That’s it, it’s done: in a single night, we wrapped up one year and dove headlong into the new one. Bye bye 2022 👋, here we are in 2023! We wish you a year that’s gentle, light, and full of love. By the way, on the morning of January 1st, maybe you made some good resolutions to start the year off right? Good for you! But let’s be honest, the hardest part with New Year’s resolutions isn’t making them, it’s actually keeping them. So, this is the perfect time to talk about the good resolutions of new moms that never stick (and we know it!).
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- Take more (real) time for yourself
- Get (back) into working out, for real this time
- Go to bed earlier and sleep
- Plan (and) prepare all meals for the week
- Go out at least once a month on a date
- Set a shopping budget
- Print the 3,002 baby photos on your iPhone
- Work less
Take more (real) time for yourself
Because every year you end it utterly exhausted, your first New Year’s resolution is to take more time for yourself. Lavender-scented baths, reading trilogies under the covers, or finally booking that tattoo session to finish your sleeve—there’s so much to choose from.
But in the end... wouldn’t those relaxing hours be even more useful if you spent them tidying up the house instead? And as for reading, a 150-page paperback is pretty good too. And poetry? We definitely don’t read enough (short) poems, do we? As for your arm… it’s winter anyway. No one will see it for now.
Get (back) into working out, for real this time
Postpartum mood or just post-holidays (shout out to those slices of ice cream cake, smoked salmon, and foie gras toasts), you’ve decided it’s high time to start exercising again. An hour of Pilates before the kids wake up in the morning, or running 6 miles in the evening after their dinner—that’s really the lifestyle you dream of 🏃♀️.
But… the kids are up by 6 a.m., weekends included, and that extra hour of sleep before they wake up sounds so precious! And then at night, when the whole family is in bed, that’s your time to unwind together. So, getting back into it isn’t so simple.
Go to bed earlier and sleep
To feel refreshed every day, it’s better to go to bed early every night. If the kids are in bed by 8 p.m., you can reasonably plan to go to bed by 9:30 p.m.—you’re convinced. Starfish position, cotton socks, and even a hot water bottle in the winter are yours. In the morning, you’ll wake up feeling as refreshed as dew.
But… going to bed early means the end of your Netflix nights, late-night chats by the fire, and staying up reading your book until the wee hours. So much for resolutions—hello, under-eye concealer!
Plan (and!) prepare all meals for the week
Now there’s a wish you’d really like to come true. This year, you’ve resolved to join the “batch cooking” crowd. Congratulations! You’ll save a ton of time by just reheating meals 🍝 and you’ll love sitting down with the family to actually enjoy the conversation.
But… planning and preparing all the meals for the week—14, at least!—not to mention baby’s purees, pumping breast milk, or organizing powdered formula, is incredibly time-consuming. To make it work, you might have to sacrifice most of your Sunday afternoons. Mac and cheese with hot dogs doesn’t sound so bad after all!
Go out at least once a month on a date
Now that’s motivating. Getting out once a month, just the two of you, for a date night 🥰. A restaurant, a movie, an exhibit, a walk in the woods, a few hours of spa massages... After the ups and downs of pregnancy and childbirth, this year you’re determined to really enjoy yourselves!
But… Netflix on the big screen, the comfiest couch and its super-soft throw blanket (did someone say guacamole and chips?) are just calling your name. How can you resist?
Set a shopping budget
This time, it’s decided: 2023 will be the year of reason. No more extra baby onesies when you’ve just bought 5 more, or buying a 12th pair of shoes for spring, or ordering books by the box even though your to-read pile is already endless. Now, before every outing you’ll set a shopping budget 🛍️ and you’ll be strong—you won’t give in.
But… the new bibRONDS colors are so trendy! And those Bubble training bottles, your kids just have to try the Bubble bottles!
Print the 3,002 baby photos on your iPhone
A slip of the finger or a lost smartphone—that would be a disaster. So, this year you’re determined to sort through and print the hundreds of photos you’ve taken of your baby. Albums, fridge magnets, or puzzles—you’ll even get a head start on some gifts.
But… between sorting through the thousands of photos stored on your phone and simply taking fewer pictures this year, your decision is pretty clear.
Work less!
A goal so many of us share! Whether you’re self-employed, salaried, or back in school, this year you want to work less. The idea behind this resolution? To enjoy the passage of time, your growing children, your partner you love, the weather when it’s just right, to rest, or to devote yourself to other projects—in short, to do what you love.
But… life goes by fast and old habits are hard to break, so your determination may waver pretty quickly. In any case, the whole Élhée team wishes you the very best in making the most of your time with your little (and big) ones! 💜
