The New Year is the time many of us make plans and resolutions, which can range from small and simple adjustments (finally redecorate the spare bedroom!) to fundamental life changes to our daily lives (Lose weight! Eat healthily! Find inner peace!) How to make this the year that you finally achieve your goals? Our main tip is to set achievable, small goals.
Contrary to popular advice to focus on one thing at a time, we advise a holistic approach that takes into account your physical health, your mental well-being, and your home environment. So, whatever your New Year’s ambition, why not give yourself the best start with the vast range of personal and home products available at John Lewis & Partners?
1. Eat healthier
This is the one resolution people make – and then promptly break – every single year. Why is it so difficult to eat healthily? Most people will cite the lack of time to prepare a proper meal. If this is the case for you, invest in cookware that’ll do most of the work for you: a healthy meal can really be as simple as chucking a load of lovely, well-seasoned vegetables into a clever pot that will stew them to perfection. For a successful start to your new healthy cooking routine, we recommend investing in a set of high-quality kitchenware, such as knives, a chopping board, and a casserole dish or oven dish. Start by preparing one healthy meal a month and freezing portions of it to take with you to work (you’ll save money on lunch, too).
2. Sleep better
Getting quality sleep is essential to achieving all your other New Year’s goals, whatever they might be. Not only are we healthier when we sleep well, but we are also more patient and better able to focus on long-term goals. Toss and turn in bed unable to get quality sleep? The issue is likely with your body temperature – it is necessary for the body to cool down in order to enter a deep sleep. So, if you are sleeping under duck feather and find yourself too hot in the night, switch to a synthetic duvet, or a silk one (budget permitting). Then, invest in some quality bedding. Still have trouble drifting off? Give a pillow spray a go – while it won’t cure serious insomnia, it works wonders on the minor sleep disturbances from which we all suffer from time to time.
3. Keep fit
This is another of those goals that prove to be difficult to achieve, year after year. And yet, small adjustments to your routine – or even your gym outfit – can make all the difference. If you find yourself unwilling to go the gym, or keep skipping those yoga sessions, the solution can be as simple as refreshing your sportswear and/or trainers, or finally investing into a nicer yoga mat. Choose freathable, more high-tech fabrics that won’t constrict your movements. Don’t like the gym? Not the end of the world - start running, or even just walking, to work. Over time, the difference will be real; you may be more convinced if you use a fitness tracker – set out on your walk, and watch your heart rate rise.
4. Keep your home tranquil and clutter-free
From Feng Shui to Marie Kondo’s method, decluttering the home and converting it into a peaceful, harmonious space has long been acknowledged as an important part of any personal transformation you may be planning. You may want to redecorate completely, but even simply putting away your stuff into stylish storage will help you feel less distracted. Want to be tidier? Start tidying up a little every day, making sure that you leave your main room looking better than it did when you entered.
And when you’re done decluttering, why not try out a calming home fragrance? Try an all-natural option containing essential oils for maximum effect.
5. Invest in yourself
Finally, treat yourself well in the New Year, and all your other goals will be much easier to achieve. Don’t punish yourself with gym sessions five days a week all through January (we can guarantee that by February, you will have stopped going altogether). Instead, dedicate a night a week to a long bath infused with a beautiful bath oil or bath soak, or a skin pampering session using luxurious skincare. No skin-pampering routine is complete without a reparative serum or cream.