As 2025 draws to a close, it’s a good time to get your resolutions in order for 2026. With the holidays in full force, it can be tough to take a step back and have perspective on the previous year. Once the family parties and gift giving season is over, it’s a good time to reflect on family routines and where you can look to improve wellness. While each family will have their own priorities, a good place to start would be to create a household budget, reduce screen time, be proactive with care, get better sleep, try healthier food options, and start moving around to get needed exercise.
Stick to a Household Budget
Financial review can be a tough pill to swallow, especially around the holidays when you’re dreading the credit card statement flooding your email inbox. When January spending slows, it’s a good time to look at every outgoing expense to look for extra incoming income by month-end. First look at every mandatory expense such as the mortgage, utilities, cars, insurance, and subscriptions, and then factor in estimates for gas, food, and spending.
Next, go line by line at all mandatory expenses and see if there is any room for improvement, such as lowering insurance costs or eliminating any unnecessary subscriptions. Finally, it may be eye opening but look at every discretionary spend and see if it was truly needed. This way you can see what you have left at the end of the month vs. what you could have. That could be the extra motivation needed to stick to a budget.
Reduce Screen Time
Let’s face it, we spend more time on computers and phones as part of our jobs and connections with family and friends so it can tough to make the blanket statement of ‘reduce screen time’. The real test will be to reflect on just how much you spend after work and school is where the cuts can be looked at. Are you on screens during dinner, during family TV time, or while you’re lying in bed?
This could be a great opportunity to unplug and spend time quality time with loved ones. Try bringing back family game night, whether it’s card, board, or big screen video games. This can create friendly competition, not to mention laughing and conversation with the extra time.
Get Better Sleep
Speaking of screen time, do you find yourself spending a large chunk of time on your screen while you wind down at night? That could be a factor in the quality of sleep you’re currently getting each night. While a full eight hours may seem out of reach based on busy schedules, even 6 to 7 hours of solid uninterrupted sleep could make all the difference.
First try improving your sleep sanctuary. This can include cleaning your room, redecorating for a more zen paradise, and even upgrading sheets and pillows. While this may be an expensive upgrade, determine the age and comfort of your mattress and see if it’s time to make a new purchase. Budgeting is important, but you may need to create extra room for a purchase on something you spend a third of your day: your mattress.
Be Proactive with Self-Care
With the primary focus on work, getting the kids to soccer practice, and keeping the house organized, it’s probably safe to say that self-care has room for improvement. Avoid waiting until the winter blues come in full force by staying proactive with taking care of yourself. Whether it’s booking wanted cosmetic treatments, scheduling needed doctor visits, or taking advantage of long overdue spa services, now is the time stay in a solid mental headspace by feeling better physically.
While treatments can be expensive, it doesn’t mean this has to hinder the family budget you’re working so hard to stay on track. The good news is that there are alternatives to using credit cards for wellness that can avoid a strain on family finances. By utilizing financing, you can avoid putting off treatments, take care of now, and the large bill can be split up into smaller installments to repay over time. Now you won’t have to have a guilty feeling when you put yourself first for a change.
Try Healthier Food Options
Certainly the holidays are not the time when dieting is possible with all the family dinners and large quantities of food, but once things go back to normal, it’s time to get back to healthy eating. Fast food and carryout are easy on the family, but this is a huge added cost, not to mention where the extra loosening of the belt buckle come into play. By utilizing meal prepping you can ensure you know exactly what you’re putting in your body, and it avoids the question of “what’s for dinner” and resisting temptation for eating out.
Sundays are a great day of the week to figure out a schedule of what is for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day of the week as you get the grocery list together. From there you can start to pre-make meals days in advance, or even the night before. You can even combine multiple recipes with the same protein to really take advance of eating what’s in the house without the need to buy more until you’re truly ready.
Start Moving Around
Gym memberships will be on the rise to start the new year as a majority are looking to get in shape for the new year. That’s good in theory, but what about when the gym visits start to become less and you’re stuck with another subscription to pay for that you’re not using. Look for easy way to start moving around to get out of the winter blues.
Whether you’re in the office or work from home, taking time from your day to walk around and use the stairs will make for extra steps. Doing basic push-ups and sit-ups can help to build muscle and even bringing in light weights for added mass. Finally, as the weather starts to improve look to take advantage of the temperature increase by taking walks or light jogging outside.