As humans, we are all creatures of habit, many of which we aren’t even aware of.
It is important to reflect on your habits as 2025 begins to figure out what healthy changes you can bring into the new year.
Take a minute to write down all of the habits you have formed in 2024 — the good and the bad.
Now brainstorm what healthy habits you can incorporate in your daily routine in order to eliminate the bad habits.
If you have trouble with changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The problem may be that you’re forgetting a very important step: an action plan.
The reality is that in order to form good habits and break bad ones, you need to incorporate a specific action or strategy to help you get there.
Here is a 2025 game plan with eight healthy habits everyone should bring into the new year:
- Daily affirmations
If you’re someone who struggles with self love, it’s time to start incorporating positive affirmations into your daily routine. Positive self talk can help rewire the brain to view yourself in a much better light. Start by writing a list of 10 affirmations that are specific to your wants and desired view of yourself. Here are some general affirmations that can be a helpful starting point:
- I am valued
- I am becoming the healthiest version of myself everyday
- I attract positive relationships into my life
- I can let go of things I can’t change
- I can be relaxed in all situations
Say these affirmations in front of a mirror and look yourself in the eyes. Try saying your affirmations every morning in order to start each day off with the right mindset.
- Workout plan that works for YOU
Physical activity has many immediate and long-term benefits such as releasing stress, improving sleep and overall functioning better throughout the day. However, in order to start consistently incorporating a form of exercise into your day to day routine, you need to find a workout that makes you feel good. If you aren’t sure yet what that is, let yourself experiment. Go on a walk outside. Take a pilates class. Sign up for an intramural sport. Find a yoga practice on YouTube.
- Look good, feel good
Waking up just 10-15 minutes earlier to get ready can truly improve the quality of your day. Reflect on what steps in your morning routine make you feel the most confident throughout the day. This could be a skin care routine, a certain hairstyle, an outfit choice, a makeup product, etc. Incorporating these small habits into your morning rather than rolling out of bed and putting on a bummy outfit can increase your mood throughout the day.
- To-do lists
Whether it’s on your notes app or in a planner, start writing a daily to-do list. Your productivity can improve exponentially just by writing down everything you need to get done each day. This will help you prioritize your time and release any stress about forgetting to do tasks. Being able to check off each task throughout the day also serves as a rewarding feeling.
- Unplug before bed
Start shutting off your electronics at least one hour before bedtime. Unplugging before bed will allow you to have a much healthier sleep, especially if you’re one that struggles with falling asleep or waking up early. Put your phone on “Do Not Disturb” and find a healthy hobby to build in right before bed. Read a chapter of your book. Get a journal and write about your day. Try a new meditation. Find something that works for you.
- Hydrate
Your body needs to be hydrated daily in order to function properly. It is recommended that the average person should drink about half of their body weight in ounces of water. For example, a 200-pound adult needs approximately 100 ounces of water each day according to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The first rule to incorporate in your daily routine to start your day off hydrated is to drink a glass of water before anything else. Do not allow yourself to drink coffee or any other beverage before water each day. In addition, bring a water bottle with you wherever you go.
- Make your bed
As cliche as it sounds, making your bed each morning will set the tone for the rest of your room. Once you get into the practice of making your bed, you’ll be motivated to make other little changes to your bedroom’s appearance. Making you bed is the first step to decluttering your space and having a clean room. Your room is arguably the area you spend the most time in so take care of it!
- Meal prep
Meal prepping can bring a number of benefits to your daily routine such as saving time, money and building in healthy eating. Knowing you have a meal in your fridge waiting at home for you will help you to avoid the temptation to go spend money on fast food. Furthermore, take time to find easy and healthy meals that you enjoy eating so you are not only excited about your meals but also are creating a balanced diet for yourself. The Trader Joe’s College Cookbook is a great start to healthy cooking.
