80 Easy New Year’s Resolutions That Will Actually Make A Difference

You could probably do everything on this list without realising…

Setting goals for the new year can be challenging. If you’re stuck for new years resolution ideas, or simply don’t have that many big goals in mind but know you could do with improving the small things, then we’ve got you covered.

Here are 80 easy new year’s resolutions and goals you can easily achieve in a year. We promise they’ll make a massive difference in your life too. Because a little really does go a long way.

80 easy New Years resolution ideas

1. Drink more water

Keeping up with your water intake can be a bit of a chore, hence why it’s easily forgotten. It’s incredibly important though as it contributes to proper kidney function and rehydration. Invest in a water bottle with dates and times on it. If that simply won’t work, then set little “remember to drink†reminders on your phone to give you a buzz several times a day.

2. Have more social interaction

Humans are naturally social creatures. Is there anyone you’ve not been keeping in touch with lately? Now could be the time to re-establish a connection and keep it going.

3. Have more me-time

Do you find yourself exhausted all the time? This could be a result of academic burnout, or simply spending too much time socialising. Make sure you set time aside each day to just be. You can practice things like mindfulness, journaling, or anything that relaxes and reconnects your mind and body.

4. Get outside more

Going outside has been proven to reduce blood pressure and cortisol (your stress hormone). Bring a bit of calm into your life with something as simple as a brisk daily walk or a long weekend walk in your favourite nature reserve.

Get huge travel discounts with Student Beans!

5. Give out more compliments

Giving compliments may seem weird, especially if you seldom do or you’re introverted. But if you genuinely admire something about a person, be that what they’re wearing or how well they’re doing at something, it can really brighten their day.

In turn, it boosts your mood too!

6. Accept compliments

Accepting compliments helps on the journey to self-acceptance. It can also feel weird as you probably don’t want to come across full of yourself. A simple “thanks, that’s very kind of you†can go a long way and in turn compliments the person too.

7. Make your bed every day

Something as simple as making your bed can make it more inviting when you’re back home after a long day. It also helps keep your room looking neat too.

8. Keep your space clean

A cluttered space = a cluttered mind. Cluttered spaces also affect your sleep hygiene. Start with one corner a day, or time yourself to see how much you can clean in 10 minutes a day!

9. Learn to grow something

Always wanted to grow vegetables or plants in general? If you’ve got the environment for it, try learning to grow something you’d like!

If this seems like too much of a stretch or you simply don’t have the time, then keeping an existing plant alive is also a great resolution to have (and it helps promote gooa d mood and improved air quality).

Get a student discount on plants with Flower & Plants co!

10. Stop hitting snooze

Hitting snooze on your alarm clock every morning has been proven to increase grogginess, cravings and brain fog. You actually rob yourself of a good night’s sleep too.

11. Write morning pages

Coined by creative Julia Cameron, morning pages are designed to help you brain dump, boost creativity, clear your mind and reduce anxiety. The idea is to do at least 3 pages every morning of free-flow writing (essentially not worrying about your punctuation or correcting yourself).

This technique is commonly used in The Artist’s Way, a 12-step program for blocked creatives. So if your goal is to overcome things like writers’ block or to be more creative in something, then this is for you!

Save on gorgeous journals with Papier student discounts!

12. Try something new

This doesn’t mean just one new thing for the year, it could be one new thing every month.

Switch up your schedule by trying something different to see if it sparks a new hobby, side hustle or even a full-time career! These could be exercise classes, jewellery making, painting, learning how to knit. You get the picture.

13. Eat at independent restaurants

Eating at or shopping local and independent businesses is a great way to show support. Try a new place every month in your local area, or scout out places when you’re on a trip somewhere.

14. Pay off debts

There’s no better feeling than the relief of paying off debts. Calculate your current incomings and outgoings to see where you can take a chunk to pay off debt.

You could take this further by going on a spend-free month to see how much you can save and put towards your debt too.

15. Make monthly playlists

If you feel bored of your usual playlists, then make it a point to listen to new music every month! Spotify is fantastic for browsing new songs and does a yearly wrap of the genres you listen to. We’re here for it!

Get FREE Spotify premium for a month here.

16. Reach a steps goal

If the gym isn’t your thing or you feel like you’re not getting enough steps in, make it a point to reach a minimum number of steps a day. Perhaps 10,000 just isn’t doable sometimes, so make it one you know you can reasonably stick to.

Can’t get outside? Try pacing around when you’re on a call, or do an aerobic exercise video, they’ll double up as exercise too.

