Whether or not you usually celebrate New Year's Eve with your housemate, with the province of Ontario in lockdown this year, it's likely that you will be bunkering down and bringing in 2021 together. While you're celebrating, take a moment to discuss your goals for next year. Not sure what those will be? We've got four great New Year's resolutions for 2021 that will help you foster a sense of hope and optimism:
1. Put your health front and center
Health has been on everyone's mind this past year. While washing hands and other infection control methods have taken center stage, daily exercise routines have lapsed, especially with periodic shutdowns of gyms and health clubs.
Why not bring the gym to you?
Find a shared area of your home (a garage works well) and equip it with exercise mats, weights, jump rope and whatever else you need to support a daily exercise regime. If you don't have the space for an at-home-gym, then consider stretching first and then going on a walk or run through your neighbourhood. Establishing this new habit with your housemate will keep you both on track and give you the motivation and support you need to stay healthy throughout 2021.
2. Look at your finances (and consider unsubscribing)
We're well into the pandemic, and it's quite possible that you're still paying for services that you just can't use. Now is a good time to take financial stock and unsubscribe from services or memberships that are no longer giving you the value they once did. Perhaps it's your car wash pass (are you really driving all that much, anyway?) or a multitude of streaming services. Are there any memberships that you and your housemate could share rather than paying double? Amalgamating a service or membership is a great way to save money and is one of the true benefits of home sharing! Just be sure you add the details to your homeshare agreement to avoid confusion or miscommunication down the road.
3. Satisfy your wanderlust
A New Year is about reflection, and it's also about hope and optimism for the future. For anyone who has been missing travel and the sense of adventure that comes with it, planning for a future trip is a great way to stay optimistic. Would you like to travel within Canada or internationally? Do you have relatives you'd like to visit? What destinations are left on your bucket list? Talk with your housemate about your travel plans, and how soon you'd like to travel after the world opens back up. One of the great benefits of homesharing is that you can travel knowing that your home is well cared for by your housemate!
4. Get organized
Getting organized is always a great resolution! Considering that the province of Ontario is under lockdown, it's also a great way to stay busy. Why not do your spring cleaning now, rather than in spring when things have opened back up? You and your housemate can make plans to declutter, organize, and tackle jobs like cleaning cupboards and appliances. Already have an organized, clutter-free home? Talk to your housemate about using the time to paint, redecorate, or do some small renovation jobs around the house, instead.
Whatever your New Year's resolutions, it's important to ensure that they are realistic so you can set yourself up for success in 2021. Put a plan in place to execute your resolution, track your progress and lean on your housemate for support and encouragement. Most importantly, remember to reward yourselves for sticking to your resolutions!