How to Prime Your Space for Your New Year's Resolutions
It’s that time of the year again! “New year, new me”! But if you really want to stick to your new year's resolutions this time, you need to start thinking about how to not just prepare your mind and body, but also your home!
If you haven’t read Atomic Habits already, first - add it to your resolutions, and second, make note of the incredible insight that we use in our approach to home organization. It is The Power of Priming the Environment. It has one key principle: to develop a habit, reduce friction and create the path of least resistance. Conversely, if you want to stop a bad habit, add in all the friction, making it super hard to attain. For example, making the healthy snacks easily accessible (front row in your most opened kitchen cupboard) and the junk food very well hidden or not in the home at all!
So here are our tricks and tips to help you on your journey of self-improvement and keep the most common resolutions in the new year!
1. Eat Healthier - Prepare your Kitchen.
The first two steps in achieving your resolution of eating healthier you probably already know. You should purge your kitchen of any unhealthy items, which includes getting rid of all the processed snacks, sugary drinks and high-calorie condiments that can sabotage your efforts in an instant. Throw out the food that is expired and donate other items. Of course, the next step is going out there and restocking your kitchen with healthy items. Consult a nutritionist or do your own research to keep a variety of whole grains, lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products and healthy fats. Don't be afraid to try new things!
But, if you share a home with anyone, it isn't sustainable to completely get rid of all the foods you’re trying to avoid. Especially if you have kids - can you imagine the tantrums if there are no snacks in the house? Enter space organization. Reduce friction to healthy items by having them on lower shelves or in areas where they are easy to reach without having to move other things around. So keep your fruits out on the countertop, and hide the chocolates and snacks away. This way, instead of searching for crisps/chips, you will pick up an apple as your mid-day snack. Even when you are preparing a meal, ensure the fresh meat and vegetables are nicely organized and accessible at the front of the fridge to encourage you to cook. Try not to stock ready microwave meals or create obstacles for you to reach them.
2. Exercise More - Create a Workout System.
Exercising more can be a daunting task, and one of the TOP resolutions, year after year. But why are such few people good at making movement a habit? It's because people don't have a system. A system involves activating several aspects, from the environment to equipment to clothes, in order to make your goal achievable.
Firstly, keep the things you need in plain sight, not only does it make it easy to access but it also acts as a reminder to exercise. If your workout clothes are sitting on your chair, ready to be used in the morning, you are reducing the friction in getting them out of the wardrobe, therefore increasing your chances of achieving your goal. Plus, somesurveys of gym-goers suggest that simply slipping into your gear can provide the motivation needed to get you working up a sweat. Also, create a set state, be it lighting, music or furniture orientation, to activate the part of your brain that associates the environment with exercise. This way, when you play your favourite playlist, you know its time to get into your movement routine.
Whatever system you create, keep it simple and build from there. If you are having a hard time getting started, just do one exercise a day, for example perhaps just one push-up or 5 minutes of skipping rope. It might sound silly but it is creating a placeholder for doing more later. Also, to help keep yourself on track, why not use a simple habit tracker that you check off when you work out? Doing this will make it easier for you to stay motivated and achieve your fitness goals.
3. Learn to Meditate - Create the Right Cues.
If you are hoping to have a more mindful and focused 2023, building a meditation practice might be one of your new year's resolutions. While a lot of the principles are similar to picking up an exercise, apsychologist shares specific environmental cues that enable you to meditate at home.
Firstly, you should ensure that the physical environment you are in is clean - so make sure you've dusted and vacuumed the space! Spiritually this adds prana or vital energy to your space and will encourage more powerful and concentrated energy. But this ritual will also enable you to prepare for meditation - think, premeditation to your actual meditation. Low-level lighting is also desirable when it comes to cultivating a meditative space; candlelight is the best source of light for this purpose. Additionally, burning incense can help create a tranquil atmosphere by reducing noise and distracting smells. Having an easy to access container with these essentials inside is another motivator for developing this habit.
Also other cues, just like exercising include setting aside specific time for your meditation sessions and starting small, even if it is just 1 minute a day.
4. Make Reading a Habit - Remove Distractions.
When it comes to reading more, it isn't just about creating the path of least resistance, you will also have to create friction for other activities getting in the way. Specifically, if you are anything like us, your reading time - whether it is before bed or while you are travelling is getting eaten by endless scrolling. So this new year's resolution requires a two-pronged approach.
If you read before bed, first, ensure you keep your book or kindle (we highly recommend ebooks!) on your bedside table or even on your pillow - easy to access and a visual reminder to read. But that is not enough! You will also need to remove the distractions that have been taking over your bedtime routine. Is it your phone? Then put it in another part of your room to charge, so that it's not easy to "just quickly check my messages" and end up scrolling mindlessly. For our clients, we routinely create drop-zones for electronics or charging stations that are strategically placed. You could also set up apps such asOfftime orFlipd that will monitor your usage and create time-outs. Or, if you watch TV before bed instead of reading, move the TV or just put the remote in another room. If you prefer to read while commuting, be sure to carry your book, kindle or just download the kindle app. This way, you'll always have access to your books. You can also use similar time-outs for your phone to make sure you don't end up reverting back to the screen.
Lastly, buy books that you are excited to read- this will motivate and encourage you to read more. Reading can be an incredibly rewarding experience if done right!
5. Build New Skill - Dedicate a Corner to It.
The pandemic and the lockdowns allowed us to pick up a number of hobbies, but with socializing, work and school back fully, it can be hard to commit to your hobby. Whether it’s learning to sew, mastering a new language, or doing puzzles, carving out a corner of your home for the task can make things easier. Create the perfect space by setting aside a comfortable chair and any necessary materials so you won’t need to scramble around for them every time you want to practice. For example, if you want to learn a new instrument, dedicate some small corner in your house (ideally visible) to it. Store your instrument, notes and other accessories in the corner in a container that works with your style and decor. If there is a cupboard or drawer nearby, you could dedicate some space there - again so it’s all easily accessible. You could consider adding a physical checklist! A satisfying tick each day that you practice is motivating. The visual representation of your achievements will have you right on track to achieve your goal.
Scheduling it in your calendar and telling a friend about it are two other great ways to hold yourself accountable. Get creative with how you set up your space and time so that when you sit down you feel inspired and ready to master the skill!
6. Be More Productive - Organize Your Work Desk.
This is a big one! If you are a procrastinator, or honestly are just human, increasing your productivity whether at the office or at home can have great benefits! This begins with having an organized and tidy workspace. 41% of surveyed office workers indicated that a tidy desk helps you focus on the tasks at hand and can also increase your chances for promotion in the future! On the other hand, disorganization can lead to mental overload and procrastination.
So start with designating particular spots for your essentials - stationery, post-it notes, staplers, folders, and documents. Whatever you might need for your regular workday. Labelling is another key way to ensure a tidy work desk. One, you know where to find the thing you are looking for, and it is also a reminder to put it back once you've used it! End every workday with a 3-minute session of putting everything in place so that when you start tomorrow, you have a clear desk and a clear mind.
Also, when planning your day, try to have no more than three tasks for each day or work session. It'll be easier to focus and complete those tasks instead of trying to cater to your a billion conflicting requirements. One way of doing that is to also have a To-Do list on the side where you can brain-dump tasks for later and stay on the ball throughout the day. And of course, remove distractions. Phones, email alerts, even a book - it all has to go.
If you need help implementing any of these new routines, goals and resolutions into your life via your home environment, schedule a call with me. We would love to help!
Reach out to us on Instagram or WhatsApp, +852 9198 5019 or schedule a chat.