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A new year welcomes in a season of change.
It’s the perfect time to reset and make little changes that’ll benefit you in the long run.
Some people make lots of resolutions, some people make one or two. some people make none at all – and that’s ok! It’s all about finding what works for you and sticking to realistic goals.
For busy parents, we know making and sticking to resolutions is easier said than done. We’ve promised ourselves we’d drink less coffee every year, but somehow that resolution gets scrapped very early on after one sleepless night.
Don’t know where to start? Here are a few pointers from the M&Y team for a successful year of resolution keeping:
- Don’t force yourself to cut out things that you enjoy or are simply a necessity (see above: coffee).
- You don’t need to make huge commitments that you know you won’t keep. You’ll only end up disappointing yourself and feeling deflated (we’ve all been there).
- Try slowly introducing better habits to your routine instead. Make a handful of small changes that you can easily implement in day-to-day life.
- Do what feels right and is achievable for you!
What you’ll find is that after a few weeks of sticking to a new healthy habit, it becomes part of your daily routine very quickly! The first few weeks are the hardest, and perseverance is key.
And for those of you who feel like giving resolutions a miss this year, we hear you! The best time to make little changes is when YOU have the capacity to. You’re all perfect as you are in our opinion anyway. However, if you do have the capacity to add some habits to your routine or enjoy the challenge, we’ve put together a list of ideas that we hope can inspire you. Adapt as necessary to what best suits you!
Read for 15 minutes a day
Why don’t you try picking up that book that you keep meaning to start and make a habit out of reading for 15 minutes a day? When the kids are asleep and you have some wind-down time for yourself, pick up a book rather than aimlessly scrolling.
Start a gratitude journal
As busy parents, we can often forget to take a moment to be grateful for all that we have. If you have the time to, start your own gratitude journal or buy one online. If prompts and affirmations aren’t your thing, take a moment at the end of each day to write down three things you were grateful for. A few minutes to reflect on the good things in life allows you to put things into perspective and encourage positivity. Alternatively, at the end of each day, make notes of things your child did that you want to remember. Funny things they said or did, milestones or quotes that you’ll look back over in years to come. You’ll be glad you did it, we promise!
Go for a walk every day
Fresh air and a change of scenery are always a welcome change from being stuck indoors all day. If you can, try and get out at least once a day, even if it’s for a short walk around the block. A brisk 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and counts towards your recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise.
Find a better balance
As mums, we rarely get some time for ourselves to do the things we want to do. It can be so easy to forget about ourselves when we are caring for our families, but having some time to yourself (and we don’t mean locking yourself in the bathroom) is so important. So if you can, try and carve out some time in your busy day for things you want or need to do. You deserve it!
Avoid checking your phone first thing in the morning
Do you find that upon waking up, you roll over and grab your phone from your bedside table? We’re guilty of it too. It’s not the best habit that we’ve formed. Instead, try and leave your phone further away from immediate reach when you go to bed. If possible, leave it in another room! And instead, why not think about one thing you’re looking forward to that day and ask your children the same.
Drink more water
This is a super important one! Staying adequately hydrated can cure a lot of issues such as headaches, bad skin, poor digestion and bowel movements, and fatigue. If you find that having to constantly top up a water bottle isn’t doing the trick, you can buy large 3-litre water bottles online or try a bottle with time stamps on it so you know how much you should be drinking throughout the day.
Try something new each week
As parents, we tend to stick to routines and for the most part, we love our routines and the thought of falling out of them is rather terrifying. However, a healthy habit you can introduce is trying something new each week and stepping out of your comfort zone. Things like cooking a new meal or cooking as a family or trying out a new activity with the kids will allow you to make little, enjoyable changes without throwing your whole routine off-kilter.
Be kinder to yourself
It is no secret that as mums, we are always so hard on ourselves. We feel the weight of the world on our shoulders sometimes and it can be exhausting. But one thing we need to remember is that we are doing enough. We wake up each morning and we show up for our children, and that alone takes strength. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, guilty, tired, or lonely, reach out to your family and friends. Share your experiences together and know that you are certainly not alone in the way you sometimes feel. Being a mum is no easy feat, but showing up every day and being there for your children is what makes you so incredibly admirable.
We know that these suggestions won’t work for everyone, but we hope you can take inspiration and create healthy habits that work for you and your routine. A small step each day leads to big changes in the future. You’ll be proud of how far you’ve come!
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