A new year usually means setting goals to drastically change our lives during the upcoming year, but by the end of January, most of these goals have been abandoned. Even though we mean well, we are often setting ourselves up for failure by setting goals that are just too unrealistic to follow through on. Instead of trying to implement a completely new lifestyle in a few short weeks, try making these small changes to make this semester a bit more manageable.
1. Stop Using Your Phone Before Bed
We know that using your phone before bed hurts the quality of sleep, but we keep doing it anyways. Instead of scrolling aimlessly through social media in bed, put your phone somewhere out of reach. Not only will this make you less tempted to grab your phone at night, but if your phone is your alarm clock, it will force you to get out of bed in the morning to turn it off.
2. Drink More Water
The benefits of drinking water are endless, but that never seems to stop us from choosing coffee or soda instead. To increase your water intake, try going one week without buying any drinks. If that’s manageable, think about cutting out coffee and soda for a longer period. Your body and wallet will thank you later.
3. Schedule an Unmissable WorkoutOne of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to work out more, and one of the most common mistakes is going too hard, too fast. Instead of aiming to work out everyday, schedule one workout a week that you can absolutely commit to. By starting slow, it will be easier to incorporate exercise into your life without burning out.
4. Commit One Hour a Day to Studying
Having Netflix on in the background makes studying infinitely more bearable, but it also makes it much less effective. To make the most out of your time, set aside at least one hour a day where you can study without distractions. That way you can both finish studying more quickly, but it also retain the information much better.
5. Commit One Hour a Day to Free TimeThe commitments and responsibilities of being a college student can often become overwhelming, especially after returning to school after a month-long break. To limit stress, take an hour to yourself each day; whether it be watching Netflix, working out, or spending time with friends, taking a break is critical for making it through the semester.
The time to make New Year’s resolutions has passed, but it’s never too late to make small, manageable changes to your life. Try setting one of these goals this semester to set yourself up for success!