5 New Year’s Resolutions for a healthy 2021

One thing we’ve learnt from 2020 is that health shouldn’t be taken for granted. Quarantines, increased safety measures and the very pandemic itself have made us more aware of the importance of adopting healthy routines. If you’re setting yourself some New Year’s Resolutions, the team at UEX Global share some realistic health resolutions that can help keep both our physical and mental health in shape.

#1 Wake up… later?

One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to wake up earlier to exercise or work. But is that actually good for your body? We’re born with different circadian rhythms (cycles that are part of our internal clock) so we have different natural (optimal) sleeping and waking times.

It’s important to know yourself and your internal clock. Adjusting your activities according to it might be better for you than just aiming to sleep and wake early.

#2 Be intentional about disconnecting

Heard of doom-scrolling? Endless bad news seems to be rolling out everywhere on the media; yet we’re still glued to our phones. In the coming year, take time to consciously disconnect from the internet. Reconnect with your family and, more importantly, yourself. There are many great apps and websites that help you manage your social media consumption and phone use: 

• Flipd: Block yourself from using certain apps for a specified amount of time and do something else besides scrolling on your phone.
• Forest: Plant virtual trees and earn coins when you disconnect for your set amount of time. These coins can then be spent to help plant real trees around the world!
• WindowSwap: Take a fun peek out of windows from all around the globe to fulfil the void in your wanderlust heart.
• Mindful Browsing: This Google Chrome plug-in alerts you of mindless browsing and helps you reconnect with nature. It’s super easy to set up; just key in the websites you’d want to stop spending so much time on. When you try to access them, the plug-in will prompt you with other ways to use your time.

#3 Take care of your body …

It’s easy to neglect your physical needs when dealing with work and family. So paying attention to your body should be one of your top health resolutions. At the end of the day, what you’ll be left with after you retire is your body. You can only do the things that you’ve dreamed of if your body allows it, so you should listen to your body and regularly check that everything’s working fine. Do this by going for frequent health checks – read more about essential health screenings for men, women and children now.

#4 … and your mind!

Body and mind are inseparable – you need to care for both! According to a recent article by the BBC, mental health issues are rising and are likely here for a while. Due to the pandemic and the bleak economic situation, many are face mental health concerns, from stress, anxiety and frustration, to chronic loneliness and depression. While it’s normal to feel worried at times, it’s important to seek help if you need it. As one of your New Year’s resolutions, remember to give yourself space and breathe.

Prevention is always better than cure, so check out a few mental health apps (Headspace and Sanvello are two examples) that can help you identify and manage your emotions. There are also some great TED talks that look at different areas of mental health and offer simple ways to uplift yourself and others.

#5 Teach your kids to build healthy routines

Health resolutions are important not just for you but your children as well. Make it a point to help them better manage with the changes around us and develop healthier routines. Try one or more of the following:

• Encourage them to plan their day or week so that they have a better sense of purpose and a good structure to follow.
• Get them to set limits for their own screen time. It helps them become more aware of the time they spend online and their priorities. According to the WHO, reducing screen time has more benefits for young children than just giving the eyes a break.
• Build up your kids’ mental strength. For instance, set realistic expectations and teach them how to cope with their emotions. Most importantly, practise them yourself as a guide for your children.

Written in collaboration with:
UEX Global
hello@uexglobal.com | uexglobal.com

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Lindsay Yap

Living in Singapore all her life, Lindsay loves finding out what's on and fun around town. Besides binge-watching sitcoms and pigging out on her favourite hawker food, she enjoys exploring new places and is constantly adding to her travel wish list!