also gives you “gold” for your purchases which you can redeem for cash back in the form of gift cards or have the balance sent straight to your Paypal!

Buy generic brands instead of name brand

There’s no shame in choosing generic brands over name brands. Especially when pinching pennies. I’ve noticed that a lot of name-brand products are very similar in quality with similar ingredients compared to name brands. Do your research to compare & you’ll get a better bang for your buck.

Eat out less

As I’ve mentioned in the “cook more” section, eating out less can be the cheaper (and healthier) way to go. Also, if you’re someone who stops at a coffee shop every morning, I think you know what I’m about to say. You can save a lot of money preparing coffee at home and making the stop at Starbucks a once-in-while treat.

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Bring It On, New Year!

I hope after reading this, you are feeling better about starting the new year with some new healthy habits. Personally, physically, and mentally we’re going to level up together. So bring it on, new year!

What habits will you be focusing on this new year?