February 2024
MINDSET RESOLUTIONS
Yes, eating better and exercising more are good New Year’s vows. These five other habits also go a long way toward helping you live longer, stronger, and happier.
Volunteer once a month. Soup kitchens and other community organizations need your help beyond the holidays, so make a goal of regularly volunteering throughout the year. People need help all year. The positive gains of volunteering flow in both directions. The most powerful benefits come from the connections you make. You get to have conversations with lots of different people, see things from someone else’s perspective, and develop a true sense of empathy. Research also shows that volunteering is linked to improved self-esteem, fewer depression symptoms and better physical health. Choose an organization that matches something about which you are passionate. That’s what will keep you motivated and volunteering month after month. Check out volunteermatch.com for opportunities.
Schedule a weekly check-in with friends. Seeing your friends can feel like a luxury, something to do if you have free time, but it should be more of a priority, both for the richness of your life and your health. Having strong friendships is linked to a reduced risk for many chronic diseases, less anxiety and depression and even a lower risk of prematurely dying. Social connection is essential to good health. Being in physical connection (not on-line) with people has a real, positive impact on our mental and physical health, helping to release feel-good hormones that increase a sense of well-being. This year, purposefully set a goal for your friendships: Add connecting one-on-one with a friend at least once a week. Sometimes it’s a conversation, sometimes it’s a walk, or coffee, or something more involved. It’s a way to give friendships a little more intention.
Limit social media to 30 minutes a day. Nonstop scrolling can harm your well-being. Spending too much time on social media platforms can lead to symptoms of depression and anxiety because it often presents an idealized version of someone’s life, and when we start to compare ourselves, that’s when our self-esteem can take a hit. Although this might tempt you to delete the apps from your phone, you don’t need to have an either-or approach. Try limiting your time on social media to around 30 minutes per day. That’s just enough to see what pics your college roommate posted or to check out the family and neighborhood happenings. For a nudge in cutting back on checking, turn off notifications and raise your awareness of how much time you’re on social media (most phones have built-in trackers). Try mindful scrolling. Before you open the app, pause for a second and ask why you’re doing it. Is it for a connection? Information? Entertainment? To not be bored? Answer this first so you can choose to purposefully use social media in a positive way or break your habit and engage in another activity.
Meditate before sleep, even for just a few minutes. Sleep is so crucial to your health: Getting enough (7-9 hours a night) reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, improves immune function, and helps with cognitive decline, among many other benefits. Sleep has an intimate connection to virtually every aspect of our waking success. The holy grail for good sleep is quieting your mind. That’s why doing a short meditation can be so powerful. Research backs this up, with mindful meditation being linked to improved sleep quality. If you think you’re not the meditating type, rest assured there is no right way to do it. A go-to method: Sit or lie down, close your eyes, and focus on your breath going in and out. When your mind wanders, gently return to your breathing. That’s it. Try it for a few minutes between brushing your teeth and turning the lights out. If you prefer the guided route, try an app like Headspace or Calm; both have sessions specifically made for bedtime.
Track your spending. Feeling stressed about your finances may not seem directly linked to your health, but research shows money worries can raise your risk of mental health issues like depression. It also can feel like there is no way to stop the stress, especially with all the worry about inflation this year. If you want to feel more in control of your finances, start with pinpointing how you’re using your money. This can give you some reassurance, and you can make informed decisions on where you might be able to cut back. And the act of tracking your purchases can help you pause in the moment to consider whether you really want to spend the money. You can track spending in many ways. The key is to find a method that works for you, whether it’s a notebook, a spreadsheet, or an app like Quicken Simplifi. You can link your bank accounts and credit cards, and the app automatically syncs to show all your expenses and what categories they fall into. Once you have a clearer picture of your spending you can decide if your habits match your priorities and if the answer is no you can make changes. Saving money can sometimes feel like you’re depriving yourself, but it’s actually reallocating money to what’s most necessary and meaningful to you.
Alice Oglethorpe