4 Things You Should Stop Doing This Year

If you’re like me, the resolution list can be daunting. Committing to something new for 365 days feels nearly impossible. I mean, does anyone actually do Whole30 past January 10th? And doesn’t Dry January become more like… Dry (the first half of) January? Come February, and all hope is gone.

Let’s make it easy this year. Think less is more. Choose a few habits you need to kick, and focus on those. Here’s four I’d recommend dropping this year. Fingers crossed.

Hitting the snooze button ⏰

I say this every year because I mean it. Every year. Make it a point to get out of bed earlier than you want to. And please, don’t jump straight into work. Make this part of your day sacred. A dedicated time to read, write and journal. Take your dogs for an early walk and listen to an inspirational podcast. Make yourself some good coffee– and no, Keurig doesn’t qualify as good. Be intentional to start the day with quiet purpose. 100% guarantee it will change your life for the better.

Skipping your lunch break 🥕

If you’re at home, walk away from your desk. Sit at the table with your spouse or roommates. If you’re feeling extra fancy, snag a lunch outside.

If you’re at the office, head to the common space with your lunchbox. Engage with your coworkers beyond the latest work project or deadline. Pro tip: almost everyone can find common ground in The Bachelor, cute dogs, and the #FreeBritney movement. Trust me.

Close the computer, step away, and enjoy the gift that is a 12:00 meal. Oh! And other people. I guess you could enjoy them, too.

Avoiding the fun stuff 🕺🏽

This one sounds like an easy rule to follow, but if I had to guess, you have several plans in your back pocket that you’ll “get around to someday.” I’ll spare you the carpe diem speech. The fact is, you’ll never actually take the trip or go on the hike if you don’t schedule it. Put it on the calendar. Be realistic, and actually set aside the time. Schedule that camping trip with your son. Plan the staycation with your spouse. Go see those friends in Colorado (hey, Morgan).

If you don’t put it on the calendar, it’s not going to happen. And if you don’t keep any sort of calendar. Please. Start keeping a calendar. It’s like grown-ups 101.

Wasting time on social media ⏳

Mom has been telling you this one for years, but put the phone down. Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, Snap… whatever else I am missing. Take some serious inventory of your screen time.

Where can you cut out meaningless and mindless scrolling? After 9PM? Before 9AM? At stoplights? Waiting at the doctor? I read somewhere that before smart phones, all of the downtime we experienced was crucial to developing our creative thinking. Think about it. We didn’t have screens to pull out and entertain us the second the light turned red. Instead, we stared out across the intersection, and engaged in pure, unadulterated thought. No distractions, no influence, no likes or trends- just us, alone with our thoughts. Sounds crazy. People used to do that.

Take on one or two of these, and your 2022 is sure to be better than the last. And if you’re interested in more life advice, and maybe some digital marketing help, give us a shout. We’d love to help you and your brand kick off the year well.