Resolutions, Renovations, and Renewals–How Busy Parents Can Keep Up with the New Year

The New Year represents a chance to enjoy a fresh start on tackling issues that you’ve struggled with in the past. Whether you want to lose weight, keep your house in better shape, or increase your savings account, you can make it possible to hit your goals by creating resolutions that are tailored to fit your lifestyle. As a busy parent, keeping up with it all can get hard, and these tips will have you sailing through the new year with the tools you need to feel a sense of accomplishment each month.

Create an Action Plan

New Year’s resolutions are great, but they are bound to fail if you do not have a plan to make them happen. For instance, you cannot expect to lose weight unless you create a realistic diet and exercise plan. Take a look at each one of your resolutions, and jot down ideas about how you will make each one happen.

Lean on Technology

You may also be resolving to avoid being late to appointments or to pay your bills on time. These types of resolutions are easier to keep when you use technology to automate tasks such as bill paying. You can also use a large format family calendar for a visual reminder or calendar apps to send yourself reminders to hit your goals.

Schedule Repairs That Help You Save Money

Many people resolve to save more money in the New Year. Yet, you might be literally flushing money down the drain. Many minor household maintenance problems can turn into major expenses. For instance, a running toilet or dripping sink can cost you hundreds of extra dollars in water bills over the year. Take a moment to schedule any necessary plumbing services now. You’ll enjoy using your kitchen and bathroom more while also loving the fact that you can save money over the next 12 months.

Resolve to Act Quickly

As a general rule, you should never put off something that you can do within a few minutes. For instance, you can immediately change a lightbulb that has gone out or help your child pick up the pieces of a game that they are playing. Doing things right away helps you to avoid having your house fall into shambles or forgetting that something needs to be done until the last minute. This one resolution can help you resolve a wide range of issues that arise with parenting and homeownership.

If you felt like this past year flew by so fast that you couldn’t keep up with everything, then this year gives you a chance to make a few changes. Keeping up with it all does not have to be hard when you know how to make actionable resolutions that are easy to keep. Now that you know which projects and goals you want to tackle, start taking action so that you can enjoy looking back at all that you accomplished by the time this New Year ends.

Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan