7 New Year’s Resolutions to Inspire You to Act Now

What’s the biggest problem with making New Year’s resolutions?  They usually don’t stick through February.  It’s no surprise either.  Most of the time, they’re big hurdles like “lose 50 pounds” or “get out of debt.”  Those tasks take a lot of time and you can easily become discouraged if you don’t keep up with it.

An easier way to track large goals is to break them down into segments.  But an even better way to set New Year’s resolutions is to include goals that are small and relatively easy to achieve.  Most of these can be done right away, which is great for starting a new habit now.

1. Read More Books

Can you count on one hand the number of books you read this last year?  If so, you might want to make it a goal to read at least one book a month.  You can read one book a month if you give up some TV time in the evenings – piece of cake!  Here are some great books if you’re looking for something to start with:  Freakonomics, Nudge, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

 2. Watch Less TV

Americans watch way too much TV.  It makes us unproductive and steals countless hours from our lives.  Try to limit your TV consumption to an hour a day max and see how productive you can be in a week.

3. Cut a Few Expenses

We all have a few expenses that can be trimmed.  Do you seldom use that Netflix account?  What about reducing your cable package?  We decided to trim back our eating out budget and focus on making more meals at home.

4. Keep Your Computer Organized

I’m guilty of this one!  How many things do you have floating on your desktop?  Those items can actually slow your computer down.  Make it a habit to clean off your computer desktop more often and you’ll see some improvement in its speed.

5. Eat Healthier

Cutting some fast food or unnecessary junk food from the diet can do this.  You don’t necessarily need to become a Top Chef to make healthy food.  You do, however, need to think before you eat – so ditch the convenience for a few minutes of preparation and you’ll be eating healthier in no time.

6. Learn Something New

Always wanted to start the guitar?  Why wait until next year?  This is one of my goals for the New Year, and I’m really excited I decided to start this year.

7. Keep a Regular Sleep Schedule

This goal can take some time to get used to, but it’s important for your health.  Find a sleep schedule that works for you and stick to it.  Try to limit those nights of staying up until 2:00 as you work on projects.  Those can throw off your entire day and rob you of the energy you need to be productive.

What are some resolutions that you’re wanting to start this next year?