17. Declutter your space by half

Think you have far too much stuff? Aim to cut your belongings down by half, a quarter or however much you feel is doable.

If that’s just not possible, see what you can ship back to your parents’ house if you’re living in halls.

18. Start meal planning

Meal planning is fantastic for keeping healthy and saving money as a student. Plan meals that are exciting and be sure to alternate so you don’t get bored of the same dish every lunchtime or evening.

19. Money-saving challenges

There are tons of money-saving challenges you can try. Here are a few for inspiration:

• Surviving on £10 a week

• £5 challenge (putting a £5 note away every time you get one)

• Spare change challenge (popping them in a jar whenever you get it)

• 52-week money challenge (putting away £1 increments every week to reach a total of £1378 by the end of the year!)

20. Redecorate a room

Live in a student house or at home? Redecorate your own bedroom or a room in the property that could do with a makeover. It doesn’t have to be anything drastic either. It could be as simple as painting a wall, adding accents in the form of cushions or lamps. Simple goes a long way.

We love @chandlerisaac and their “Boujee on a budget†series. Just look at how they transformed their kitchen!

Get Homebase discounts here.

21. Go on more holidays

When it’s reasonably possible to, try going on more trips. Even if it’s around the UK! You can save on travel costs thanks to Student Beans travel discounts.

22. Meet new people

The obvious way of going about being more social is to get out more, join a club or university society.

But there are also ways to be social without leaving the house too via Discord servers, forums and even using sites like Bumble friends or Meetup to meet online first and organise an IRL meet!

23. Reduce procrastination

There’s tons of advice on how to reduce procrastination. Not every single one will work for you, so it’s about finding the right one. Here’s just a handful of productivity tips you can try to reduce procrastination:

• Pomodoro technique

• If it can be done in 2 minutes, do it now

• Tackling hard tasks first

• Not going on social media in the morning

• Making lists with sub-tasks to break bigger tasks down

24. Eat healthier

Eating healthier is one of the most common New Years resolutions. It could be as simple as diversifying your ingredients, trying out new healthy recipes each week or reducing your intake of not-so-good foods.

Get discounts on HelloFresh here.

25. Curb a bad habit

Got a bad habit of biting your nails or procrastinating? Here’s just a handful of ways you can curb a bad habit:

• Identify what your triggers are

• Find your why

• Get an accountability buddy

• Replace the habit with a different one

• Set up app reminders

• Forget the all-or-nothing mindset. Curbing habits take time

• Forgive yourself when you slip up. It’s bound to happen.

26. Earn extra cash on the side

Always wanted a little side gig to increase your income? We’ve rounded up some of the best student side hustles in another post, but here’s a few to get you started:

• Help out PhD students

• Be an Uber or Deliveroo driver

• Sell your old books (get 10% extra cash with musicMagpie!)

• Be a dog walker or cat sitter

• Get into affiliate marketing on social media

27. Get a job

A part-time job during your studies is a fantastic way to earn a regular income every week or month (depending on how they payout). There are tons of online jobs for students too, or you can stick to traditional forms of part-time work in retail or hospitality.

28. Improve your sleep

How many hours of sleep do you get a night? If your answer is not many, then improving your sleep will sound more appealing when you know it’ll help your concentration, energy levels and curb your sugar cravings.

Here are some tips for good sleep hygiene:

• Maintain a decent sleep schedule

• Don’t stay in bed in the morning, try to get up and go asap

• Don’t watch TV, use the computer, or read a couple of hours before bed

• Don’t drink caffeine before bed

• Get enough fresh air in your room

• Have a quiet, comfortable and clean bedroom.

29. Improve your style

Really want to lean into “new year new me� Changing your fashion sense or hairstyle could give you the refresh you need. Make a Pinterest board or Instagram collection of all the things you like. Then, see if you can replicate!

Get student fashion deals with Student Beans.

30. Learn a new language

Learning a new language helps with job prospects, improves your problem-solving skills, memory, and creative thinking. You may think it’s practical to learn a language that’s most widely spoken, but if you’re not going to stick to it if you barely have an interest. Pick a language that has a good balance of job prospects and genuine interest in.

Apps and sites like FluentU are great to get you learning and speaking right away. You can use apps like HelloTalk to speak to people in the language you’re learning in exchange for practicing English!

