The author, John Marek, is a writer and executive director of the Anson Economic Development Partnership.
When we hear the word “resolutions,” most of us think immediately of New Year’s. While there is some logic to starting a new year with a fresh set of goals, the practical truth is January is not an ideal time for life changes. There is the post-holiday letdown, we’ve probably put on a few holiday pounds, and our bank accounts are likely suffering from Christmas-induced indulgences. I would suggest that right now, the week after we “fall back,” is a much better starting point for a new approach.
There’s a built-in bonus to this week for those of us who struggle with early mornings. Over the past six months, our bodies have adapted to getting up at a particular time, say 7 o’clock. So, when we set our clocks back an hour, our bodies now want to get up at 6 o’clock, and it typically takes a week or so to “reprogram” them. But what if we didn’t? What if, instead, we got up at 6 and used that extra hour in the morning to develop a new habit: meditation, prayer, making a real breakfast or just sitting peacefully with a cup of coffee and enjoying the sunrise? Not willing to go to that extreme? Split the difference and get up at 6:30. You still get an extra 30 minutes of sleep while gaining spare time to develop that new habit.
As new habits go, I am working on visioning. Visioning is a bit like journaling, except rather than chronicling your activities at the end of the day, you begin the day by envisioning what a good or successful day would look like and writing a narrative of that. It can be general or highly specific but should be more than just a to-do list. You can even incorporate things like “be thankful” or “treat people kindly.” At the end of the day, re-read your narrative and see how close you came to achieving it. Celebrate your successes and incorporate any deficiencies into the next day’s vision.
Setting our clocks back an hour stresses us in ways we often don’t fully appreciate. Those who work a typical “first shift” lose the evening sunlight. While the days have been getting shorter anyway, we suddenly go from perhaps an hour of light after we get home from work to driving home in near darkness. As a result, we are no longer raking, mowing or taking evening strolls, and we become more sedentary. When combined with holiday stress and the excesses of holiday eating, the weeks between now and New Year’s can be a landmine for our health and well-being.
Don’t wait until Jan. 2 to get that gym membership or take better advantage of an existing membership. Carve out an hour three or four times each week to put on shorts and a T-shirt, insert the earbuds and hit the elliptical, treadmill or stationary bike; then work in some curls, presses and crunches.
In addition to the obvious physical benefits, there is a social aspect to the gym that helps lift our spirits. I’m not suggesting you try to make new friends or “whatever” during your workout, but simply being out among people who share similar goals can be inspiring and uplifting.
And while you are working out, use that time to learn something new or delve deeper into a favorite topic or hobby. Thousands of free podcasts provide bite-sized (20-30 minute) episodes on everything from cooking to fly fishing to archaeology.
Whether you are a fan of the twice-yearly time changes or not, at least the “fall back” change provides an opportunity for positive life changes.