Top Ten New Years Resolutions

New Year’s has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. It’s a time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make, to set goals and follow through on those positive changes.

If you’re looking for inspiration as 2018 approaches, take a look at the most popular New Year’s resolutions:

1)  Spend More Time with Family & Friends – With our busy lives, it’s easy to get caught up in work. Working is great: it brings in income, the food on your table, and the vacation you take over the summer. But work shouldn’t always come first. It’s important to remember that life is short and the intangible things are what give you happiness and memories you’ll cherish forever. You will always value friendship and family.

2)  Eat Healthy and Exercise More – Ah, the infamous resolution to eat healthy and exercise regularly — in other words “lose weight.” This is a tough one for many to keep up, but can be done! You can succeed if you don’t expect overnight success and stick to a reasonable and consistent health plan. Create a strong and motivational healthy guide that fits your needs with realistic goals. Use a food journal to keep track of what you eat and have a support system in place.

A few truck driver resources:

• Driving Healthy
• Healthy Trucker
• Healthy Trucking Association

3)  Quit Smoking – Fear that you’ve failed too many times to try again? Talk to any ex-smoker, and you’ll see that multiple attempts are often the path to success. Try different methods to find out what works for you. Not only will you be healthier, you’ll be saving a lot of cash by omitting the costs of cigarettes. It’s a win-win! Not sure where to get started? Visit smokefree.gov

4)  Cut Back on Alcohol – While much has been written about the health benefits of a small amount of alcohol, too much alcohol is the bigger problem. Drinking alcohol in excess affects the brain’s neurotransmitters and can increase the risk of depression, liver and heart diseases, memory loss and many other dangerous health problems. Surround yourself with others that have the same goal and want to ease up a bit next year.

5)  Save Money – If you are determined to save money, there are many ways to keep your account balance up. Our #1 tip for 2018 to save money is make a budget and stick to it. Knowing exactly how much you plan to spend and setting a budget will ensure you don’t spend more than you need to. This will make you more aware of your finances and you will be surprised how much you can save by this one action.

6)  Learn Something New – Is there a sport, skill or talent you’ve always wanted to learn but never had the time or motivation to learn? This could be your year. Perhaps you’re considering a career change, want to learn a new language or improve a skill. Whether you plan to study or practice on a frequent basis, this long-term goal is extremely rewarding! You’ll feel a huge sense of accomplishment when you learn that skill you have always yearned for.

7)  Help Others – Volunteerism is a popular, non-selfish resolution that can take many forms. Find something you’re passionate about and sign up now so you have a schedule in place. From participating in a race, event or volunteering at a local shelter, there are many nonprofit organizations that could really use your help!

Donating time or money for a cause can also benefit your psychological, spiritual and emotional state. Giving back to the community may improve your sense of well-being by giving you a purpose in life or work and inner satisfaction.

8)  Get Organized – Organization can be a very reasonable goal. Maybe you want your home organized enough that you can invite someone over on a whim, or your office organized enough that you can find that sheet of passwords when you need it. It’s possible to stay focused on this goal by continuing an organizational process. For instance, once you clean and organize your home, office or car, try your best to keep it that way. (Once things get disorganized, it’s always hard to get it back to the state it was in.) Plus you’ll enjoy an organized surrounding everyday!

9)  Get More Sleep – You probably already know that a good night’s rest can do wonders for your mood—and appearance. An adequate amount of sleep can improve memory, sharpen attention, lower stress, improve moods and of course you won’t see those under-eye baggies that we all try to avoid. Try and get a good 8 hours of sleep every night for overall well-being. Now you can take a nap and not feel guilty about it!

10)  Finish Those “Around the House” To Do Lists – You made the list; you’re almost there! Things like cleaning out the gutter, painting, cleaning out the garage, organizing old pictures, or making piles of giveaway clothes all sound great to the ear, but it’s easy to put those type of tasks off. Set a day aside, early in the year, so it comes a bit more realistic to get done. Once these tasks are out of the way, you can cross them off that to-do list that was created way too long ago.

Whether your 2018 resolution made our top ten list, or you discovered what it will be, we hope you enjoyed the read!

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Is a positive career change in order? Then it’s time you apply with Smith Transport! We deliver the freight America needs to keep moving. At Smith, it’s more than just a career choice; it’s a lifestyle you’ll love. And it comes with the pay, camaraderie and respect you’ll appreciate.

To learn more about joining our elite fleet, visit smithdrivers.com or call a recruiter at 866-265-3718.