31. Pick up a useful skill

Are you always getting your parents to install shelves or build your furniture? Learn essential DIY skills yourself with these useful YouTube channels that are easy to follow:

• 5 Minute Crafts

• Girl crafts

• Homedit

32. Give therapy a try

Have you found things hard for a particularly long time and it’s affecting your everyday life? Therapy is a great way to home in on your thoughts and cultivate healthy approaches to your mental health.

Not sure where to begin? The Counselling Directory is great for finding a therapist in the private sector. Alternatively, the IAPT service under the NHS helps those with mild to moderate issues with depression and anxiety.

Your university may also offer a counseling service that’s usually free too.

33. Learn to cook

Save money on food shopping by learning how to cook! Ditch microwave meals that are usually full of preservatives and learn a handful of healthy recipes you can rotate around.

34. Spend less time on social media

It’s common knowledge that excessive social media use has been linked to anxiety and depression. Try to limit your daily usage to half and see how you go. You may feel less inclined to compare yourself to others and have a better outlook on things.

35. Explore your creative side

Enroll in a creative course you’ve always wanted to try like beginners painting, pottery, jewellery making. Or follow some DIY videos on macrame, trinket dishes or punch needling.

36. Face a fear

Fears and insecurities can have a knock-on effect on your wider goals. If you fear putting your artwork out there or are insecure about that secret blog you write on, then you could be robbing yourself of a future career or side hustle.

Exposure is the only way to overcome these fears. You could start small by posting snippets or sharing your passions with close friends.

37. Become more eco-friendly

Actually start recycling in small easy steps. This could look like swapping out buying plastic bags in a supermarket with your own tote bags or making your own cleaning products out of lemon, baking soda and vinegar. Plus, you save cash too!

38. Give back by volunteering

Volunteering is usually seen as a way to add experience to your CV. While it might be a sole motivator, really think about the community and how your help could make a difference.

Tons of charities are in need of volunteers. From Oxfam shops to food shelters, find a charity you believe in and see how you can contribute.

39. Improve your CV

When was the last time you looked at your CV? Get it up on your screen and add your latest jobs to it. Update your contact details and remove all the clutter.

Recruiters aren’t fans of long paragraphs either. Try succinct bullet points and use data where possible to show you what you achieved.

40. Keep a bullet journal

Bullet journals are essentially diaries you keep yourself. They’re designed to streamline your life, tasks, take notes and organise lists in one place. You can customise them to your hearts’ content. Here’s how the basic premise of a bullet journal is set up:

41. Call loved ones more

Make it a habit to call your family and loved ones more frequently. It’s very easy for weeks and months to go by before you realise you haven’t spoken to them. If calling isn’t your thing, then a simple text to show you’re thinking of them goes a long way.

42. Develop a skincare routine

Problem skin can flare up during the summer and winter months due to their extreme changes. Plus, with maskne still being a popular skin concern, now may be the time to up your skincare and actually stick to it.

At the very least, make sure your routine involves a cleanse, tone, serum to treat problem areas, SPF, and moisturiser.

Get beauty discounts with Student Beans!

43. Marie Kondo your life

While this relates to ur decluttering tip, this method is a little more ruthless when it comes to it. Here’s the KomMari method to declutter your space once and for all:

1. Commit yourself to tidying up

2. Imagine your ideal lifestyle

3. Finish discarding first. Before getting rid of items, sincerely thank each item for serving its purpose

4. Tidy by category, not location

5. Follow the right order

6. Ask yourself if it sparks joy.

44. Floss your teeth

Flossing is one of the most skipped steps when it comes to oral hygiene. It can lead to pretty serious nasties like gingivitis and its more advanced form of periodontitis.

Start by flossing just once a day and increase to two when you get more into the swing of things.

45. Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness has been shown to help with emotional regulation, overwhelm, anxiety, depression and bringing calm to the mind in general. If you’re someone who gets into a rut quite quickly the mindfulness should be a habit you focus on.

46. Have a bedtime routine and stick to it

Do you find yourself endlessly scrolling on social media when you should be getting some Zzz’s? Instead of wondering why you feel rubbish in the morning, set a bedtime routine and stick to it. Here are some ideas on how to unwind an hour or two before bed:

• Make a hot (non-caffeinated) drink

• Have a hot shower

• Get a hot water bottle

• Turn your phone off (or on do-not-disturb)

47. Unsubscribe from mailing lists

When our emails ping we’re likely to check them. This has been proven to contribute to procrastination as it distracts you from what you’re already focusing on.

