This post is all about New Years resolutions list ideas.
Ahh, New Years. It’s a great time to create new habit, learn new skills, and make a positive change in your life. And having the perfect New Years resolutions list is the perfect way to get started!
If you’re all about goal setting but just don’t know what new goals to set for the new year, I’ve got you covered. Whether you want to work on your personal goals, career goals, financial goals, relationships, or any other aspect of your life, you’ll find some great New Year’s resolution ideas in this post.
This post is all about New Years resolutions list ideas.
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NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS LIST:
1. Exercise consistently
There’s truly nothing more important than your physical health. But I know that when the semester gets busy, you start to get burnt out and the last thing you want to do is work out.
But even a 20 minute workout a couple times a week is better than nothing. Even going for a daily walk is better than nothing.
Set some specific goals based on what your fitness levels, schedule, and goals are. But make sure you’re getting some kind of movement in consistently!
RELATED – Dorm Room Work Out: Valuable Tips for an Effective Routine
2. Join an extracurricular that will look good on your resume
You’re here to get New Year resolutions for students, so you’re obviously a student thinking about your career.
What better way to prepare for a successful career than to join a relevant club on campus?
3. Create a LinkedIn account
If you’re in college but you haven’t created a LinkedIn account yet, now’s a great time to do it because it could be really important in your future, and it certainly doesn’t hurt.
Having a LinkedIn account in college is so important because you’ll meet so many people that you’ll want to keep in your networking circle.
Think: professors, fellow students, mentors, guest speakers you get to connect with or people you meet at networking events…. There are so many people you might come across that you’ll want to maintain professional contact with. LinkedIn is the best way to do that!
4. Establish a healthy morning routine on weekdays
Maintaining a healthy morning routine is critical for success in college.
You know how people think of the new year as a fresh start? I like to think of a morning routine as getting a fresh start every day. Having a healthy morning routine will help you live a healthier life overall, and the new year is the perfect time to start implementing new habits like this.
It will make you so much more productive and make you feel so much more energized if you stick to a consistent morning routine.
5. Start tracking your habits
Habit tracking is a GAME CHANGER. I track my habits every year because it’s such a great resolution that will actually help you see results over time.
Make a list of 5-7 habits you really want to start. They can be little things, like drinking a certain amount of water or reading 10 pages of a book every day. Track every healthy habit you list in the upcoming year.
The point is not to criticize yourself when you don’t do all your habits. The point of this is just to track where you’re at so that you’re aware of how well you’re actually implementing the lifestyle changes you want to make. When you’ve gone a few days without tracking a certain habit, it will motivate you to get back on track.
6. Spend your summer doing something that will advance your career
If you’re reading this in the winter, then the summer still seems pretty far away. But jobs fill up quickly, so it’s important to figure out what you’re doing ahead of time.
As far as New Year resolutions go, you can start to figure this out by making a list of all the places you might want to work or the things you want to do and start to work on resumes or see what might be most realistic.
Think internships, volunteering, summer jobs, or you can even do something as simple as updating your portfolio or taking a summer course!
7. Start budgeting
If you don’t already do monthly budgets, listen up.
It doesn’t matter if you live on campus, off-campus, with parents, or in your own apartment. You NEED to start budgeting and getting disciplined with your money!
If you want to make this a lot easier, I made a free budget planner that I’ve been using for over a year + hundreds of college students have downloaded it to use it, too. Download the free budget planner here!
I would argue that this is the best New Year resolution 2021 could possibly offer you. You have GOT to start budgeting. You’ll seriously thank yourself down the road for being wise with your money from the start!
8. Less screen time
If you struggle with screen time, start with setting limits on the apps that you spend the most time on. But don’t end there. You’ll only be successful at kicking bad habits if you replace them with GOOD habits.
If you want to spend less time on your phone, think about an alternative habit that will give you some dopamine and make you want less time on your phone.
It could be going for a walk, cleaning the house, or reading a book. But make sure you replace your bad scrolling habits with GOOD habits if you really want it to stick!
9. Call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while… weekly
One of my favorite New Years resolution ideas is to, every week, call a friend that you haven’t talked to in a while. It doesn’t have to be the same friend every week, but this is such a good new year’s resolution idea to make sure that you stay connected to other people and present for those you love!
10. Start journaling
Journaling is such a fruitful habit because it doesn’t take much time but really goes a long way! Even just 5 minutes a day makes a difference.
11. Set 1 year, 5 year and 10 year goals for your future.
It’s so important to set goals for your future, especially in your college years. I love setting goals for the year in all aspects of my life at the beginning of every year.
But also consider setting goals for different time frames. Where do you want to be in one year, five years, ten years? These things are really important to think about in college.
12. Develop spiritual disciplines and habits
For me, this means reading my Bible & praying at least daily. If this is something that’s important to you, too, you can work prayer and Bible reading into your morning or bedtime routine.
