Is your life in balance? The new year is a great time to take stock of your routine and make improvements where necessary.

Here are some thoughtful habits to consider incorporating into your day in the coming year.

Find Time to Decompress

  • If you’re a morning person, get out of bed 30 minutes earlier than normal to wake up with your favorite coffee or tea and think about what you need to accomplish for the day.
  • More of a night owl? Spend at least 30 minutes before going to sleep to unplug from technology and relax with a new book you’ve had on your list to read.
  • Schedule time for exercise to reduce stress and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Planning workouts ahead of time will make you more likely to stick to them.

Write Everything Down

  • Handwritten notes and to-do lists will reinforce your memory of the tasks you need to conquer. They also give you the option to look at what you need to do for the day and prioritize the list. Consider a personal planner, such as those from the popular AT-A-GLANCE collection, which includes a variety of styles that reflect your personality and organizational needs.
  • Documenting your day not only keeps you organized, but also provides you with an opportunity to look back and reflect on your life’s accomplishments, memories and milestones from the year.

Balanced Diet, Balanced Life

  • Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet will help you feel great, and can increase your focus, energy levels and productivity.
  • Plan out your meals ahead of time before going shopping by marking them in a calendar. This will give you more time during the week to cook and prepare meals, without having to make frequent trips to the store or feel tempted to grab take-out. You’ll be more likely to stick with the habit if you love the calendar you use, so consider something easy on the eyes, such as an AT-A-GLANCE fashion planner.
  • Cooking your own fresh meals can help keep your bank account balanced, and is often much healthier than food from a restaurant. And spending time in the kitchen is also a stress reliever for some people.

Make a fresh start — the beginning of a new year is the perfect time to make positive changes to how you schedule and organize your time.