A quick way to find out which emails need unsubscribing is to simply type the word “unsubscribe†into your mailbox search bar. Unsub from any newsletters you barely read. It’ll save you time and your attention span.

48. Have no-spend months

Similar to our budgeting resolution. Why not have a month or two where you don’t spend on nights out, luxuries, or takeaways? You can use the money next month to reward yourself or pop what you’d usually spend in a savings pot.

49. Make coffee at home

The average cup of coffee according to this SquareUp article is around £2.44. Now imagine you buy a cup a day for 5 days in the week, every week. That’s £12.20 per week or £48.80 a month!

Get yourself a nice instant coffee, or a coffee maker you know you’ll use. Yes, the startup might be costly, but compared to buying one out every day, it won’t be.

If going cold-turkey simply won’t cut it, then at the very least check out our food and drink discounts to save some cash.

50. Keep a dream journal

Want to remember those wacky dreams and maybe even understand why you’re having them in the first place? Dream journaling can give insight into your mind, unlock creativity and potentially learn to lucid dream!

Save on journals with our stationary discounts!

51. Reduce your sugar intake

Too much of anything is bad for you. Especially sugar. It can lead to the overproduction of insulin which can affect your arteries, weight gain, going over your recommended daily calories, and spikes in blood sugar which can lead to crashes in the day.

52. Charity shop more

We all know there’s a fast-fashion problem. It’s a story for another post. Charity shopping is one way to find second-hand gems and contribute to lowering environmental waste. Plus, proceeds go to a good cause too.

53. Record 1 second of your life every day

The “a second a day†challenge is a popular trend that allows you to watch your past year back in 365 seconds. These 1 seconds can be moments when you travel, exercise, walk, dance, be creative. Anything that you want to capture. It’s truly a beautiful way to record your year.

54. Take your vitamins

Especially during the colder months where we get less vitamin D. Spending about 20-30 mins outside daily in the sun can give you your recommended dose.

Get student discounts on vitamins with Form Nutrition via Student Beans!

55. Deep clean your space regularly

Make it a point set time aside each day or each week to keep your space in check. Things fall off the wayside, especially during exam season! A simple 5-10 minutes a day can go a long way.

56. Have organised files

Keep records of your student finance letters, assignments, artwork, exam papers neatly in folders. Alternatively, make folders on your laptop or computer to categorise your paperwork and keep them organised.

57. Read a book a month

Feel like you don’t get the chance to read books lately? Make it a point to finish one per month. If reading is quite difficult due to time, conditions or you just don’t feel like you absorb the plot as quickly as you’d like to, then consider an audiobook. They can be played at 1.5-2x speed, meaning you’ll get through them way faster!

Get student book discounts here.

58. Habit track

A habit tracker is an amazing way to keep track of all of your goals and resolutions on track. Plus, you can track other things that aren’t necessarily “goalsâ€, but just everyday habits (or habits you want to break).

These can be recorded in a bullet journal or on your phone. Any way that makes it easy to habit track, there’s no right or wrong way.

59. Improve your grades

Improving your grades is a great goal to have. Make this goal achievable and specific e.g. “I want X marks on my French exam†or “to get a 1st in my degree, I need to get a 2:1 on my next assignmentâ€.

Read more on how to set realistic goals for next year. Plus, our best study planner apps guide will set you up for success!

60. Join a society

Joining a society is a great way to keep up with something that interests you and meet like-minded people. If you’ve ever been curious about dance, or want to enthuse over your love for World of Warcraft with other people, then this is a great goal for you to do those things.

61. Work in your intended field

Need a job or want to get experience before you graduate? Try volunteering in what your field is or applying for an internship. If none of these are available to you, try short courses or take on extra work online through freelancing sites like UpWork or Fiverr.

62. Try a new sport or fitness class

Want to get back into football or give barre a try? Look for classes in your area and see if you can save money on sportswear with Student Beans!

63. Make DIY household

Student budgets are tight, but that doesn’t mean you should fork out on household products all the time. Check out this video on 20 DIY cleaning products that’ll save both the environment and your bank balance.

64. Workout to feel good

If fitness is one of those goals you want to keep up with, then make it a point to work out to feel good. We often exercise for aesthetic reasons, which can be unrealistic and cause upsets. Working out has been proven to boost your mental health, so keep that as your goal and reap the physical benefits as a bonus.

65. Reduce your gossip

As humans, we’re prone to gossiping. But if you find yourself getting down a lot or have you been in a few disputes over the past year due to miscommunication, then reducing the amount you gossip can do wonders for your self-esteem and relationships.

