24 Things To Do On New Year’s Day That Will Set You Up For Success In 2024

If you love the first day of the New Year as much as I do, you’ve probably got a special kind of pep in your step today. No matter how you rang in 2024 last night – whether it was a major letdown that ended with mascara running down your face and a regrettable text to your ex or the best night of your life that has your ring finger looking a little extra blingy – today is a blank slate (technically every day is, but why let that make today any less motivating?).

We’re on page 1 of 365, and this year holds endless possibilities. Who will you be on December 31, 2024? I’m willing to bet that if you’re reading this article, you’re ready to make some moves to ensure that the girl counting down the clock a year from now is a new and improved version of yourself. Where to begin, though? With countless articles, podcasts, and TikToks giving you ideas for resolutions and goals to achieve over the next 12 months, it can feel all too overwhelming (enough to make you simply surrender and crawl back into bed).

So, instead of providing you with overarching goals and lofty resolutions, I’m breaking down 24 practical and accessible action items you can do today (or at least, by the end of this week). Finish your coffee, grab your pen, and let’s get started.   

Do a 5-Minute Journal Exercise

Sum up your thoughts on the previous year – your accomplishments, failures, highs and lows, and favorite moments. Not only is this a nostalgic keepsake to look back on as the years progress, but it will paint a full picture of your year – the good, the bad, and the ugly – to keep you grounded and aware of what to celebrate as well as what to work on. 

Create a Vision Board

This can be digital or physical, whatever your preference. You may not believe in “woo-woo” vision boards that magically make all your dreams come true, but even if you don’t wind up with the 10 million dollar house you printed out, putting visuals to your goals is incredibly useful. See here.

Clean Out Your Purse

When was the last time you really gave it a good, solid clean? Flip that baby over and do a few pats to get all the gunk out. Wipe down the inside and fill it back up with only the essentials. 

Organize Your Desk/Office Space

The same goes for your desk and office space. Do you need 15 highlighters and receipts from 2009? It’s time to empty out all of your drawers, dust off the cobwebs, and get organized. 

Declutter Your Closet

If you’ve been hanging onto that purple peplum top with the tag still attached, hoping it’ll come back in style, here’s your sign to let it go. Simplifying your wardrobe can be insanely freeing – not only to help you get dressed in the morning with more ease, but to get really clear on what your personal style is too. Here’s our guide on how to purge your closet.  

Buy a Planner

I see you eyeing up that cute planner with the florals that match your aesthetic. It’s time to hit “check out.” A digital calendar is great for work if you’re constantly on your computer, but having a physical planner for personal reminders just feels so quintessentially feminine and adult. Which brings me to my next point…

Make a Reminder for Yourself for Important Birthdays and Anniversaries

Anyone else feeling personally attacked? My number one resolution for 2024 is to get outside myself and start prioritizing the relationships in my life – which means actually remembering my loved one’s birthdays and important milestones so I can celebrate them properly. No more “Happy belated!” or “I’m so sorry I totally got sidetracked,” or “That was this month?” 

Clear Out Your Phone’s Photo Storage

Do we need 80 pictures of the same floral arrangement, positioned slightly differently? Trust me, I get the desire for the “perfect” photo, but now that you’ve got it and it’s out there for the world to see, it’s time to go back through your camera roll and delete the extras. It’ll make browsing through your photos so much more enjoyable! 

Delete Unused Contacts in Your Phone

Jack from high school probably isn’t someone you’re calling on the reg – and while we’re at it, neither is “Cute guy from the bar.” It’s time to purge your contacts and keep only those you actually talk to. It’ll make those random butt dials that much less awkward, trust me. 

Unsubscribe to Unnecessary Text Alerts

Ugh. Can we all let out a collective sigh at the sight of this one? Especially with all of the holiday sales, I’m beyond sick of getting text messages at all hours of the day and night with coupon codes. 

Unsubscribe to Unnecessary Emails

See above and repeat to self as necessary. Especially if one of your goals in the New Year is to save money or spend less on unnecessary purchases, this is a must. Repeat after me: We don’t need 50% off something we weren’t going to buy anyway. Today is the day to unsubscribe in droves. 

