I feel like a lot of people make wellness goals in the beginning of each new year and then they are the ones that are quickly forgotten because they don’t have the time to stick to it. I was one of those people who made a resolution to focus more on wellness in 2020 because my life was lacking it in all aspects and it was really obvious. Before I promised to have a new year, new me, I wanted to explore a little more what wellness really meant for me.

FEELING WELL RESTED

For months I had been hitting the snooze button in the morning and staying up later than I should have. I felt tired all the time and had little motivation to do things after work because I was exhausted. There was once a time in my life that I would fill up my social calendar with things to do and would wake up extra early to spend time getting ready in the morning. I knew sleep was something I needed to work on but what I really wanted to focus on was feeling well rested. I’m guilty of staying up later than I should and my Fitbit would track that I only got an average of 6 hours of sleep most nights. In 2020, I started to set an alarm on my Alexa as a reminder that I should be in bed already and started to follow an evening skincare routine to tell my body that it was time to start winding down.

HAVING A TIDY HOME

It doesn’t matter if you live in a tiny studio apartment or a big house, our homes get messy quickly and it can impact our mood. Jake probably thinks I am insane but I hate going to bed with a messy house. It takes a few minutes to tidy up at night and I like to spend a few minutes putting away clothes and clutter in the bedroom before bed. On Sunday mornings while I wait for my Keurig to turn on, that is when I collect all the cups around the house and run the dishwasher, wipe down the counters and throw out trash that I see. It takes maybe 10 minutes and when I’m done, my coffee is ready! Find a routine that works for you and with a clean home, it’s amazing what it can do more your mood!

DRINK WATER

Just do it. Your skin, hair and body will thank you for it! One trick is if you have a water bottle near you, you are more likely going to drink water! I prefer to drink water while it’s cold with a straw so I fill up my Starbucks cup in the morning and refill it throughout the day.

EAT HEALTHY

My body gets in a funk when I don’t eat my fruit and veggies so I like to stock up at Trader Joe’s every week. Stock up on salad kits, baby carrots, fruit and have them ready to go in your fridge so you can easily have healthy snacks. For healthier meals, I found it helpful to create a menu on Sunday before I food shop so I can plan out healthy lunches or dinners. Pinterest has been really helpful with meal inspiration. You’re more likely to eat healthy if you already have healthy food at home.

PRACTICE SELF CARE EVERYDAY

I mentioned earlier that I like to have an evening skincare routine to help me get ready for bed. Why wait for Sunday night to do a face mask when you can do it every night! I’m wanting to make it a habit to do something for myself every night and not just one day a week. I want it to feel weird if I don’t do something for myself because it’s important to take care of yourself. At night when I shower, I started to actually use some of the gazillion products I have because why wait for a special occasion?

I love to have my nails done and do them myself to save money. For my daily self care, I like to catch up on my reality tv shows and do my nails during a weekday. On the nights that I wash my hair, I like to put on a podcast, catch up on Instagram stories or watch a movie while I blow dry and straighten my hair. Turn the tedious things into something fun!

MAKE PLANS ON SUNDAYS

The same reason you should meal prep on Sundays, make plans with friends for the upcoming week. Even if you have to cancel or can’t commit, put a feeler out and send a text to a friend with your availability. My friends and I all have busy lives and say we don’t see enough of each other, so I want to actually make plans in 2020. Send a few texts on Sunday night and see who is available!