As we all just said goodbye to 2023 and hello to 2024, we now have an opportunity for a fresh start. 2024 is a clean slate, so let’s set healthy and manageable resolutions for you and your family. As a mother, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, so adding new goals to your routine might seem strenuous. However, exercising your ambitious side can feel both fulfilling and rewarding. Let’s take your 2024 resolutions and turn them into attainable goals.
Many people make generalized resolutions for the New Year such as: losing weight, eating better, and sleeping more. Goals like those are realistic if you consider how you will accomplish them. Break each goal into smaller, more specific goals to make your result more feasible. Below are some examples of realistic resolutions tailored to mothers.
Get Active
One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to start working out or exercising more. That is a great goal and can only have positive benefits for your physical and mental health. However, where do you start? Instead of saying I’m going to exercise more, rephrase that to “I want to spend 30 minutes a day doing something active.” That way, you have a specific task that you can check off after you complete it and can be active in whatever way fits best into your lifestyle.
If you are already an active person, try taking some group classes or following a workout program, this will help you stay on track with your specific goals and milestones. Working out with friends or following someone’s lead helps you stay accountable for your goals and push harder to achieve them. If you don’t have time to leave the house to exercise, then consider buying some at-home gym equipment and look up a 10-minute workout video to follow. Some movement is better than none. Adding a workout routine to your everyday life will show significant results by the end of the year.
Eat Healthily
This New Year’s resolution can feel overwhelming and daunting, especially if you are the one in the family preparing all the meals. It can be hard to create the most nutritious and filling meals three times a day, so let’s narrow this down. For example, set the goal of having one fruit or vegetable with every meal or having one paleo meal a week. Plan your meals at the beginning of the week, so you feel more prepared and can follow your specific goals. Setting one particular goal to make your daily nutrition healthier is much more obtainable and easier to stay consistent with.
Another way you can create healthier food without feeling overwhelmed or stressed would be to take planning to the next level by meal prepping. Find one new healthy meal to make on Sundays. Make a lot of it and package it in containers for lunches throughout the week so you have a few healthy meals ready. Preparing meals that are already ready to go will help you stay on track throughout the week and be a weight off of your shoulders.
Travel more
When you have a family, finding time to travel can take a lot of work. You have to ensure it fits in with your schedule and your partner’s and children’s schedules. You may see your friends or family go on trips to foreign countries or tropical islands and feel a sense of longing. However, it might not be in the budget or schedule in 2024, which is also okay. This year your goal could be to put away “X” money towards this big future trip.
This does not mean you won’t be doing any traveling this year, however. Instead of trying to put pressure on yourself to go on some extravagant vacation in 2024, find time for little getaways. Whether it’s going to see a loved family member for a long weekend or visiting a neighboring state that you have never been to. You can find adventure wherever you look.
Sleep More
Every mother on the planet wishes they could sleep more, but how? You have children to watch after, a house to keep neat, and many other tasks to complete daily. Consider a goal related to your nighttime routine or quality of sleep as opposed to adding more rest to your schedule.
Find a bedtime routine that works for you and stick to it. Set a goal to read or journal for 20 minutes before bed every night. Try putting your phone down and avoiding blue light before closing your eyes for the night. According to The Sleep Foundation, watching a screen before you go to sleep can adversely affect your ability to fall asleep. Another good part of your bedtime routine could be to take a shower and drink some warm tea to get your muscles and body friendly and relaxed. Anything that makes you feel calm and content will benefit you before bed.
Live In the Moment
Many mothers feel that every day goes by so fast that they cannot fit everything they want to do in a 24-hour day. Is your mind constantly running amuck with things you need to do tomorrow and all the worries you have to hold on to? It may be time for you to take care of your mental health and stress so you can enjoy the moments and memories you are making today.
No matter what is going on in your life, having someone you feel you can talk to is essential. If you feel like your cluttered mind and stress are hindering your day-to-day life, it might be time to look into different types of therapy. Working with a licensed therapist will help you understand your mental health and find ways to cope with the stressors in your life. Mothers always want to be strong for their loved ones. However, sometimes you need some support, which is okay. Make sure you take care of yourself in 2024 to continue caring for your loved ones.
You are going to accomplish so many things in 2024! Dream big by setting small goals and accomplishing them. You can achieve all of your 2024 resolutions with little wins every day. Take care of yourself as well as your family in 2024!