66. Reduce your waste

Finding ways to do good for the environment can be overwhelming. Here’s some ways to reduce waste without breaking the bank or going seriously out of your way:

• Installing recycling bins (and actually using them)

• Using up as much food as possible in various recipes to reduce food waste

• Buying only what you need in your weekly food shop

• Turning off unused lighting and taps

• Having more veggie-based meals

67. Write one thing you’re grateful for every day

This may seem weird, but it’s a fantastic way to cultivate a good sense of self-esteem, gratitude, and positivity. It’s one line a day and it can be as simple as “I’m grateful for my housemate cooking me a meal when I got home today†or “I’m grateful to have a comfy mattress to sleep onâ€.

68. Try cash stuffing

Cash-stuffing has been all the craze on TikTok lately and is a fantastic way to physically see how much money you can save across a variety of things like days out, holidays, emergency funds etc.

Watch creator @budgetingstudent explain how they cash stuff and the various budgets they have:

69. Don’t buy things you don’t need

Impulse buys can feel great in the moment but pretty bad later, especially when we realise we didn’t need what we bought and cut our money short. Here are some ways to curb impulsive spending if you feel the urge:

• Make daily/weekly/monthly budgets

• Give yourself “permission money†to spend

• Sleep on the decision to buy. If you need it and you have the budget, go for it

• Give yourself a social media break

70. Sort out your direct debits

Are you still paying for a gym membership you barely go to? Or maybe you’re accidentally paying off a debt you already paid off a while ago! Go through your monthly DDs and cancel anything you’re either not using or are paying for when you don’t need to.

Just make sure you’re going about it the right way by giving notice where needed or contacting the merchant.

71. Go to the dentist

When was the last time you went to a dentist’s? You’d be surprised how much shows up after years of not going. If the dentists truly terrify you then we get it, but you only get one set of teeth in your lifetime! So feel the fear and make that appointment.

72. Be kind on social media

Social media is a troller’s paradise. If you admit to saying the odd rude thing here or there because you thought it was funny, think about how you’d feel if you got that back. Plus, future employers can see almost everything you’ve posted online. Don’t let the impulse to troll sabotage your career.

And while you’re at it, do a clearout of your old tweets or posts that could be seen as offensive. Future you will thank you for it.

73. Photograph for yourself, not the ‘gram

If you love social media but feel the need to post what others like, you can begin to feel uninspired to keep up with it. While it’s absolutely not an obligation to post regularly on social media, if it’s your passion, we simply recommend posting what truly gives you joy.

You’ll notice a difference in your attitude on social media, trust us!

74. Surround yourself with people who inspire you

There’s an old saying along the lines of “you’re only as good as those you surround yourself withâ€. If you have goals, surrounding yourself with like-minded people or those you look up to is a fantastic way to keep yourself in line with your goals. They’re likely to be honest, give constructive feedback and inspire you.

75. Have a social media clear out

Are you still following your old nemesis? We can almost guarantee they aren’t contributing anything positive to your daily scrolling. Unfollow anyone you:

• Barely interact with

• Find uninspiring

• Get jealous of

76. Stretch every morning

Stretching everyday increases your range of motion and stretches out muscles you use everyday. It’s a great way to relax and helps improve your posture too. Set a reminder on your phone for when you can fit in time to stretch. Your morning alarm could be a great place to start as it gets it out of the way too.

77. Go to bed happy

Had an argument with your partner or a really bad day? Try to make it a point to go to bed with a sense of calm. We recommend reconciling with whoever you’re having a tiff with, or giving yourself that much-deserved “me†time with an unwinding routine. You’ll feel loads better before turning in for the night.

78. Collect your debts

Lent money to a few people and haven’t got it back yet? Get your finances off to a good start by asking those you lent to for your money back. If they can’t pay up right away, ask them to pay by a certain date.

79. Make a bucket list

What kind of things do you want to see or experience in life? Make a bucket list of travel destinations and experiences. It’ll help determine your goals and give you a bit of motivation to achieve them.

80. Watch more films and documentaries

If you want to be more informed of happenings around the world or get clued up on social issues, then documentaries and films are a great way to keep up. Make it a point to watch one regularly, be that every other night, once a week, or a couple of times a month.

And there you have it. 80 easy new years resolution ideas to get you inspired and hitting all sorts of goals! Which ones did you set this year? Head on over to the Student Beans Twitter to tell us!