New year, new me! Or so the saying goes anyway. If you’re anything like me, you traditionally start out a New Year with aggressively ambitious resolutions in an effort to detox the indulgence of the holidays. I’ve lost count of how many years I’ve sworn I was finally going to go vegan. However, this year I’m approaching my resolutions with a more realistic mindset. On the heels of the 2021 holiday season where COVID yet again was running rampant, I’ve kicked off January 2022 feeling significantly less optimistic than I usually do this time of year – and based on what I’m hearing from friends and family, I’m not the only one. Heading into yet another year of a seemingly never-ending pandemic and seeing on the news seemingly never-ending headlines about the world continuing to burn, it’s only human to feel exhausted and burnt out. New year, same turmoil.
That being said, this year my resolutions are focused on protecting my mental health. Here’s what I’m aiming to commit to throughout 2022:
- No watching the news at night. Working in PR, staying up to speed on current events is part of my job. And as a human being in general, being informed is important. However, today’s news cycle is vicious and disheartening. Although I used to always be sure to watch the news each night (and as much as I love my giggly king Anderson Cooper), Washington being in gridlock for the 90th week in a row while the country suffers is not the thing I need to be focused on as I’m trying to wind down for the day. I’m committing to reading the news each morning and staying informed, but also designating self-care windows where I simply don’t engage. There’s no doubt our country’s senators will still be fighting on Twitter in the morning even if I don’t tune in each night.
- Make sleep a priority. If I’m tired, I’m skipping happy hour and birthday brunches. Social time with friends and family is important, but too often at the end of a long week when I’m exhausted, I force myself to meet up with friends to squeeze in some socialization. This year, I’m going to find a balance and listen to my body if it tells me I need hot tea and melatonin over a glass of wine.
- No screens in bed. I’ve started sleeping with my phone charging in another room and it’s already been a game changer. Having my phone be the first thing I look at each morning and the last thing I look at each night is unhealthy and unnecessary.
