Highlights | New year, new habits
- Instead of setting large goals or resolutions in the new year, focus on setting intentions.
- Before setting your intentions this year, take time to reflect on the best — and worst — parts of the previous year to inform what you want the upcoming year to look like.
- Practicing radical acceptance, or accepting things for what they are right now, is a great way to help you deal with both the joys and stressors in the upcoming months.
In our series, One Fun Thing, we’re collaborating with Anne Browning, PhD, chief well-being officer and associate dean for well-being at the UW School of Medicine, to bring you small, specific, low-effort ways to have more fun. Plus, a question to help you check in with yourself and others, and well-being resources.
Building a new habit or breaking an old one can feel daunting. You don’t have to commit to a big life change at the start of 2025 to have a fulfilling year — start small with these five habits that can help you prioritize self-care and motivate you toward the goals you want to set in the months to come.
5 New Year’s Habits
- Focus on setting intentions. Reframe your New Year’s resolutions into New Year’s intentions. Setting intentions will help provide guiding principles that motivate you to achieve your desired goals.
- Sort through clutter. Is your desk still filled with last year’s projects? Is your home overdue for a deep cleaning? Carve out some time each week to refresh your space little by little, rather than all at once.
- Listen to more music. Music triggers the release of dopamine in the brain, which can help improve your mood and reduce stress. Start a habit of playing your favorite song while cooking dinner or listening to a playlist you love while sorting through your morning emails.
- Celebrate a failure. Failure isn’t bad — it’s a normal part of life and doesn’t define you. This year, reflect on some things that didn’t go your way, allowing yourself to feel the discomfort and reminding yourself not to give up.
- Practice radical acceptance. It can be hard to accept things for what they are now, especially if you’re dealing with a major stressor or hardship. However, practicing radical acceptance, or accepting situations as they are, helps you acknowledge reality without judgment.
“The new year offers a time for reflection,” says Browning. “Before I set intentions, I like to pause and think back on the best parts of each month in the previous year. From that vantage point, I like to think about what I want my year to look like, rather than just setting hard-to-maintain behavioral changes for January. The bigger picture helps me plan ahead for adventures and ways to connect with folks in my life.”
Question of the month
Here’s how to check in with each other and ourselves. Use this question to connect with co-workers at your next meeting, to start a conversation around the dinner table or as a journal prompt.
What intentions do you want to set for 2025? What is an intention for your life outside of work in the coming year?
Resources
- Request help from a peer supporter or through the Washington Employee Assistance Program.