Clear Out Your Computer’s Storage Space

Unused apps? Delete. Screenshots from that one work report you needed to remember? Delete. Clear your cache and any unnecessary large files and do any updates you’ve been avoiding and watch your computer return to its glory days. 

Reset Your Computer and Phone Backgrounds to Something Inspiring 

This can be either your new vision board (see above) or one of our Evie tech backgrounds. I may be biased, but I think they’re pretty cute. 

Make Important Health Appointments 

One thing about being an adult is that we can’t just avoid doctor’s appointments and hope for the best. Schedule your annual breast exam, a mole/freckle check with your dermatologist, a teeth cleaning, etc. If you can, schedule them all on the same day so you can optimize your time off work too (and treat yourself to a Starbucks while you’re at it).

Make Recurring Beauty Appointments 

Do you know that you have to get your hair colored every 6-8 weeks or that you prefer your nails done every month or that you’ll need a wax before your upcoming spring vacation? Schedule your beauty appointments now and add them to your planner so you don’t get caught at the last minute trying to squeeze into a time slot that doesn’t really work for you. 

Assess Your Finances 

Open up your bank account and have a look (scary, I know.) Make a list of unnecessary purchases or duplicate/forgotten subscriptions and cancel them. Easy as that. 

Make Financial Goals for the Year 

Okay, maybe it’s not quite that simple. Depending on your financial situation and goals for this year, it will probably be useful to make some money goals for the year, broken down by the month. Do you want to save $5,000 by the end of December? That means you’ll need to put away roughly $417 per month. Think about your reason for saving (like a down payment on a house or a luxury trip to Paris) and write that down too to keep your motivation front of mind. 

Set a Realistic Monthly Budget

Depending on how much you want to save (or how much debt you want to pay off), a monthly budget can be key to actually achieving your goals. Find out how much you realistically spend on basic necessities like groceries, gas, rent/mortgage, etc., and go from there. Here is a complete guide to budgeting for the girls that hate it. 

Ask a Trusted Friend or Your Man To Describe You in Three Words

Are “stressed, irritable, and pessimistic” your words? Hopefully not. But if they are, this practice can be a major wakeup call to change. As difficult as it can be, sometimes we need to hear what we can work on or how others perceive us (especially coming from people who know us best). Even if your words are seemingly positive, but unaligned with how you see yourself, assess if those are character traits you want to keep moving forward in the new year.

Choose Three Words You Want To Define 2024

Now this is your chance to define how you want your year to look and feel. Choose three words you want to define 2024. More on this strategy here. 

Write Down One Practical Action Step for Each of Your Three Words

Now, how are you going to ensure that these words ring true for you over the next 12 months? Write down one practical action step for each and add it to your planner to remind you as you move forward. 

Refresh Your Resume and LinkedIn with Relevant Experience

Whether you’re looking for a new job or not, refreshing your resume and LinkedIn with relevant experience and titles is essential. Not only will it reflect well on you professionally and the company that you currently work for, but it will make you more likely to apply for a better job if/when it pops up because you’ve already done the majority of the leg work. 

Purge Who You’re Following on Social Media

Are you “hate-following” your frenemy from college just so you can roll your eyes at every reel she posts? Are you constantly comparing yourself to the influencer who just seems to “have it all”? Or do you find yourself checking up on your ex to see if the new girl he’s dating is cuter than you? The New Year is an excellent opportunity to mute, unfollow, or even block people on social media who aren’t impacting your life in a positive way. We spend so much of our lives on our phones these days, so if the content you’re consuming isn’t uplifting, entertaining, or informative, it’s got to go. 

Set a Daily Time Limit for Each Social Media App on Your Phone

Can’t go cold turkey on social media for one reason or another? Your next best option is to set a strict time limit each day for social media apps. Thankfully, our phones are so advanced now that they make this shockingly simple. Go into your Settings, Apps, and then set a timer for Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, and whatever else you find yourself mindlessly checking, and watch your free time magically appear. 

Closing Thoughts

There you go – 24 things you can do today (or, at least this week) to set yourself up for success in the New Year. You got this! 

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