2024! Just writing out this number feels unreal. The new year is around the corner and it's the perfect time to set goals, make a change and start fresh.
In this article, we'll delve in how to have the best start to your new year and truly make it different from any other years. From setting achievable and realistic resolutions to declutterring your home, we'll cover everything rom A-Z so you can have an awesome 2024. So read further, because you'll be ready to enter the new year with confidence, motivation and optimism and ultimately be a new you!
Sleep More
Yes, you’ve probably heard this a million times, but it’s for a reason. Research has found that 73% of high school students aren’t getting enough sleep. According to Better Health, adolescents get 6.5 to 7.5 hours of sleep per night, when the healthy amount is between 8 to 10 hours.
Teens are infamously known for going to be late and it’s causing more harm than you may think. Sleep deprivation leads to a poor mental state was can significantly impact your academic performance. It’s no wonder so many students are drinking two to three Red Bulls a day. They are so tired that they are relying on energy drinks to function. This needs to end. Although this is easier said than done, action needs to take place.
So how do I get my necessary hours of sleep? One way of doing this is by limiting electronic use before 10 pm. Electronics release blue light which makes your brain more stimulated, making it harder to fall asleep. installing an app to shut your phone down at a specific time or putting it away in a drawer.
Another way to help you improve your sleep is by limiting caffeine intake in the evening. Leave the coffee in the morning, because at night it’s causing detrimental effects to your health. Lastly, try to prioritize your time better.
A common reason why teens sleep so late is because we don’t have time to finish our work, especially with the combination of extracurricular activities, a job and/or a sport. The trick for this is learning how to prioritize our time. This is a skill we will need for the rest of our lives, so it’s important we start fine tuning it now. Learning about what is a priority and managing your task will ensure that your work is completed while having a suitable amount of sleep.
If you are still struggling to manage everything, it may be a sign for you needing to cut down on an activity or too. It’s important to remember that your health always comes first.
Spend More Time with Family
Although teens are often busy with school and extracurriculars, it’s very important to set time aside for family. Family is a place of security and a safe place to share your thoughts. You want to have a group of people you can always lean on for support.
Not only that, spending time with family can increase your well being. As you are sharing great moments and laughs, with your family you are reducing symptoms of anxiety and stress. Family is a fundamental base for us . It’s important we keep them as a priority and spend time with them, so we can strengthen our relationships.
Be Smarter Financially
Did you really need to buy that new pair of shoes? Lots of teens are spending uncontrollably without thinking of the consequences. It’s important to save.
Try and set a goal of how much money you’d want to spend each month. It will be hard to do, but it’s important that you stick with it. Your future self will thank you.Another financial go you can do is investing. Investing is a great way to grow your money with little effort. There are a lot of investing apps specialized for teens such as Acorns, Fidelity Youth Account, and Stockpile
Work Out
Everyone always has this goal for the new year, but 2024 is the year we will keep it. What prevents many people from accomplishing their fitness goals is burn out. Doing too much too soon, prevents you from reaching your full potential.
It's very important to ease into your new fitness routine This will help keep you motivated and consistent. A great way to strikethrough your fitness goals is by working with a friend. Having a buddy that can push you and make sure you stay accountable will make it easier for you to complete your goals, rather than doing it alone. Maybe you and your friend can join a workout group. You could also plan to go to the gym twice a week, and drink some coffee after. Another fitness goal you can try to accomplish is eating three balanced meals a day. This is very simple and not too overbearing of a task.
Drink More Water
We often disregard the importance of drinking water, but it is vital for our health. Drinking water will aid our mental and physical health. Not only that, it can improve ones digestion, by flushing out toxins.
Lastly, water can also help with weight loss. Humans calorie intake decreases, the more water we drink. So, the question is, how can we drink more water? One way to increase your water intake is by setting alarms throughout the day, as a reminder to drink water. These simple reminders, can let you know to drink water so you don't forget. Luckily, there a lot of apps to help you with this by providing a notification on when you should drink water. These apps include Waterminder and Aqua Alert.
Another simple, but overlooked strategy, is carrying a water bottle everywhere you go. Simply having a water bottle on you, and seeing it, will remind you to take a sip.There are also water bottles you can purchase that state what time of the day you should drink water. Having a labeled water bottle, can really help you reach your water intake goals. You can buy one using the following link.
Read More Self-Help Books
We may not realize that reading self-help books benefit us more than we think. Although they may seem like a bore, its benefits are life changing. Self- help books help you feel more in control in your life.
Additionally, they give you some amazing strategies you can incorporate in your daily life. Whether you're struggling with anxiety, time management , or making friends, there is always a self-help book for you to read. Don't know where to start? Check out some of these popular choices.
Start a Gratitude Journal
Practicing gratitude has been shown to have many benefits such as an increased mood, more resilience and overall being more fulfilled with your life. For teens we go through so many stressful situations. Whether it's a bad grade, not getting along with your family, or mean peers, it's hard to see the positive.
Starting a gratitude journal makes you go out of your way to find the good taking place in your life. Forcing yourself to find the good things, will make you realize that things may not be as bad as you thought. Once you start to write down the little things, you'll feel more content and at peace with yourself. Plus, you can make your gratitude aesthetic by using some fun highlighters and colored pens!
Conclusion
Let's get 2024 off to a great start and create some goals for ourselves. We have a choice in our lvies to improve or styay the same. Which one will YOU choose?
