7 Healthy Habits For The New Year
If you’re ready for a fresh start 2021, here are some habits and techniques you can consider to help you craft your best year yet.
1. Fitness
If there’s one thing we tend to neglect as we age, it’s our health and fitness. Do you find yourself losing your breath after a flight of stairs, craving sugary snacks or spending hard-earned cash for a gym membership you never use? If so, welcome to the club!
This year, make your routine work for you. Unable to find time to work out? Invest in an adjustable or standing desk to incorporate more movement in your day. Unsure where to start, or what to do? Start with a brisk daily walk and a cheap pair of weights and do some research for simple, at-home exercises.
Above all, remember that fitness is more than just slimming down, it’s about keeping your body in balance and your mind well-taken care of.
2. Hobbies
As a society, we tend to focus more mental energy on things that make us money as opposed to small things that make us happy. While it’s imperative to have a productive professional life to support yourself and your loved ones, it’s equally important to have hobbies that soothe your mind and bring joy. Science supports the benefit of hobbies, too!
If you’re looking for ideas for new hobbies that can help you unwind as well as foster creativity, try these:
- Painting
- Crochet
- Woodworking
- Sculpting
- Hiking
- Journaling
- Reading
- Gardening
3. Meal Planning
Be honest with yourself for a moment: what’s the first thing you do when you don’t have a nutritious meal cooked and ready to consume? For most of us, it gives us an excuse to head down to our favorite fast-food chain and indulge in overly processed, low-nutrition foods. This year, try scheduling a few hours on a specific day each week to cook meals and store them for the remainder of the week. If you plan ahead, shop in advance, and cook with confidence, you’ll save time and money in the long run, in addition to boosting your nutrition.
4. Set Time-Specific Goals
People around the globe have long-since used the new year as a jumping-off point to try a new lifestyle. We enthusiastically get out our journals, jot down some goals and start playing “what-if” games in our minds.
And while this behavior is productive, it often leaves too many loose ends open for interpretation. This year, we encourage you to become specific with your goals, setting deadlines for what you’d like to have accomplished by certain milestones.
5. Hydration
Water is absolutely essential to a healthy and happy life. When we’re drinking water consistently, our mood improves, our skin looks healthy and we generate newfound energy. If you can consume roughly 64 oz of water per day, you’re golden!
6. Oral Health
Brushing is a task that many of us probably don’t do enough. In 2021, we suggest brushing twice a day and flossing once per day. If this seems challenging, invest in an electric toothbrush that will do the work for you. And if you’re behind on your regular checkups, feel free to get back on the bandwagon by contacting us at IKON Dental Group.
7. Hard Tasks First
Procrastination is the silent killer of dreams. If you found yourself procrastinating or failing to make good on your goals last year, you’re not alone. To change the fate of your goals this year, conquer this problem by doing the hardest part first—everything else will feel easier in comparison.
Recommit to Your Routine
As we think about the year we just entered, take a moment to think of the appointments and visits you may have missed last year. If it’s been more than a year since you’ve been to the dentist in Plainville, schedule a checkup as soon as possible. Contact IKON Dental Group by calling us at (860) 400-0196 or contact us online!
Dr. Izaz Khan
Dentist at Ikon Dental Group
Dr. Khan holds a Bachelor's in Physiology and Neurobiology from the University of Connecticut, a Master's in Biomolecular Sciences from Central Connecticut State University, and a dental degree from the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine. He completed his residency in comprehensive dental care at the Samuel Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany, NY.