15 things to help you stick to your resolutions this year
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New Year’s resolutions: We all make them, yet most of us don’t keep them. In fact, studies have shown a lot of people give up their resolution before the end of January—but that doesn’t mean you should, too. If you’ve been making progress toward your 2021 goals but feel your dedication waning, it might be time to bring in some reinforcements.
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No matter what your goal is for the New Year, there are tools and products that can help you stick with it. Whether you want to eat healthier, lose weight, sleep better, or socialize more, here are our favorite products that will help make 2021 the year you conquered your resolutions.
1. To get in shape: The Obé fitness app
Health-related resolutions are one of the most popular, and if you’re determined to get in shape this year, the Obé fitness app can definitely help, especially since many gyms are still closed. With Obé, you can take high-energy workout classes right in the comfort of your own home, including live and on-demand Pilates, yoga, barre, cardio dance, cardio boxing, HIIT, and strength training classes.
The app costs $27 per month, and when we tested Obé, we thought it was fun, engaging, and easy-to-use… basically everything a fitness app should be!
Sign up for a 7-day free trial of Obé
2. To eat healthier: Meal kits from Home Chef
It can be challenging to get into the habit of eating healthy (or at least healthier) if you usually opt for takeout several nights a week, but with a meal kit delivery service like Home Chef, you’ll have no excuse not to cook at home. Home Chef is our favorite meal kit, thanks to its high-quality ingredients, well-written recipes, and fantastic flavors, and they offer a wide range of menu options each week, including 15-minute meals and oven-ready meals. Plus, prices start at $6.99 per serving, which is often cheaper than takeout!
3. To meet new people: Bumble BFF
Does anyone actually know how to make friends as an adult? I certainly don’t, which is why I love Bumble BFF. The app is based on the same idea as regular Bumble, but the BFF version is solely for women looking to make new friends. You fill out a profile with your interests and what kind of friendship you’re looking for, and you can swipe through profiles of ladies near you. When you “match” with another person, you can talk through the app, allowing you to meet new people in a non-awkward way.
4. To sleep better: A new mattress from Leesa
If you don’t sleep well at night, it can affect all sorts of other things in your life, from your mental health to your productivity at work. Prioritizing sleep is a great goal for the new year, and there’s no better way to start than with a new mattress. The Leesa Hybrid Mattress is the best mattress-in-a-box we’ve ever tested, as it’s the perfect balance of supportive and comfortable, no matter your sleep position.
Get a Leesa Hybrid Mattress, Queen, for $1,444
5. To drink more water: A Hidrate smart water bottle
Am I sick, or am I just dehydrated? It’s a question I find myself asking at least once a week, and if you too struggle to drink an appropriate amount of water each day, the Hidrate Spark can help. This smart water bottle—yes, you read that right—monitors how much liquid gold you’re drinking each day, tracking your progress toward your daily goal in its app. The vacuum-insulated stainless steel bottle keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours, and it even provides periodic reminders to drink using the LED lights in the base of the bottle.
Get the Hidrate Spark Steel Smart Water Bottle on Amazon for $59.99
6. To read more: A subscription to Book of the Month
When was the last time you finished a book? If your goal for the new year is to read more, Book of the Month is just the subscription for you. It costs $9.99 for your first month and $14.99 per month after that, and you get to choose one of five awesome novels to be delivered to your door. The subscription will introduce you to early releases, fresh perspectives, and debut authors, and it’s sure to get you excited about reading again.
7. To find a hobby: A kit (or two) from We Are Knitters
There are only so many series you can binge-watch on Netflix before you need something else to do. If you’re looking for a new hobby, we’re big fans of the knitting kits from We Are Knitters. The kits come with everything you need to create beautiful knitted accessories and apparel at home, and there are plenty of beginner-friendly kits, which include free video tutorials that will help you master the basics of knit and purl stitches. Soon, you’ll be stitching away and making all sorts of knitted products to give to your family and friends.
Shop the We Are Knitters Knitting Kits
8. To prioritize mental health: Online therapy via Talkspace
I’m a firm believer that just about everyone can benefit from therapy, and if 2021 is the year you finally take this important step toward prioritizing your mental health, you might want to consider using Talkspace. The app gives you access to online therapy sessions with thousands of licensed therapists, and what’s even better is that it typically costs 80 percent less than face-to-face therapy, making it convenient and affordable.
9. To save money: The Mint app
One of the best ways to double down on your budget is with the Mint app from Intuit. The budget tracker and planner can help you make smarter financial choices, making it easy to track your spending, monitor your credit, and save money for specific goals. The best part? Mint is totally free—so you really have no excuse not to download it.
10. To learn a new language: Babbel
Planning a post-COVID trip? You can start preparing for your international adventures with the help of Babbel, one of the best-known programs for learning a new language. There are 14 language programs to choose from, and prices start at around $6.95 per month for an online subscription.
Try Babbel starting at $6.95 a month
11. To minimize screen time: A time-locking container for your phone
Sometimes during the day, I’ll find myself scrolling mindlessly through my phone when I should be working—and I won’t even remember when I picked my phone up! If you’re in the same boat and can’t seem to put down your phone, it might be time to invest in the Kitchen Safe Time-Locking Container.
This device is simple, but effective: You simply place your phone or other electronic device inside, then set how long you want to lock it for, ranging anywhere from 1 minute to 10 days. Once activated, there’s no way to get your belongings out besides waiting for the timer to end, essentially forcing you to live without your phone for a little while. It might sound excessive, but people swear it’s effective.
Get the Kitchen Safe Time-Locking Container on Amazon for $69.90
12. To grow more plants: ZZ plant from The Sill
More and more people have learned to love houseplants in the past year (we love to see it!), and if you’re hoping to improve your gardening skills, you can get all kinds of lovely plants from The Sill, an online plant delivery service. For beginners, I’d definitely recommend a ZZ plant—these guys are especially hardy and nearly impossible to kill, even if you forget to water them. It will make a sweet addition to any room of your home, even if you have low light.
Get the ZZ Plant from The Sill for $42
13. To stay in touch with friends: Facebook Portal
If your Zoom hangouts have become few and far in between lately, the Facebook Portal can help making virtual hangouts fun again. This high-tech video chatting device allows you to make calls via either Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp, and it automatically pans and zooms to keep you in the picture, even if you move around while you talk. Plus, the Portal’s Story Time feature is ideal for kids, as it lets you bring classic stories to life on the screen.
Get the Facebook Portal Plus from Amazon for $264.99
14. To lose weight: Noom
Noom is one of the most popular weight-loss solutions out there today, and if you want help building healthy habits and shedding some excess pounds, it makes a great choice. Our executive editor Megan loved Noom, noting that it was helpful for adjusting her lifestyle, not just her eating habits. Our team has tested both Noom and WW to help you figure out which is best for your needs.
15. To walk your dog more: Fi Smart Collar
If you asked my dog what her New Year’s resolution is, I guarantee she’d want to go for more walks—because there’s no such thing as too many walks! However, I know she gets enough exercise because she wears her Fi Smart Collar every day. The collar serves as a fitness tracker, keeping tabs on how many steps she takes every day (her goal is 10,000!), and it also has GPS tracking capabilities, allowing me to find her quickly if she ever gets out. Overall, we think it’s a great tool if you’re hoping to exercise your pooch more.
Get the Fi Smart Dog Collar for $149
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