It’s actually not as hard as you think to create this habit. And it is the most worthwhile habit you could ever create!
13. Establish a healthy bedtime routine to unwind and manage stress
Speaking of routines, something that has changed my life that has been on my New Year’s resolution list is a healthy bedtime routine. If you don’t have a consistent night time routine yet, you have got to start one!
Having good sleep every night will seriously help you become a better friend and a better person overall because you’ll be so much better rested and prepared for your day. Fixing my sleep schedule by having a better bedtime routine has seriously been a GAME CHANGER for me.
Here are some things I do to unwind before bed:
- Read a book (usually on my Kindle, which I love!)
- Take some magnesium
- Put on a sleep mask (it took me some time to get used to this but now I get such a good sleep when I wear it!)
14. Master a time management method
There are so many time management methods, and mastering one or two of them will make your life as a student SO much easier while helping you reach new heights with your personal development.
I wrote this post on time management methods to walk you through some options to become more productive. This is one of the most achievable new year’s resolutions!
15. Do a daily creative writing prompt
If you want to get into journaling but find it boring to journal about your day or your feelings, try creative writing prompts instead!
It’s important to learn different ways to be creative, and you would be surprised how much of a positive impact creative writing can have on your mental and emotional wellbeing. Here’s a list of some great creative writing prompts to take you through the year!
16. Cook one new recipe per week
Struggling to learn how to cook? Or maybe you LOVE cooking? Commit to learning one new recipe per week!
This is such a simple new year’s resolution idea since you have to cook anyways. Plus, you might end up finding some great recipes that will help you stick to your healthy eating goals while making cooking more enjoyable.
17. Create a manageable cleaning schedule and stick to it
My favourite way to do this is to pick one room per week and clean that thoroughly (e.g. bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, living room). This way you hit every room with a deeper clean at least once a month!
18. Have a self-care appointment every week
Make a self care appointment with yourself weekly. Whether it’s a Sunday afternoon, a morning alone, or a chill evening after work, taking care of yourself will positively impact every other area of your life. You’ll have more energy for healthier relationships, plus you’ll experience personal growth and maybe even some health benefits that come with managing your stress better.
19. Drink more water
You’ve heard this one enough. I don’t think you need me to explain. It’s just a reminder.
20. Get attached to a podcast
Podcasts are a great way to stay entertained and productive at the same time. I know this seems like a resolution that won’t do much for you, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
If anything, podcasts will motivate you and get your creativity flowing.
So, you could really consider this one of the most creative new year’s resolutions for your list!
21. Read a new genre of fiction
If you’re thinking about picking up a new hobby in the new year, why not take up reading? And if you already read lots, explore a genre that you haven’t yet tried!
22. Clean your room every night before you sleep
If you spend 5 minutes tidying your room every night, you’ll rarely have to spend a whole afternoon cleaning it!
And, you’ll wake up every morning feeling so refreshed in a clean room.
23. Call a family member at least once per week
I know this can be hard when you’re in college and you’re enjoying your independence, depending on the kinds of relationships you have with your family members.
But it’s really important to stay in touch with your family as much as possible. So, make it your goal to give a family member a call at least once a week just to chat and catch up.
24. Start using more natural products on your skin.
If you don’t already use natural skin products, you have GOT to make the switch!
This seriously changed the game for my skin. And it’s not as expensive as you might expect to get good natural products. It’s also always a good idea to watch what you’re putting on your skin, and sticking to natural products is the best way to stay on the safe side.
Here are some of my favourites that totally cleared up my skin:
- Burt’s bees cleanser
- Ilia Base Face Milk
- Rosehip seed oil
- Yeouth anti aging vitamin C & E serum
- Coconut oil (I use this to take off my makeup)
- Aloe vera gel (helps get rid of scarring and red spots)
25. Have a consistent routine as much as possible when it comes to meals
I know it’s really hard when you’re in college and your crazy schedule is all over the place.
Meal prepping makes it a lot easier to keep your meal times both consistent and healthy!
26. Start tracking your spending
I know it sounds tedious, but it’s so rewarding to track your spending. It’s seriously such a huge game changer!
You can start this habit now by downloading our free budget planner and tracker here. I actually use this myself on a regular basis to keep my finances in check!
27. Floss daily
Guys, seriously. Flossing takes 2 minutes. Just make it a habit.
28. Make time, even 5 minutes per day, for your hobbies
This might mean reading for just a few minutes before bed, having a 5 minute dance party, doing a quick knitting session, or whatever it is you love to do. Even making five minutes per day for your favourite hobby is such an accomplishment in college!
29. Start making daily to-do lists
Daily to-do lists will change your LIFE in college.
