January is named after the Roman god Janus who is often depicted as having two faces – one looking backwards into the past and the other looking forward to the future. This combination of reflection and renewal makes the first month in our calendar year a good time for transitioning to new habits.
Life coaches will tell you that setting yourself too many new targets at the same time (particularly during these dark months) can result in failure. So, give yourself a little slack and focus on easy gains first – before embarking on demanding new schedules that you won’t be able to stick with. Then, congratulate yourself when you do make changes and enjoy the rewards that they bring.
1. Walk more. Walking is a simple, low-impact way to fit in more exercise during the day and it’s free. If you work at a desk, take a break from it and walk for 20 minutes during your lunch hour. Walk to get public transport to work or walk early in the morning and/or in the evenings. A 2022 UK study found that increasing your steps (up to 10,000 per day) is associated with decreased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and premature death.
2. Meditate, do yoga, t’ai chi or perhaps pray. Spending time in quiet reflection is a centuries-old way to calm the body, mind and emotions. Combining breath work with slow t’ai chi movements or yoga postures integrates mind, body and spirit and regular practice can enhance focus and creativity.
3. Wear comfortable clothes and footwear and choose natural fabrics where possible. A panel discussion at the 2024 Future Fabrics Expo in London highlighted the potential health risks associated with synthetic clothing including breathing in microfibres. Comfortable clothing – particularly well-fitting, clean cotton underwear and socks, prevent skin irritations and excessive sweating.
4. Join the movement of cold therapy advocates, whether through sea or lake swimming, ice baths and/or cold showers. Niall O’Murchu, a cold therapy trainer, argues that cold water has been proven to boost immunity and reduce pain and inflammation. Cold water also releases endorphins, the brain hormones that elevate mood. However, anyone with a family history of cardiac disease should consult their GP before taking up cold-water swimming.
5. Start or maintain a fitness routine that includes weight training for strength, pilates or yoga for flexibility and balance, and hiking/running/cycling for cardiovascular fitness. While gym bunnies will include all of the above in their fitness regimes, there are plenty of YouTube instructors whose classes you can join for free from home.
6. Sleep for seven hours each night. Sleep experts, such as American neurologist Dr Chris Winter, say good sleep hygiene is crucial to getting a good night’s sleep. This means sleeping in a warm bed in a cool, dark room with no gadgets. He also recommends that insomniacs get up at the same time every day and work backwards to find the appropriate bedtime. Spending time outdoors during the day also helps, as does eating your evening meal three hours before bedtime and avoiding caffeine, alcohol and nicotine altogether – or at least in the evenings.
[ How to get a good night’s sleep at any age - from babies to later lifeOpens in new window ]
7. Curtail your social media use. Some people like to set maximum screen-time limits on their phones; others leave their phones out of reach when focusing on specific tasks. Whichever approach you take, you won’t regret the decision and may even find you have an extra hour or two in your day.
8. De-clutter your house and/or office space and prioritise having clean, well-ventilated rooms. You may be surprised to hear that the majority of our exposure to air pollution happens indoors where we also spend most of our time. The biggest pollutants indoors in Irish homes continue to be from fossil fuel cookers, stoves and open fires. Volatile organic compounds from building materials, paintwork and furnishing are also an issue.
9. Be alert to any changes in your eyesight and hearing. As well as checking on vision, eye examinations can detect systemic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders and tumours. Symptoms such as doubling of vision may require medical intervention. While temporary hearing loss can be due to a build-up of wax, significant hearing loss requires expert analysis as, left untreated, it can lead to confusion and even cognitive decline.
10. Team sports are not just for children, so if you enjoyed football, hockey, hurling or tennis as a younger person, consider joining a club to get back into your stride. The social dimension of sports clubs is often as beneficial as the physical one.
11. Join a book club. While most book clubs are gatherings of friends who opt to read the same book each month, there have been other interesting national initiatives including The Art of Reading Book Club, hosted by Colm Tóibín, Laureate for Irish Fiction, in libraries across Ireland in 2024 and now available on podcast.
12. Return to a hobby you used to enjoy or start a new one. The further education colleges throughout Ireland are good places to start looking for evening classes in everything from pottery to sewing to carpentry or painting.
13. Learn a new language or refresh your knowledge of a language you used to speak. The skills of remembering vocabulary, understanding grammar and communicating in another language improve the cognitive functions of attention, memory and reasoning in our brains. Conversing in another language when on holidays is also delightful.
