A to Z New Year Resolutions for 2024
27 December 2023
Make 2024 your year with these goals that will help you get into a tip-top condition.
A. A for a heart of gratitude. Start a gratitude journal
Keeping a log of things, events and people that you feel grateful for can improve your mental and physical well-being. It breathes life into you and you start each day afresh with a heart of gratitude, imbibing a sense of optimism enough to start your day with a bounce.
B. B for be with family more often. Spend more time with family
Each of us has a hectic schedule and it makes it difficult to spend quality time together as a family. Make the effort to organise weekly family dinners and also remember the FaceTiming sessions with overseas family members.
C. C for cut down your expenses. Devise a better budget (and stick to it)
With the GST rising to 9% in 2024, we really have to watch our spending. Big-ticket items like the trip overseas or air-conditioning units will make a difference in our annual savings for the rainy day. So, we really need to think twice before committing to big purchases. Even daily small expenditures count. Going to the food court or hawker centers instead of restaurants will save you some bucks that counts towards a larger sum at the end of the month.
D. D for do up splendid meals. Cook more at home
Be it to save more money or eat healthier meals, cooking at home can be a fun experience. Of course, the dreary part will be the washing up after the cooking. But it all adds up to a good workout and healthier food.
E. E for e-books. Read more books
Buying books and not reading them is a waste of your money. Why not pick up the last book that you bought from Kinokuniya or other bookstores and finish reading it or read it another time? If you do not like to read physical books, you can always borrow e-books from the NLB app. They have a plethora of subjects which you can explore and gain valuable knowledge from.
F. F for full deep cleaning of your home. Create a cleaning schedule (and stick to it)
Heard about the nightmare stories from friends who change bedsheets every 3 months and those who only mop their floors bi-annually. It is unhygienic to live in such environments and you will definitely fall sick very often. Create a cleaning schedule to make sure you change bedsheets weekly, mop the floor twice a week and wipe down your appliances monthly.
G. G for grab a bottle of mineral water. Drink more plain water
I know it is hard to stick to this goal as there are plenty of sugary drinks available off the shelves in the supermarkets or the large fridges in the convenience stores. You may even substitute sugar-free sodas for plain water but that is not very healthy either as sugar-substitutes may harm your health. Plain water is the only “beverage” you need. After all, liquids are for hydration of the body and not for satisfying your tastebuds with high sugar content.
H. H for help yourself and others. Do not drink and drive
Abstaining from alcohol when you know you need to drive later may save you from being a trapped as a jailbird one day. Drinking and driving is a serious offence in Singapore and punishable with jail-term. Drinking and driving is also an irresponsible act that can cause the loss of human lives and endanger your own too.
I. I for I will sleep early tonight. Sleep at least 7 hours a night
Guilty of playing Candy Crush into the wee hours and waking up with difficulty the next morning. The next day, you will be drowsy and sleepy in daytime, unable to concentrate well on your tasks. Make sure you sleep early before midnight and have seven hours of sleep each night to feel fresh the next morning.
J. J for Join a club
Sign up for a lesson at PA’s website and make new friends with the new hobby. Or you can always go to apps like Meetup to find friends with similar interests, meet up with them to engage in discussions or activities that are of interest to you. Creative clubs can also be a boon in helping you stick to mastering a new craft.
K. K for vitamin K. Learn to love vegetables
Vegetables contains a lot of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that other foods like fruits and meat cannot supply your body. Learn to finish up the cucumber in that chicken rice and choose more veggies when ordering “caifan”. Also, try to cook more veggies more often at home. Home-cooked veggies are more nutritious and hygienic. Try to eat salads more often. You can always add a variety of meat or fish into yor salad to make it more palatable.
L. L for look after yourself. Prioritise annual health screening
If you are above a certain age, make sure you remember to go for annual health screenings like the mammogram. Start with your primary care provider, and ask which screenings (e.g., mammogram, colonoscopy) you’re due for. Slot those in, then move on to the dentist’s office and head over to your ophthalmologist, too.
