How to Successfully Implement New Habits in the New Year

Each year, like many people, I have a fresh outlook and additional motivation to make this year the best one yet. With that being said, it is also easy to get overwhelmed with ALL the things I want to do, change, improve, quit, etc. Are you with me? Maybe it's lose some excess weight, start better exercising habits, eat healthier, recycle, cook from scratch, organize items, clean and purge household belongings, organize the filing systems or start a side job, etc. It all just spirals when you think of all the possible ways to spend your time. I like to start with a brain dump.

For me a brain dump is grabbing a new clean notebook and putting all of my ideas down on paper. First, I literally just dump them on the page in no particular order, as they come to mind. All the things I listed above plus big things like goals for life and small or quick things like make the dog a vet appointment. Once that is all out of my head, I can look everything over and put together like things. I like to have categories for health, wealth, faith, family and friends. Some items may overlap and that's okay, but I want to make sure I have each category covered.

Once I have everything categorized I start making plans and goals to get them done. OR, I realistically tell myself to let it go and maybe this item isn't as important to get done right now. I save it for later in the back of my planner to look back on and see if it needs to be revisited in the future. I also set timelines for items. Is it something quick I can just knock out or is it a big project that I need to break into doable pieces?

One such project is to clean and organize the house. Like Spring Cleaning only on a grander scale. This year, I am breaking it down into rooms and then parts of rooms and then setting the goal of opening something and getting rid of half; open a drawer and half goes away. By going away, it may just need to be moved to a more appropriate place, but it may also need to find a new home outside of my house. These things can be sold, donated, or thrown away. I keep a box/bag for each and put things in as I go. If I haven't used it in a year I really need to think hard about whether we really need it in the house. I also keep a notebook handy to jot down things I see that need fixed, updated, or replenished.

To get started, I always begin with a WIN. That means an easy task that is quick and will show progress. This year, it is the medicine cabinet, or in our case a shelf. It also includes our vitamins. This is a no brainer. Take everything out and check the dates on each. If it is outdated, throw it away. If it is a prescription, check for your local "National Prescription Drug Take Back Day." It's an event hosted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), usually in April and October to safely dispose of unwanted drugs. If you haven't seen one, call a local pharmacy or hospital and ask if they have an event coming up. If not, they can tell you how to dispose of them properly. This should be a quick way to clear up some space and give yourself a cleaning and organizing win. Keep that notebook handy for any over the counter items you need to replenish. I almost always need new Benadryl. We rarely use it, but when we do I like to have it handy and not have to run to the store. If you have a health saving account (HSA), these are items that are usually covered. You can also decide if it is time to upgrade your cabinet and add a blood pressure cuff or pulse oximeter or other device to your belongings. Maybe add to a wish list if you aren't ready to make a purchase now. You can always grab them when you want.

Then, clean and or sanitize your cabinet, drawer or shelf and place everything back where you can easily see what you have and you are ready for your next project.

Now, go get yourself that first WIN!

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