The New Year is upon us. Are you ready for it or have you already broken your personal resolutions from a week ago? If you have, there is no need to fret. Rua is here to help keep you on track. Here are our Life Solutions New Year “Winter” Checklist tips:
1. WINTER CHORES
a. During the winter months, we have chores that we do not have in the summer. Create a schedule so that everyone is clear who is assigned the following:
- Clean the fireplace
- Shovel the snow
- Clean the gutters
b. Arrange your sandbags early to avoid flooding.
c. Conduct an assessment of your roof and ceiling. The last thing any of us want to deal with is a leaking roof in the middle of a winter storm.
d. Have a mechanic service your car to ensure your tires and windshield wipers will make it through the winter season.
e. Start organizing your taxes. They are due in the spring but the bulk of the organizing occurs during the winter months.
- PLEASE NOTE: Rua is dedicating our next Life Solutions article to helping you prepare for your annual taxes. Look for our Tax Season PreparationTips at the end of January.
2. HEALTHCHECK
a. Check your schedule to confirm if you have your regular health appointments scheduled. There is nothing like a New Year to get you on track with your medical, dental, and specialist appointments. If you are someone who hasn’t gotten their flu shot and would like to get one, it is not too late. Your local pharmacy may still have flu shots available.
b. How’s your workout coming along? There’s no point in feeling bad or putting pressure on yourself to workout. If you love it, keep at it. If you don’t have a true passion for it but know you need to do it, try to find something you really love. Consider things from your childhood that you enjoyed such as jumping rope, hula hooping, dancing, skating, bike riding, basketball, tennis, and many more. All you need is just a few minutes of activity to keep your heart healthy. As always, be sure to check in with your healthcare professional before starting a new workout.
3. STOCK UP ON COZY FOOD
a. Pull out your crockpot for magical one-pot meals. You’d be surprised the things you can whip up in your crockpot: hearty soups, stews, & chowders; pork loin; vegetarian chili; lasagna; beef pot roast & vegetables; paella; chicken & dumplings; etc. When looking for liquids to add to your crockpot, if you want more than just water, consider a low sodium broth. It is often recommended that you add seasonings to your taste versus buying something already loaded with sodium.
b. Make use of your kettle for coffee, tea, cider, and hot chocolate. Yum! Pay attention to your caffeine intake so that you are not up all night from drinking coffee and tea.
4. BUNDLE UP
a. Freshen up your blankets and place them on your beds under your comforters. It gets cold especially overnight in the winter months. If you cozy up with blankets rather than consistently turning up the heat, you will save money on your gas and electric bills.
b. If you are in need of extra warmth, wear your thermal pajamas to bed. You can find them reasonably priced at your local department store.
c. Pull out your boots, winter coats, hats, ear muffs, gloves / mittens, and scarves.
5. PLAN A WINTER HOLIDAY VACATION
a. Checklists can include fun tasks too. Taking a holiday vacation is not only reserved for the summer months. If you are able, plan a nice winter getaway. It could be as simple as a weekend to the snow or a two week trek overseas. Or maybe it’s a “staycation” to take in some ice skating at your local rink and dine at your favorite local restaurant.
All of these tips will hopefully help to bring you continued happiness, peace of mind, and fulfillment in the New Year. And remember that Rua can help you with most of these tasks. Please visit our website at https://ruabusiness.com/ for more details, call us at 415.967.0499, or email us at info@ruabusiness.com. You may also “like” our Facebook page, follow us on both LinkedIn and Twitter, and download our Rua Business App from the iTunes Store.