M. M for mind your steps. Take the stairs
Research showed that tired women who climbed steps for 10 minutes got a bigger energy boost than drinking coffee or eating energy bars. Taking the stairs can also help you burn those extra calories from the supper you took.
N. N for you N your partner. Join a yoga class with your partner
A Sunday morning couples’ class could make Sunday afternoon much more fun. Experts at Loyola’s Sexual Wellness Clinic believe partner yoga helps couples get more comfortable with each other’s bodies, supporting richer intimacy. Solo yoga can increase enjoyment as well, affecting arousal, desire, and satisfaction — the practice helps relax your mind and strengthen pelvic muscles.
O. O for overseas trips. Plan for a vacation
Going for vacations twice a year may cut your risk of cardiovascular disease, according to researchers. Also, research shows that just thinking about an upcoming trip can boost happiness for weeks.
P. P for prayers. Pray to God to let go of anger and unforgiveness
Whichever religion you are in, there is a God you can pray to. Pray to your God to help you let go of anger and deep-seated unforgiveness over past traumatic events that have left scars in your heart. Slowly, you will feel a sense of relief and healing from deep within.
Q. Q for a quest for good works. Volunteer for Charity
Join as a volunteer with some charity organisations. You can do stuff like distributing food for the under-privileged old folks living alone or clearing beach rubbish at East Coast Park. This is meaningful work that pays better than your daily work. It pays in the form of a sense of pride that you are helping society or the planet.
R. R for RaRa your body. Go to the gym and lift some weights
Weight training builds up your muscles, improve your stamina and elevate that otherwise dull workout in the gym. There are many muscle-training solutions in the gym that can help you burn fats and build up muscles, important for improving your mobility and agility.
S. S for a sweet tooth. Join a baking class
Learn to bake that scrumptious cheesecake that cost a bomb at cafes. You will get to enjoy your favourite cakes at a fraction of the cost than if you were to buy them from bakeries or cafes. You can also make new friends who are baking aficionados like you and share baking tips with them.
T. T for try. Try Hydrotherapy
If you live in a condominium, you can engage aqua therapy specialists to come to your condo’s pool and do hydrotherapy with you. Aqua (Water) Therapy or Hydrotherapy is a natural therapy based on the internal and external use of water in treatment and prevention of diseases, rehabilitation and improving ones overall well being.
U. U for use only the necessary. Keep clutter out of the kitchen
If you can hardly see your counters through all the papers, Post-its, and not-yet-put-away groceries, you may pay for that chaos later when it comes to meals. Take 20 minutes to whisk it all where it belongs, and it can help you eat more mindfully in days to come.
V. V for very nice outfit. Invest in a nice workout gear
Investing in a nice workour gear can boost your confidence when working out resulting in better performance during your session. Studies show that what we wear affects the way we feel, which impacts our ability to get stuff done, says Hajo Adam, Ph.D., a professor at Rice University. It’s a phenomenon known as “enclothed cognition,” and it’s as true in Zumba as it is at work.
W. W for wow! Give yourself a new look
You may want to sport a short bob if you usually have long hair or you might want to give your flat hair a perm to have curly locks instead. Even a change of a simple style or some hair colour would help to give yourself a new look.
X. X for xtreme skincare. Invest in your skincare routine
Instead of covering up facial flaws with more layers of foundation, we advise you to invest in your skincare routine so you can bare it all without shame. Streamline your daily routine to allow yourself some time to incorporate products that really replenish your skin, not weigh it down.
Y. Y for the yoyo beat. Play upbeat music
Blasting any happy-making tune can work multiple mind-body wonders including reducing pain during exercise, elevating mood, and lowering stress, research shows. So make a playlist — any songs that boost your spirit will do the job.
Z. Z for zap the mess out of your bed. Make your bed every morning
Yes, it’s time to grow past the messy bed look! Mastering the art of making your bed will simply transform your space, but also kickstart a productive morning routine. Taking care of your pillows, sheets, and comforter is easy when you have an expert to show you how.