Do a self-review. You do it for your career, so why not apply a self-review to your life? Take a moment to consider how the past year went for you. Hopefully, in 2024, you were able to find time to accomplish the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the year. Ask yourself what personally went well and what you’d like to improve as the new year begins. What new skills or relationships did you develop that were a bright point in your year? What caused you to stress this year? A self-review like this can help you better understand the highs and lows of the last year and set a precedent for a great year ahead.

Clean up. Similar to a fresh to-do list, starting the year off with a tidy space can help you mentally prepare for the new year. Whether you simply pick up your area or do a deep clean is up to you, but the effects can be great. Studies show that a clean space is associated with more positive emotions, like happiness, satisfaction, and calm.

Set new goals. Of course, the new year is the perfect time to set some new goals for yourself. Make SMART goals, meaning they are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-based. All of these qualities help make a goal easier for you to accomplish, setting you up for more success in the future.

Take a Long, Hard Look at Your Calendar. The new year is a perfect time to review your recurring meeting schedule. Begin by assigning all your recurring meetings a rating in terms of importance. “1” means it’s absolutely that you attend. “5” means it doesn’t matter whether you’re there. Once you’ve rated all your meetings, try declining your “5”s and see how much Focus Time that opens up.

Time Block Your Calendar. Once you get a little more wiggle room in your schedule, you must decide how to use that extra time. Time blocking is when you prioritize your task list, estimate how much time each task will take, and proactively assign blocks of time on your calendar to each task.

Create New Healthy Work Routines. Establishing daily routines and sticking to them to create comfort and stability.

February is American Heart Month, a time when the nation spotlights heart disease, the number one killer of Americans.

Heart disease occurs when the arteries leading to the heart become clogged. Although it has existed for thousands of years, many aspects of modern life exacerbate risk factors and make people more prone to heart disease and heart failure. Today, one in four deaths in the U.S. is attributable to heart disease. Although heart disease can affect everyone, taking stock of your prior health risks, activities, and diet can help you reduce your risk.

In most cases, heart disease is preventable by adopting a healthy lifestyle. This includes not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol, treating high blood pressure, engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, and getting regular checkups.

To celebrate American Heart Month, take some time to learn about heart health risks, find your favorite heart-healthy activities, and cook some healthy meals with your family.

When February 14 comes along, we can expect to exchange messages of love through thoughtful cards, flower bouquets, and heart-shaped boxes of chocolate. While these actions are small, they’re sure to make your loved one’s heart skip a beat. Here are some interesting Valentine’s Day facts that will make the holiday more fun.