New Year New Habits: Strategies to help kickstart your year

Heading: New Year New Habits: Strategies to help kickstart your year

HEADLINE: As the clock resets and the calendar turns, it’s the perfect time to shake up routines and try something new. Whether your goal is moving a little more, scrolling a little less, or finally ticking that task of your ‘to do list’, the New Year is a clean slate to build small changes that add up to big wins.

Strategies to help kickstart your 2026

Maintain movement

Unsure where to start your New Year’s goals? Getting moving is a great place to begin! The key is finding an activity that you genuinely enjoy, which makes it easier to stay consistent. Whether it’s joining a sports team or signing up for a yoga class, make movement part of your routine. And if you’re a really committed mover, consider magnesium to support muscle health after exercise.

Prioritise sleep

Will you be staying up past midnight on NYE to bring in the new year? Whatever your plans, make sure that sleep becomes a priority in the days that follow, aiming for at least eight hours each night. Quality sleep doesn’t just help you wake feeling refreshed, but has amazing benefits for your brain, your immune system – in fact, just about every system in the body. If you need a little help resetting your sleep routine, herbal medicines such as Passionflower or California poppy are traditionally used in Western herbal medicine to support refreshing sleep.

Drink more water

Sound simple? In reality, staying hydrated can be challenging. Many people forget to drink water throughout the day, or simply dislike the taste. A few easy changes can help: invest in a good water bottle that you can take with you on the go and aim to refill it a few times each day. You can also mix things up by adding a squeeze of lemon or lime, or even a handful of crushed raspberries, to your water a more refreshing taste.  

Skimp on the scrolling

We’ve all been there, but it’s time to reset and give yourself the gift of time. Start by checking your screen time to get a baseline, then set a realistic goal. A good practice is to start the day before you reach for your phone, giving your mind a chance to wake up and set yourself up for the day without the scroll.

Practice gratitude

Keep a gratitude journal, or make an arrangement with a friend to regularly share moments of gratitude. Not only does this help you pause and reflect, but it also has the added benefit of inspiring each other to notice more of the good things the world has to offer.

So, what are your strategies for kickstarting your year? Whatever they may be, remember, aim for progress over perfection – even small changes add up and your future self will thank you for it.