5 Ways To Make Your 2022 Run Smoother

Are you tired of the New Year New You social media posts yet? I am and it's just because they don't work. Just like diets won't help you lose weight, if you don't change the way you live your life, all the self-help lists in the world won't help you get your life together.

TOO BUSY FOR ALL THAT NOISE
I don't have to tell you that there just aren't enough hours in the day to get everything you need to take care of taken care of. TikTok and Instagram influencers have these beautiful houses and perfect hair and makeup but you don't see the behind the scenes stuff that goes on to make their 2 minute videos look like everything is peaches and cream in their worlds. We need real tips and tricks to take care of our real lives. Here are a few things that I started doing a couple of years ago that have really made a difference in the way my life runs.

1. Make a daily list - Keep a daily list of things you want to accomplish. Notice I didn't say 'have to accomplish.' Not everything is going to get done and that's just the way it is. Put the date at the top of your list and whatever falls through the cracks, move it to the top of the list the next day.

2. Make a monthly list - There are some things that will take more time than you have in a regular day. If you want to paint the kitchen, don't try to knock it out in a weekend. On your monthly list put 'paint the inside of the glasses cabinet,' and do that. You're not Chip and Joanna Gaines and you don't have to meet a deadline. Get things done a little at a time and before you know it you will have spruced up your whole house.

3. Exercise - Ok, not like that. Don't try to carve out an hour and a half a day - it's not realistic and you'll give up. Start with 15 minutes of cardio or weightlifting. Find a free exercise site on Insta, there are a million of them. Do one body part a day and work up to 30 minutes, then to 45 minutes. Don't make yourself crazy. You didn't gain weight in a week, it's not going to go away in a week.

4. Make a menu - This changed my life completely. I used to go grocery shopping and come home to nothing to eat. If you have a menu, you can make a shopping list and only buy what you need. Stick to the menu for 4 days and either eat leftovers or grab something fast food the other 3 days. It's all about balance, not being a Food Network-worthy chef. Ain't nobody got time for that.

5. Put your phone down - I can get lost on social media for hours and then wonder why nothing has gotten done. Set a task for 30 minutes then reward yourself with 10 minutes of social media. Set an alarm and stick to it. It's tough but getting that reward at the end of a task makes you really feel like you accomplished something.

Happy 2022!