MOST of us are becoming indifferent to the words New Year’s Resolution. For us, New Year's resolution means nothing anymore. But even if we don’t believe in it, the least, yet the best thing we should do is to have a “to-do” list for the coming New Year.
To-do list is an inventory of doable, tangible, and practical things to be done for the coming year. The to-do list is also a means not to waste your whole year away. If you have completed or complied with all the things included in your to-do list it will make you feel accomplished and satisfied in some way.
The staple New Year’s resolution that “I promise to lose at least 10 pounds next year” is not tangible, therefore it’s very hard to achieve. You need to have to know how you will lose your weight.
Here are some examples to include in one’s to-do list to feel accomplished for the coming year:
1. Exercise at least 15 minutes a day. To boost one’s health and lose weight, allotting a physical activity for at least 15 minutes is not only easy and achievable. It is also an economical alternative to vitamin supplements. In this way, your body releases and uses the vitamins and energy the food you consume everyday is supplying you, according to a website established by a group of health experts, mayoclinic.com.
2. Save 15 minutes for prayer. Whether you are an Islam, a Christian or a Buddhist, practicing one’s faith through prayer even for just 10 minutes everyday helps us to be grounded; helps to remind ourselves that there is Greater Being other than us who can help us fulfill our dreams if we just ask. And what is 15 minutes a day of our 24 hours?
3. Allot at least 10-15% of your monthly income for savings. According to Roi Enriquez, millennial financial advisor, the best percentage to allot for your savings is 20. But if you can allot more, then 40% would be great so that it won't take long for you to fund for your dream house, or you still have a big chunk as spare when emergencies, like hospitalization expenses, butt in. But if “20 percent seems implausible or even impossible at the moment then saving something is better than nothing at all," financial experts at msn.com advised.
4. Enjoy ticking at least 3 things off your bucket list. There are some things that you dream to be done or achieve next year, like travelling or doing something you haven’t done or experienced before, like riding an airplane or a cruise ship, or even as petty as picnicking with your friends or family. Do those things before you realize you’re too old for those stuff. Some of them may look too petty and insignificant, but when you look back, you’ll feel the regret of not experiencing them while you still can.
5. Give your loved ones your 15 minutes. Whether they are near or far, most of us often forget to give our moments to them for chitchat, for a hug, or even for a kiss. This New Year is the best time to begin giving them just 15 minutes of our “precious” time. Prioritize them over your phone. Or if they are far, prioritize them using your phone, before it’s too late.
If you have more ideas of other to-do things for the New Year, please do share them with us.