It's that time of year again! The time for a new year, new beginnings, and maybe a new way of looking at things and growing. At senseslinen, we put great emphasis into the improvement of all the things that make us happy, in our homes and in our hearts. As such, and in the spirit of new beginnings, we have decided to compile a list of our very own suggestions for those of you who haven't settled on anything yet.
Keep a journal
You don't need to have a physical notebook to do this. Do it on a Word file on your computer, or even on the notes app of your phone, if that's how you like to jot your thoughts down. The important thing is that you do it. If you start writing down your thoughts and feelings at the end of every day and make a habit of it, you will collect unimaginable rewards. You'll become more organised instantly because you'll train your brain to look back on every single day. Your language skills will improve very fast, because you'll make a habit of putting thoughts into words. It will help your memory. It will help you understand your feelings better.
We couldn't recommend this more!
Start collecting physical media
Yes, streaming is fun and comfortable. We all love it. Whether it's Spotify or Netflix, nothing beats the simple pleasure of clicking a couple of buttons and being in the presence of your favourite musician, writer, actor or performer.
But there's something special and different about physical media. Getting a new album, opening the case, checking the artwork and reading the liner notes. The smell of a new book. The perfectly aligned DVD cases looking at you adoringly, just asking you to pick a movie. Building the collection is part of the joy. Experiencing these objects with your hands, and browsing them in real life.
And you actually own them. If Spotify cancels your account, or Netflix goes out of business, you lose your entire collection. If you buy physical media, then it's yours for good.
Start experimenting with cooking
We are in the age of the foodie! Whether you like taking gorgeous food pictures for Instagram or not, most of us are falling in love with delicious and beautiful cooking. And you'd be surprised at how much pleasure can be derived from not only consuming tasty treats but also creating them in your kitchen.
Maybe you can take up patisserie. Or maybe your dream is cooking the perfect steak. Some people like nothing more than perfecting their knife skills to make sushi.
You can actually do all of these things and more.
Make your kitchen your laboratory and figure out what it is that makes your palate tick.
Set aside devices after dinner
This is one of the tough ones. Are we really recommending no more Twitter or Facebook in the evening?
Yes. Yes, we are.
We must be bold in our New Year's resolutions.
Increased device usage at night is responsible for a lot of contemporary sleeping disorders. Not only that, but increased usage of social media and more time spent online have been linked with anxiety, depression among other health hazards.
So why not limit both things at once? Decrease your social media and Internet usage and give your screens a rest after dinner. Replace them with books, board games, crafts, exercise, or whatever you see fit. Just no backlights!
Try out a new productivity app
One of the most popular New Year's resolutions, as we're all probably a little too well aware, is to increase our productivity, or make more money, or spend less. All of these are commendable goals, but they usually fail because they are just a tad too vague. A good resolution is specific because by making things specific you can stick to them much better, and track your progress.
So instead of just vaguely resolving to be more productive, here's what we suggest: try a productivity app.
There's a variety of them out there, that range from the collaborative (like Asana) to the more personal (such as Evernote). You have apps that are entirely dedicated to helping you focus (like Freedom) and others that help you track your habits (like RescueTime).
Maybe you'll find more than one of these apps useful, and it's almost certain that at least one of the dozens that are out there will help you achieve your goals. At the end of the day, that's what matters.
Get new sheets
Again, people usually set vague goals as resolutions. Another common New Year's decision is to improve the quality of one's sleep. But that's hard to achieve unless you set proper goals. One of the most underrated things you can do to sleep better is get high quality, exquisitely crafted sheets. Good materials will bring a series of advantages for your health, for the quality of your rest and for our overall outlook on life.
This is what we do, and we're experts on it!
Just head on to our online store and enjoy!
