If your list of New Year resolutions is topped by one or more that relate to working on yourself, whether mentally, physically or generally, then one of the best ways to start working on these resolutions is to commit yourself to a January-challenge. Below are some of our top picks for most fun and/or beneficial challenges to try this month. P.S. We know we’re one week in, but it’s never too late to start working on your goals!
Dry January challenge
Dry January is one of the most popular January challenges and comes off the back of your holiday parties, glasses of champagne and espresso martinis. Here, the aim of the game is to cut down your alcohol consumption. In fact, you reduce it so much that you avoid a drop of the stuff throughout the month!
Dry January is a great challenge to help you cleanse your body and avoid alcohol for a few weeks. Cutting alcohol out of your diet can have positive health benefits. It can help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol whilst reducing your risk of diabetes. Cutting your intake of alcohol can also have longer-term health benefits, meaning you are less likely to suffer from liver disease.
Dry January can also benefit your mental health, as you’ll not have any “hangxiety” – allowing you to feel calmer and be able to focus more clearly. Plus, it helps you cut down on your spending as well! It is not too late to join the Out ‘N About on this challenge – we’ll be publishing mocktail recipes throughout the month for those interested.
Veganuary challenge
The whole focus of Veganuary is to inspire and support people to try a vegan diet, make veganism more visible and accessible with the ultimate mission of protecting the planet and improving human health.
Veganuary was introduced back in 2014, and the challenge has had over a million participants since. The aim is to go completely vegan or simply replace meals you would regularly have with a vegan alternative. Depending on how much you want to challenge yourself, you can aim to have one vegan meal a day, a few vegan meals a week, or simply try cutting meat out for a week.
Not only is eating vegan better for the planet, a plant-based diet could also have positive health benefits. Vegan diets are typically higher in fibre and lower in cholesterol when compared to omnivorous diets.
Decluttering challenge
Is clutter taking over your space and your life? Do you feel anxious every time you open up a crowded cabinet or cannot find a specific document? A decluttering challenge helps you rid yourself of that anxiety and any unused/unwanted items, and clears up your space for better use.
This challenge is simple: Declutter/tidy every day for a set amount of time or select one space to tackle per day. For example, you can aim to spend 10 minutes of your day clearing your space or you could decide to declutter a kitchen cabinet on Monday, the fridge on Tuesday, your closet on Wednesday, and so forth.
If you have a lot of clutter, you may not even be able to finish one cabinet or one closet in a day. That’s okay. If you can only dedicate 10 minutes to decluttering, do that. You’ll still be making progress and moving towards a tidier space.
Move challenge
This one is even more simple – just commit to moving your body every day. To some, this may not sound that simple… but this does not mean you have to commit yourself to a sweaty workout every day. Rather, commit yourself to daily movement – no matter how small.
For example, you might take a 10-minute stroll on Monday, dance salsa on Tuesday, jog on Wednesday, try a YouTube workout video on Thursday, a yoga class on Friday, go to the beach for a swim on Saturday and go for a hike with friends on Sunday. Or, you can simply go for a morning or afternoon walk every day.
The benefits of this challenge are obvious – moving your body is important for both you physical and mental well-being, not to mention that exercise is a habit, so this challenge can help you get started and who knows, you might find a new hobby!
