Everyone has a to-do list and everyone’s to-do list is different, however, there are a few things that every single one of us should be doing at least once a year.
Spend A Day Doing Absolutely Nothing
Take some time for yourself and gift yourself a day where you’ve got absolutely nothing on your to-do list. Treat yourself to a lazy morning in bed in the name of self-care. Make yourself your favourite foods. Read your favourite book, watch your favourite movie. Sit with your own thoughts and feelings - take stock of your own mental state, dedicate a day to you.
Do A Major Clean Out
Make Marie Kondo proud and commit to a major spring cleaning at least once a year. Decluttering your space has majorly beneficial knock-on benefits to your mental and physical health. Gather all your belongings in one space and commit to throwing away things that are in dire need of repair, aren’t getting enough use or that simply don’t spark joy. After you’ve sorted the trash from the treasure, call up 1300 Rubbish to deal with your household waste.
Be A Tourist In Your Own City
Sometimes the thing you’ve been looking for has been right in front of you the whole time. We’re all craving a holiday in 2020 but this is actually the perfect opportunity to explore your own city. Visit an art gallery, check out your local monuments, go to a farmers market, visit a national park, take a class - explore your own backyard. We guarantee you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you find.
Read A Book
As Umberto Eco once said ‘“The person who doesn’t read lives only one life. The reader lives 5,000. Reading is immortality backwards.’ So, read a book. You should be reading more than once a year but even if you’re not a big reader you should commit yourself to reading least one book a year. Read a classic, read non-fiction, re-read something you studied in school. Just read.
Learn A New Skill
Our lives begin to end the day we decide we’ve got nothing left to learn. Remaining curious and eager to learn is the key to staying engaged and mentally active. So commit to educating yourself on a topic or learning a new skill. It’s easier than ever before to learn a new skill online - check out Upskilled and enrol yourself in a course today.
See A Doctor
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we shouldn’t take our health for granted. So make sure you see a doctor at least once every year for a general check-up. Get a blood test, have your cholesterol checked, get screened for cancer, get all your shots. Take care of your health because you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.
Check On Things
Check on things. We know this sounds vague but you probably know exactly what we’re talking about. Check the batteries in your smoke detectors, check your tire pressure, make sure everything’s going smoothly with your super fund, make sure you’re not paying for subscriptions you’re not using. Set aside a couple of days a year where you devote yourself to all the little life admin tasks that you’re constantly letting slip.
Give Something A Chance
One of the best things in life is to be pleasantly surprised by something. So give something a chance to surprise you, try something you’re absolutely sure that you’ll hate. Maybe you will hate it but perhaps you’ll be pleasantly surprised and find something that broadens your horizons and opens new doors for you. Try a new cuisine, watch a new film franchise, try a new social sport. Open yourself up to something new and you might find a lifelong hobby.
Cook For Your Loved Ones
They often say the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach so show someone you love them by making them a homecooked meal laced with plenty of love. Cook for people that have always cooked for you. Cook for your mother, your father, your culinary whiz housemate. They’ll be so appreciative of the amount of love, effort and energy you’ve put into the meal.
Volunteer
We all know the importance of giving back to those less fortunate than us. Whilst we recommend giving generously to charities as often as you can, once a year you should try and volunteer your time. Volunteering ensures that you’re expanding your world view and contributing to a cause in a meaningful way. You’ll boost your karma and you’ll be making someone else’s day significantly better. If you’re looking for a way to give back and volunteer your time, head here for volunteering opportunities.