Writing down the things you want to accomplish at the beginning of each day gives you so much more clarity on what your day is going to look like and really helps you stay productive.
30. Start using a calendar
If you still don’t use a calendar, you are seriously missing out on having such an organized and stress-free life.
Using your calendar, whether digital or paper, gives you the assurance that you’ll never miss a deadline or event.
Here’s how I use a digital calendar to stay on top of everything!
31. Organize your files and keep them organized
My life absolutely changed when I started organizing my files on my computer!
Organize your files by semester and by class. This will seriously make everything so much easier to find.
If you want an overview of how to do this, check out this post on how to take lecture notes where I break down how I organize my lecture notes on my laptop. This will give you an idea of how to start with your file organization.
32. Back up your laptop monthly
This is one of the easiest things to do, but also one of the easiest things to forget about.
Really, it’s best to back up your laptop every week. Even if most of your work is online, it’s still always a good idea to have an extra copy of everything in a hard drive. Better safe than sorry!!
33. Declutter your inbox every couple months
I am the absolute WORST at this, so it’s definitely on my New Years resolutions list this year. Decluttering your inbox will make you feel so much more at ease that you don’t have an overload of stuff coming to your email every day.
34. Get rid of 2 items per month.
Or, if you want to make it easy, just get rid of 24 items at the beginning of the year.
You can sell them if you want to make some extra money, or just drop them off at a second hand store. But it feels so good to declutter a little!
35. Take one day off social media per week
I know it sounds pretty drastic, but trust me, you’ll feel so good after taking a day off of social media per week.
You don’t have to get super intense with it and do exactly 24 hours or anything; even taking an afternoon off can really clear your mind and make you a little better at living in the present.
It is a real game changer and feels so good to take the day off your phone once a week. And it’s really not as hard as you might think. It’s important to kick the addiction every once in a while!
36. Declutter your closet
I know this is one of those kinda basic New Year resolutions list examples, but decluttering your closet at the beginning of the year is a great way to start the year fresh.
37. Update your wardrobe
And hey, if you declutter your closet, why not give yourself a little reward by updating your wardrobe?
Your style has probably changed since high school anyways, so update it and make yourself that much more stylish or professional!
38. Spend 5 minutes per day learning a new language
This one is so fun!
What language have you always wanted to learn, but you’ve never quite had the chance?
If you start now and just practice for 5 minutes per day when you wake up or go to sleep, you could know hundreds of words of a new language by the end of the year!
Just think: 2 words per day means you would know 730 words by 2023!
39. Whenever possible, buy from a small business instead
Who doesn’t love supporting a good small business?!
This is something that’s on my New Years resolutions list. I know it’s way easier to get stuff from big, mainstream stores, but I’m going to make more of a conscious effort in 2022 to find products I love at small businesses if I can.
If you’re shopping for something at a big store and you realize you might be able to get it at a small business, do that instead. They will seriously appreciate it so much and you will be contributing to something really good in the big picture.
40. Wear sunscreen on your face every day
Believe it or not, one of the most crucial things you can do for your skin to keep it looking young and vibrant is to wear sunscreen EVERY DAY, particularly if you’ll be spending lots of time outside!
41. Pack an emergency kit to keep in your car
If you don’t have an emergency kit in your car yet, now’s the time to get on it. This is something you can easily do at the beginning of 2022 to check it off your New Year’s resolutions list.
Here are some things you’ll want to consider having in your car:
- Jumper cables
- Waterproof blanket
- Flashlight
- Tealight Candles and matches
- First aid kit
- Non-perishable foods like energy bars and trail mix
- Cell phone charger
- Duct tape
- Snow brush
- Shovel
- Windshield washer fluid
42. Organize your phone’s home screen
I don’t know about you, but I feel so much better when my phone’s home screen is organized.
I like changing up my widgets every once in a while and make sure I’m deleting apps I no longer use.
This is a great way to declutter at the start of your new year.
43. Start keeping your phone across the room when you sleep
One of the best New Years resolutions list ideas is to keep your phone across the room when you sleep.
This will keep you from turning off your alarm in your sleep (guilty), but it will also keep you from reaching for your phone as soon as you wake up.
And even better, it’ll force you to get out of bed to go get your phone. This increases the chances that you’ll actually get up and at ‘em!
44. Start some super helpful Pinterest boards
I always turn to Pinterest for the best tips and advice on improvement for my life and creative inspiration.
So take some time to go through Pinterest and look for some good content that’s relevant and helpful to you as a student.
Of course, you can always follow all my boards for great college advice 😉
45. Implement no-spend days
The worst thing is thinking you have control of your money and then suddenly realizing you’ve spent SO much money.
Having a couple no-spend days every month where you choose not to spend money on anything you don’t need will really help you get to your savings goals faster. Had to add it to these New Years resolutions list ideas!
