A new year is the perfect time to create your very own health and wellness plan! But what does it all mean, and how can curate the perfect strategy for twenty-twenty-four?
Why the new year is perfect for a new wellness plan.
It’s a fresh start!
The new year signals a fresh start, both literally and figuratively. We’re leaving the last year behind us and, ideally, stepping out of a period of reflection. During this time you might have given some thought to the challenges and lessons experienced over the previous year. Perhaps you’ve identified some toxic habits that need shifting or improvements that could be made to various areas of your life. Either way, the new year is the perfect opportunity to create a tailored wellness plan to set you up for a healthier, happier new year!
It’s tradition!
Making New Year’s resolutions is deeply engrained in our culture, and what is a wellness plan if not one big resolution? Use this time and the motivation from those around you to create something unique and relevant to you. Don’t stop with resolutions like ‘going to the gym‘ or ‘learning to cook.’ Remember to add things that make you happy, challenge you and keep your creativity flowing!
It’s the perfect time to get motivated!
There’s nothing more motivating than having those around you also being motivated! And where are people more motivated to better themselves than the new year? Many people find themselves inspired to take action to create happier, healthier lives for themselves. Better each other, provide encouragement and help your friends reach their full potential.
It’s time to get planning!
Before you can even begin to create a wellness plan you first need to plan it. Hopefully, you’ve had some downtime during the festive period to reflect on your current self and what you want from the future. And, better still, maybe you have a few notebooks or a new diary needing to be filled with ideas, plans and goals!
It’s important to remember that while the new year is a great time to create a wellness plan, you can start any time! No matter when you read this, don’t be afraid to plan and start your journey towards a better you!
Step-by-step; How to create your personalized wellness plan.
Set SMART goals.
Have you heard of SMART goals or targets before? I use them for pretty much anything I’m working hard to achieve. From the latest chapter of my novel to eating disorder recovery, SMART targets make your goals more manageable!
But what are SMART targets? If you’re new to these, here’s a brief description!
“Sustainable SMART targets can be used in all areas of life from the workplace to your personal goals. They’re highly motivating, help provide clarity, keep you organised, and even help instil focus and purpose.”
If you want to learn more about these, check out this post and learn how you can make these work for your wellness plan.
Reflect on your current health.
To create a new plan, we first need to assess our current health. How can one know where they need to go if they don’t know where they currently are? Take some time to think about your mental, physical and even emotional health. What do you need to improve on and how can you do it? If you’re struggling mentally or emotionally, perhaps a counsellor or therapist is needed. Or if you’ve encountered some physical issues, do you need to improve your diet or exercise routine?
Remember to be honest with yourself about where you currently are! If you don’t eat well, address that. Likewise, if you’re not one for exercise, if you’re overindulging in alcohol or have other bad habits you might want to give up.
Check in with yourself regularly.
One reflection isn’t enough! Be sure to regularly check in with yourself throughout the coming months. Take some time to think about where you were at the beginning, and how far you’ve come since then. Think about all areas of your life and health, and leave no stone unturned!
It’s also the perfect time to think about what is and isn’t working for you in your wellness plan. Remember, this is your plan and you can change it if you need to!
Consult a professional if you have to.
Before starting on your wellness plan, consider consulting a professional. Ask your GP for a full blood panel and a checkup (if possible), and maybe even consult a mental health professional. While not always needed, it can help you get a better idea of the improvements you can make.
For example, if you know you need to start eating better, a full blood panel can tell you the areas in which you’re lacking. This will give you a better idea of the foods you should be including in your diet to stabilise your body and improve your energy levels, among other things.
Get some sleep!
Sleep gets its own place on this list because, without proper sleep, everything else falls by the wayside! While we sleep our body recovers from physical and mental strain. We go into a hyper-relaxed state where our tendons, neurons, brain cells (etc) can all repair themselves in peace. Without that rest, however, cracks can begin to show in how we cope with things emotionally, mentally and even physically.
You can learn more about sleep and how to get some here!
Look to your support system.
Let’s be honest, we’re more likely to follow through with something if it’s out in the open. Talk about your wellness plan with friends and family, and maybe even an online network! This not only holds you accountable but also helps to motivate you into action. And, who knows, maybe you’ll recruit a few others to join you?!
Be consistent.
Stay on track, stay consistent and keep moving forward no matter the setbacks. Yes, flexibility is important, and there will be days when you might get it wrong. Get back on the horse! Every day is a new opportunity to start again if things don’t quite go to plan.
Manage your time.
No wellness plan is complete with time management! One of the biggest mistakes we make in life is not being able to manage our time efficiently. It’s such a problem in this fast-paced society that it deserves a blog post all of its own! But, for now, here are some basic and simple ways you can manage your time better!
- Be clear about your goals.
- Prioritise!
- Use to-do lists!
- Research and use time blocking.
- Limit Distractions.
- Set Deadlines.
- Don’t over-commit yourself.
- Remember to take breaks!
What are you adding to your wellness plan for 2024!?
This is a fantastic post for creating a wellness plan! I think it’s important to set SMART goals because I used to set goals for the new year, but I never reached them because they were very general, and I didn’t have a plan in place.
These steps are great! People will be much more successful if they go in with a plan. I also like the suggestion of getting professional help, if needed.
I absolutely love this! such a thorough breakdown that will help many people! I agree though this is the perfect time to get started! I know most think it’s played out and don’t want to feed into the New Year hype but I love being cheesy, I love themes and personally, I think they are very motivating! I miss when New years goals were such a massive hype…
Love the graph! New year new you!
You are right, the new year is the perfect time to assess and then set new goals. My birthday is in early January so that makes it seem even more like the right time.
Setting sustainable goals for wellness in 2024 will ensure greater success. One of my wellness vodka is more sleep at consistent hours.
I like to reflect on my health to then create my wellness plan for 2024. It is good to look back at what I have been doing to see if there are small improvements that I can make.
Using SMART goals is a great way to create a health and wellness plan. Time for a little self love and self improvement in 2024.
A wellness plan for the new year is a great idea! Taking care of ourselves and making it a priority is so important!
Great post lovely. Honestly since getting the puppy my focus on my wellbeing has gone out of the window a bit and I’m definitely feeling it. Hoping to get back into some sort of routine soon – slowly but surly xx
I haven’t made a health & wellness plan for 2024, but I really like the idea of one and you have some great tips here!
I absolutely love this post! I think my favorite part is Sleep and the fact that it gets it’s own section. This is the one area I need to work on for sure and it’ll help with my weight loss journey too. There’s always the excuse well I am a mom, or an entrepreneur etc but honestly, there is no excuse for not taking care of your well-being!
Thank you for this guide for creating a health and wellness plan, I need to try to create one for myself! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk