It’s that time of year again – time to take a look at your life and vow to change the things which are preventing you from reaching long term goals, or making you unhappy. A New Year tends to stimulate a desire for change, and we all feel positive and enthusiastic at the start of January when we’re committing to our New Year’s resolutions. But why wait until 2018 to get the ball rolling?
If you have time off work over the festive season, it’s the perfect time to get organised. Clear out your wardrobe, start a new fitness regime or start hunting for your dream job. Some things shouldn’t wait! Here are a few New Year’s resolutions which you can start implementing now rather than later – and hopefully stick to.
Stopping a habit
If you know you eat too much junk food or want to stop smoking, you need to have the intention set in your mind before January. If you keep thinking you’ll break the habit in the New Year, then you’ll probably have a blowout at Christmas and consume too much (whatever it is you want to quit, alcohol, cigarettes, overeating). Try taking steps to stop the habit now. You don’t have to do it all at once – cut down on the number of cigarettes you smoke a day, or cut out fizzy drinks from your diet. If you’re addicted to something it’s not going to be easy to give it up, so give yourself time.
Take out life insurance
Do you have tasks which you always put off until another day? For most of us it’s sorting out bills or taking out insurance policies. However, if you haven’t yet got any life insurance, then one day could be too late and your family will be left struggling. Nobody likes to think about dying but it’s important to be as prepared as possible for when the time comes. You can also look at purchasing a funeral plan and making sure your Will is updated.
Make a career change
Your career path won’t drastically change unless you take control and steer it. If you’re unhappy in your job, there’s no point hanging around. Take steps to get where you need to be, whether that’s taking extra qualifications, doing some volunteering or applying for new roles. Every day in an unfulfilling job is a day wasted – don’t put it off! There’s no point waiting until January to start your new job search, as you may miss a deadline for a perfect position.
What are you hoping to change in 2018?