14. Be a good friend. It’s self evident that being close to other human beings is one of the best ways to prevent loneliness while also increasing one’s sense of belonging and purpose. Good friends support each other in tough times while also enjoying the good times together.
15. Stay connected with your family. While this can be easier said than done if there are hurtful experiences from the past, nurturing loving relationships with partners, siblings, parents and wider family members is important in normal circumstances. Never go to bed without resolving an argument or at least agreeing to disagree.
16. Try to keep a good work-life balance. A poor work-life balance can lead to more sick days, higher levels of absenteeism and diminished productivity. Managers who proactively support the work-life balance needs of employees should reap the rewards by having a more motivated workforce. Ireland’s Work Life Balance Act 2023 includes the right to request flexible and/or remote working.
17. Eat a healthy diet with good-quality protein and sufficient levels of fibre, vitamins and minerals. The 2024 Healthy Ireland survey found that only 28 per cent of the population eats the recommended five or more portions of fruit and vegetables daily, so we have a way to go on this. Cooking meals from scratch with fresh ingredients is one good way to achieve a healthy balanced diet.
18. Shop less – or only go shopping when you need something. Over consumption of fast fashion, electronic devises and even food leads to higher levels of pollution of air, water and soil which increase harmful emissions, ultimately contributing to more extreme weather events and the spread of infectious diseases.
[ Why our addiction to cheap, disposable clothing is an environmental disasterOpens in new window ]
19. Plan a trip away – taking time to ask friends for advice and consider all options, including slow travel – when your holiday begins is when you leave the house, not when the plane touches down at your destination. Check out slowtraveleurope.eu to get you started.
20. Make a pact with yourself to keep track of your financial outlays and balance the family budget in 2025. Financial stress can take a huge, often hidden, toll on people’s lives so checking out the best deals for phone/broadband and utilities can result in substantial savings. Also, keep simple rules such as never doing the weekly food shop when you are hungry and sticking to your list of essential items as best you can. See stopfoodwaste.ie for planning meals and portion sizes to avoid waste.
21. Owners of dogs and cats often take for granted the happiness and companionship their pets bring them, but studies have also found that dogs in particular reduce stress, anxiety and depression while easing loneliness and encouraging their owners to take more physical exercise. Pet owners also typically have lower resting blood pressure than people who don’t own pets, according to a study from UC Davis in California. If you can’t or don’t own a pet, even being around the pet of a family member or friend can benefit your mental wellbeing.
22. Spend time in natural spaces. When restricted to our local areas during the Covid pandemic, many people discovered or rediscovered walking, cycling and hiking routes close to home. Spending time outdoors in daylight hours – particularly during the shorter winter days – increases your intake of Vitamin D (essential for calcium absorption for bones and teeth), strengthens your immunity, encourages mental clarity and helps regulate your sleep/wake cycles. And remember, when spending extended periods of time outdoors, use moisturiser and/or sunscreen to protect your skin from sun and windy conditions.
23. Declutter your online space – deleting apps you don’t use and keeping your inbox under control prevents unnecessary distractions and helps you find what you’re looking for more easily. Cleaning up your digital footprint by deleting photos/videos/podcasts also reduces the carbon emissions required for storage and reduces unnecessary cloud backup costs.
24. Don’t ignore potential signs of illness such as lumps, breathlessness or persistent coughs. The 2024 Healthy Ireland survey found that four out-in-five people visited their GP in the last 12 months. Remember to raise issues about various concerns at the same appointment as your GP is your first port of call to alleviate unwarranted worry or to refer you for specialist diagnosis if necessary. Your GP is also the place to go to keep a check on your blood pressure and cholesterol levels – particularly if you have a family history of strokes and heart disease.
25. Quit smoking if you smoke. Don’t partake in recreational drug use and drink alcohol in moderation. The aforementioned Healthy Ireland survey pointed to a rise in binge drinking (six or more drinks on one occasion) to 28 per cent of the population in 2024, so if you are part of this group, 2025 is the year to reconsider your drinking habits.
The HSE offers free support to those quitting smoking on quit.hse.ie The HSE Drugs and Alcohol helpline also provides confidential support, information and referral to services on Freephone 1800 459459 from Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5.30pm or helpline@hse.ie See also askaboutalcohol.ie and drugs.ie
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