The dawn of a new year brings visions of an idealised version of yourself. Fresh-faced, we eagerly pile our to-do lists with things we’ve been putting off and ambitions to aim for. But the energy that comes after a few days off quickly disappears as we settle back into the daily grind of school runs and inbox maintenance.
So instead of adding to your to-do list, why not resolve to take something off it?
Daily tasks
1. Professional organiser Susan C Pinsky says you don’t need to fold every piece of clothing. A drawer of jumbled underwear, but only underwear, is organised enough. For extra credit, if you reduce your socks to two styles and have multiple pairs of each, you will never need to sort, match or roll your socks again.
2. Stop sending so many emails, says Moyra Scott, a productivity and wellbeing expert. The more you send, the more you get back, so only reply if you need to.
3. Another reason to stay out of your inbox? Organisational psychologist Dr Amantha Imber says this kind of “shallow work”, which also includes messaging over Slack or Teams, wastes energy that could be put towards bigger tasks.
4. Skip that multivitamin. People should stop wasting their money on health supplements, says Dr Jason Yu, a Sydney-based GP. They often have very minimal scientific evidence to support their claims, and a pill can’t correct unhealthy lifestyle choices.
5. You don’t need a complicated outfit to look stylish, says Zara Wong, a fashion editor and consultant. The easiest way to look put together is to wear the same colour head to toe. It’s not only striking, but a paint-by-numbers way of getting dressed.
6. Forgo moisturiser and just wear sunscreen, says Prof Deshan Sebaratnam, a dermatologist at the Skin Hospital. Sebaratnam says most people don’t need to routinely wear moisturiser unless they have skin conditions like eczema. Plus, most sunscreens have moisturising properties.
7. Similarly, you only need to use one or two well-formulated products with a few active ingredients to tackle specific skin concerns, says Michelle Wong, a science communicator with a PhD in medicinal chemistry.
8. Put your phone down and stop looking at your investments, says superannuation specialist Marco Mellado. Prices move constantly, with no clear rhyme or reason. If you have a solid long-term plan, daily fluctuations don’t matter.
9. People use too much of every spice when cooking south Asian meals. Using fewer spices in the right quantities can bring out deeper flavours, says Nipun Liyanapathirana, culinary creator.
10. Take the shame out of your dinner. There’s so much pressure on home cooks to make something special every night, says Bundjalung restaurateur Mindy Woods. But many food cultures don’t cook for applause. They cook to nourish, sustain and carry people through the day. If that means repeating a meal, remind yourself that feeding you and your family well is already a worthy feat.
11. If your room is always a mess, stop setting yourself up for failure by promising you’ll start putting your clothes away at the end of each day, says Guardian reporter and author of The ADHD Brain Buddy Matilda Boseley. Instead, designate a “clothes chair” in your room or put a “clean clothes” basket next to your washing basket. Give yourself permission to be messy – just give that mess a home.
Getting through the week
12. Many parents try to smooth every bump, rushing in to fix and protect, says Alice Peel, a primary school teacher and co-founder of mental health social venture Grow Your Mind. But letting your child solve their own problems gives them an opportunity to grow.
13. Let your garden take care of itself, too. Stop spraying pesticides and insecticides unnecessarily, says nursery manager Thea Kerr. They interfere with the garden’s ecosystem and aphid populations can be controlled naturally by predators.
14. Embrace gentle movement when recovering from an intense workout. Although it’s tempting to push through when you’re sore, it often delays recovery, says associate professor Bruno Saragiotto, head of physiotherapy at the University of Technology, Sydney.
15. Exercise doesn’t need to involve overly complicated moves either, says Dr Kim Way, an exercise physiologist at Deakin University. Stick to simple exercises that you enjoy and feel confident doing.
16. And if cool-downs are a drag, you can skip them, says Shona Vertue, a personal trainer and yoga instructor. Contrary to popular belief, research indicates that active cool-downs don’t significantly reduce muscle soreness, prevent injuries, or improve recovery in a meaningful way after weight training. But if you enjoy winding down after a workout, by all means keep doing it.
17. Do you end the week with aching feet? Charbel Dagher, a podiatrist from Clear Step Podiatry, says your shoes probably aren’t the problem, or the solution. Many people over-rely on cushioned shoes or insoles for a quick fix. Addressing the underlying causes of foot pain will do more in the long term.
