Start the New Year Right: Wellness Benefits of a Routine

This is where developing a wellness routine can help! A routine can help you feel organized, reduce stress, and give you more time to focus on essential things, but it can also do wonders for your motivation when it comes to your New Year’s resolutions! The Mladenoff Clinic of Arizona shares wellness resources highlighting family care and healthy routines. We want you to make the most out of this upcoming year, so we’ve put together tips for developing a routine to stay motivated and enhance your lifestyle and wellness.

One survey found that only 12% of Americans make resolutions yearly. While they may seem silly, resolutions are much more than a festive tradition; they come with many benefits, including:

• Practice for setting essential life goals
• Time for reflection
• A catalyst for positive changes
• Self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment

The New Year offers a chance for people to start fresh, focus inward, and make positive changes through resolutions. The best way to ensure these resolutions are implemented into our lives is by adding them into a wellness routine that works for you and your schedule.

Neuroscientists have pinned down the origins of habit-building in a part of the brain called the basal ganglia; this area is responsible for motor function and learning. Once an activity or an event has been learned and practiced, the basal ganglia can take behaviour and form an automatic routine. When you implement positive goals into your daily routine, the benefits can include:

• An increase in positive emotions
• Improved brain activity
• Better sleep
• Healthier relationships
• Feeling more organized

Below are some ways to implement your New Year’s resolutions into a routine.

Think about what you want to improve and focus on in your life. For example, are you struggling with your mental health? Do you want to enhance your physical wellness? Do you want to start living a pain free life? Are you looking to ensure your children are developing in the most healthy way possible?

Make a list of anything you think could benefit your personal life, health, and happiness, and ask yourself how these changes can fit into your daily schedule.

Once you have your list of resolutions, it’s time to start planning. If you have a calendar or planner, make notes on each date, so you’re more likely to remember to complete the task. You can also set reminders on your phone with notifications; for example, if your goal is to drink more water, set a reminder that goes off every 1-2 hours, reminding you to take a sip! 

You also want to prepare for any obstacles or challenges you might face. For example, if you’re resolution is to work out five times a day, plan your workouts for the week around your other events or responsibilities. By focusing on your goal, you’ll be better prepared to stick to your routine and overcome anything that could sidetrack you.

When we take on too much at once, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and frustrated. For instance, if you start a restrictive diet, begin an intense workout, or considerably alter your everyday life, your routine can almost instantly derail itself.

Focus on taking small, realistic steps for your routine to build yourself up to reach larger goals. 

The “buddy system” works for a good reason. You can stay motivated and accountable by reaching out for support.

Ask friends or family members to join you in your new routine and create a solid support system. Gather a group of neighbors to go on a daily walk or invite your family over for a healthy meal-prep day, where you all prepare fresh ingredients to use throughout the week.

New Year’s resolutions can benefit your lifestyle. Dr. D is dedicated to sharing health and wellness lifestyle resources and helpful information so you and your family can discover healthy living.