A Simple Way to Change Your Year

The simplest things in life, like disconnecting from the world for a week, are important for more than just the obvious reasons. A week spent with the kids, gazing at the ocean, going on long runs—these are all ways I unplug from daily life. For me, when I take time off, it’s not merely about resetting; it’s an opportunity to lay the foundation for new habits. This week has been about further distancing myself from social media’s technological pull. Earlier this year, I limited social media to a tool only—no more endless scrolling or checking what the algorithm has in store for me.

It’s always fascinating at the end of the year when influential figures in business, health, and productivity share their advice for the year ahead. I find it amusing because, in reality, most of us are living out our own journeys. Advice to “plan your year” seems somewhat simplistic, considering that everyone faces unique challenges, opportunities, and perspectives.

That said, I’ve decided to keep things straightforward this year: I’ll focus on changing just one habit at a time. Why? Because when you address habits that negatively affect your life, your overall quality of life often improves naturally.

I believe that giving yourself time to replace a bad habit with a good one helps your mind adapt and start seeing things differently. This mental shift can reveal new opportunities because your perception becomes clearer. Once you’ve mastered one habit, if you’re still motivated, try tackling a second; for me, that’s my limit—no more than two habits at a time.

I believe it’s unrealistic to expect someone to wake up at 4:30 AM, train intensively, read, write, eat healthier, and do all these things when they’ve never tried any of these habits before. It’s a high bar. I’m not suggesting that there are people who manage this and even more; if that’s you, well done. But for most, focusing on one or two habits at a time is more practical, given the mental energy and commitment needed to make them part of daily life and turn them into automatic routines. For me, keeping it simple allows me to accomplish a lot. And that’s all you need—no calendars, complex goals, or any other methods. I’m not against those; feel free to use whatever works for you. But if nothing has worked so far, just pick one or two things you truly want to develop, focus on them, and then move on to the next. The funny thing is that, as simple as the idea sounds—spending 60 to 90 days at a time to break away from an unwanted habit and adopt a new one before moving on—it still seems too basic for most people. As a result, much of the media complicates things to get more clicks.

Give it a try and keep things simple; by year’s end, you’ll feel more accomplished than most. I promise.