18. Streamline your grocery shop. Delicious dishes don’t need lots of ingredients and according to Jo Barrett, chef at Discovered Foods, we buy too many. Look for recipes that only require a handful of ingredients and a method you feel confident following – these often end up being the most memorable meals.
19. Stop wasting money on probiotics bought off the shelves. Instead, grow your own gut flora by eating a diet that is rich in low-processed, plant-based ingredients, says Prof Emad El-Omar, a gastroenterologist and director of the University of New South Wales Microbiome Research Centre.
20. Don’t overload your laundry with commercial stain removers. Not every product works for every stain. Shannon Lush, know as the queen of clean, suggests working out the cause of a spot before tackling it, lest you accidentally set it. You probably have everything you need to get rid of it at home already. Bicarb soda and water brightens whites, while white vinegar lifts greasy stains.
21. Everything loses its appeal once it lands on a to-do list. Stop scheduling sex like it’s a chore, says Georgia Grace, sex and relationship practitioner. It adds pressure to the moment and can make it feel performative rather than pleasurable. Instead, schedule intentional time to connect physically, emotionally, or erotically without the expectation that it must lead to sex.
Enjoying yourself
22. Forget the fancy gadgets and complicated brew methods, says Jibbi Little, a coffee professional. You only need one thing for a good cup of joe: high quality beans.
23. You don’t have to grit your teeth trying to finish art you hate, says Guardian Australia culture editor Steph Harmon. If you don’t like the first 20 pages of a book, stop reading it. If you’re bored by a film or TV show, switch it off. Leaving a terrible play at intermission is exhilarating. There’s more brilliant culture out there than anyone could possibly see in one lifetime, so cut your losses and find something better.
24. Don’t worry about staying for a whole party, says Jenny Valentish, journalist and reformed sociophobe. Recognise that you have a window of tolerance, spend quality time with the host, then leave once the party gets going if you’re not feeling up to it. It’s better to be around for a good time rather than a long time.
25. Stop comparing your sex life to others. Do what works for you and the people you are in a relationship with, says clinical sexologist Naomi Hutchings.
26. And during the act itself, let go of what your sexual partners might think of you or your body and focus on how your body feels. This will help keep you present and increase your pleasure, says Kassandra Mourikis, sexologist and relationship therapist.
27. For overseas visitors, friends with kids or big group hangs, organising a time to meet can be excruciating. Replace the never-ending back and forth texts with a when2meet link, says Isabella Lee, production assistant at Guardian Australia. This handy site lets people pick the days and times that work for them, then suggests the best dates based on everyone’s availabilities.
28. Don’t try to see everything when you go on holiday. It adds pressure you don’t need, says Intrepid Travel’s managing director ANZ, Brett Mitchell. Instead of racing between highlights, go to fewer, less-visited places. Doing less doesn’t mean missing out – it’s often how you experience more.
29. Give yourself a day of grace when returning from a trip, says Alyx Gorman, lifestyle editor at Guardian Australia. Going to work the day after you land just loads your future self with extra chores. If you plan a day at home to sleep, unpack, get groceries and settle in, your holiday will still feel like a holiday when it’s over.
30. Take the goon bag off the hills hoist and prepare your finest glassware. Sommelier Samantha Payne says you don’t need to spend big to drink well. Quality cask wine has come leaps and bounds in recent years, and keeping some in the fridge means you can have a glass of wine without opening a whole bottle.
31. Coco Chanel is often credited with the adage that before you leave the house, you should take one thing off. The same idea applies to arranging your home, says interior designer Emma Blomfield. Many people over-accessorise flat surfaces and wind up with a space that looks messy and overdone. Stick to having just three to four pieces on display and you’ll have less to dust too.
32. Kids don’t need elaborate birthday parties or gifts. For many toddlers and primary-school aged children, a park play and cake will do just fine, says Guardian deputy lifestyle editor Yvonne C Lam. If you do put on a do, try a “fiver” party – in lieu of gifts, ask guests to pop $5 in an envelope, which can go towards one item your child wants.
33. If you’re trying to grow your social circle, you don’t need to worry about making a best friend, says Michelle Lim, associate professor of public health at the University of Sydney. Small moments of connection, like saying hello to someone at the bus stop, can do a lot to alleviate loneliness.
