If you tend to hibernate during the winter, you might have found yourself stirring back into action of late.
The days are growing longer and there’s the occasional hint that spring might be on its way, if only in the form of government rumblings ahead of the chancellor’s March Budget.
It might be around now that you start to think seriously about your goals for the year. Maybe you want to become healthier, more sociable, or travel more. Maybe this is the year you’ll get serious about that hobby that you’ve always wanted to take up.
Setting goals can be a great way to challenge yourself, so you’ll want to do all you can to achieve them.
We are all looking for a healthier 2024
Back in January, Go.Compare looked at some of Brits most popular goals for 2024.
They found that health and wellbeing topped the list, with the top three comprising:
- Lose weight (35%)
- Eat more healthily (32%)
- Exercise more (30%)
The top four were rounded out by Brits keen to look after their mental, as well as their physical health:
- Take better care of my mental health (21%)
Exercise can be as simple as a morning or lunchtime walk and could have the added benefit of time spent outdoors.
In the morning, fresh outside air can help to balance your circadian rhythms and, as spring nears, you might even be able to top up your Vitamin D.
If you’re lucky enough to live near green spaces, time spent in nature can have a meditative and calming effect, which could help to improve your mental wellbeing too.
Consider downloading a step counter to gamify your exercise and give yourself a target to aim for. You might even reward yourself at the end of the week for a job well done – if you reach your target.
Also on our list of 2024 goals was spending more time with family and friends (20%).
Arranging a lunchtime walk with friends allows you to be active and sociable at the same time, a win for your physical and mental health. It also gives you accountability, which could be just the push you need to turn your daily walk into a habit.
Financial concerns also loom large
At number five on the Go.Compare list is “Sort out finances/cut back on outgoings (20%)”.
While the last few years have been tough, inflation is now falling and the cost of living crisis – if not ending – is evolving. The Bank of England’s base rate remains high and while recent NI changes will see more money in your pay packet, the government’s raft of stealth taxes – in the form of threshold and allowances freezes – means your tax burden could still be high.
The first step toward your goal of sorting out your finances this year might be to make a list of income and expenditures. This will highlight areas where your outgoings are particularly high and areas where you might cut back.
Other financial goals might include:
- Get out of debt (26%)
- Shop around for better deals on bills (20%)
- Put more money in a pension (13%)
While the energy cap is expected to fall in April, there’s never a bad time to look for a better deal on regular household bills and utilities.
This will free up more cash to be used elsewhere, possibly to pay your future self.
Your pension is an incredibly tax-efficient investment vehicle. You receive tax relief on the contributions you make and can take an element of your pot as tax-free cash when you come to retire.
Balancing higher contributions into your pension with reducing debt could mean that you go into retirement debt-free and with more money to spend on living your desired retirement lifestyle.
Just remember that it’s ok to have fun in the present too.
Travel and taking up new hobbies are a top priority for adventurous Brits
Like walking, taking up a new hobby could be a great way to combine some of your other goals and make a new habit stick.
Gardening will get you out into nature and could be a real boost to your mental health, while taking up golf combines physical and mental exercise with social interaction, either out on the course or back at the 19th hole.
If you’re looking for a way to keep your brain active, you might consider joining the three-quarters of Brits who regularly engage in some form of puzzling, from jigsaws and sudoku to daily word games like Wordle.
You might find that 2024 is the year you get on top of your reading list, ticking off those books you’ve always meant to read. As well as being transportive and relaxing, reading could have other surprising benefits.
Last year, Big Think reported that reading fiction can make you more empathetic, improve your social interactions, and even make you more helpful.
If you’re after travel inspiration, meanwhile, let Expert Wealth help. Plan your next overseas trip by reading about baby boomer backpackers: 5 destinations for a travelling adventure but be sure to consult your guide to sustainable tourism first.
For a UK-based staycation, why not opt for a walking holiday and try one of Britain’s five favourite walks according to the official Ordinance Survey app.