34. Don’t worry about dressing for your age, your body, or for how other people might view you, says fashion sustainability adviser Camille Reed. Just wear what makes you happy. She says: “Wear the bright colours. Show the arms. Dress to impress you!”
When things go wrong
35. Don’t feed your pet before a trip to the vet. Going to the doctor is already a stressful experience, says Anne Quain, a senior lecturer at the Sydney school of veterinary science at University of Sydney, so don’t add the complication of a big meal prior. Eating makes your animal more likely to get sick in the car and, if they arrive on an empty stomach, they’ll be more receptive to treats.
36. If you find yourself out of work, don’t take a “spraying and praying” approach by applying for every job you see, says Ellen Hooper, a career coach. Instead, Hooper recommends spending time contacting former colleagues and using existing networks to search for job opportunities.
37. If you’ve got deep-seated anxieties about money, influencer tips and get rich quick schemes won’t help you, says Zee Heart, co-founder of MoneyGirl. Don’t fall for them – unfollow.
38. If you’re in a tough spot, stop dieting, says KC Davis, self-care advocate and author of Who Deserves Your Love. Your brain runs on glucose, so a crisis is not the time to skip the carbs, fat or protein. Focus on getting enough calories into your body, not on whether your meals are nutritionally perfect.
39. Embrace a bit of healthy conflict, says Marryam Chehelnabi, clinical psychotherapist. Avoiding a fight backs us into a corner and restricts us from fostering happiness and connection, so instead of tying yourself in knots trying to keep the peace, air your grievances when they come up.
40. You don’t need to fill awkward silences to ease someone’s grief, says Sally Douglas and Imogen Carn, creators of the Good Mourning podcast. Instead of offering solutions or platitudes, the most powerful support can be simply sitting beside someone, listening without judgment and allowing space for their grief to exist.
Planning for the future
41. If you’re planning a renovation, don’t overlook orientation, says Anthony Burke, host of ABC’s Grand Designs Australia and architecture professor at University of Technology, Sydney. Maximising the advantages of the sun for natural heating and cooling means you can hopefully forgo air conditioning and additional insulation costs.
42. Don’t design your home for the next buyer. Too many houses feel like copies of each other: on-trend, forgettable and designed with resale in mind, says interior designer David Flack. Your home isn’t a showroom, it’s where life happens; design for yourself.
43. Don’t obsess over self-optimisation and biohacking. It feels like taking control, but it’s often just repackaging anxiety and control as data points, says clinical psychologist Zac Seidler. Sometimes good enough really is good enough – your body isn’t an algorithm to hack.
44. We all have that one item we can’t get rid of for sentimental reasons, but when you’re decluttering, you don’t have to hold on to things out of obligation. If you no longer want or use something, professional organiser Catherine Carney says it’s OK to appreciate the thought and let the item go without feeling guilty.
45. Stop planning your career to the exact detail, says Lois Keay-Smith, a career counselling practitioner. The modern career is all about adaptability, information and making connections.
46. There are plenty of metrics that go along with parenting, but many are best ignored, says Dr Fiona Longmuir, senior lecturer in educational leadership at Monash university. Stop focusing on data outputs as measures of success for children and instead think about developing them as young humans, as opposed to A+ students.
When you need a reality check
47. Stop holding your partner responsible for your own “stuff” says Dr Orna Guralnik, clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst. Our emotions are our responsibility.
48. Don’t live to post. When every move we make can end up at the mercy of the internet, it’s tempting to play it safe, say Maggie Kelly and Tully Smyth, co-hosts of the Self Help(ed) podcast. But we should worry less about our online “social contracts”. Your digital footprint doesn’t define you.
49. Parents spend too much energy trying to shape their children’s behaviour, says Lael Stone, a parenting educator. Children learn most from watching who we are, not what we say.
50. Let go of ageist beliefs, says Dr Catherine Barrett, founder of Celebrate Ageing. When you see the value in older people, it transforms your experience of interacting and working with them.
51. Don’t worry about what others around you are doing. If you want to live a life guided by Stoic philosophy, understand that what other people do or say is out of your control, says author and journalist Brigid Delaney. All you need to worry about is how you are acting and responding.
52. If all else fails, just stop saying yes, says Helena Nguyen, a professor in work and organisational studies at the University of Sydney. People-pleasers be warned: each yes is a little withdrawal from your energy account and you can’t show up well for others if you’re emotionally overdrawn.