our favourite productivity + wellness tools for keeping on track in the new year
written by Jasmine Irven
We’re officially at the end of January! How is your goal setting and progress going? If you’re anything like us, this is the time the new year *officially* starts. It seems January is always almost a recovery month – from the chaos of family functions, the financial burden of the holidays, and from the alcohol, refined-sugar, and lack of exercise that seems to accompany the entire month of December.
I used to feel totally behind if I haven’t completely planned + begun implementing my goals on January 1 but lately I’ve found it more impactful to take it slow, give myself time to reflect on the year, and create goals that genuinely make sense and are important to me. Still making change in the direction I want to go, but doing so with grace and intention based on what feels good.
As we move into February though, I’m excited to really implement the things I’ve been working towards. I’ve reflected, gotten clear on the areas of life I want to focus on this year, and have made specific goals in those areas, along with simple intentions I can stick to (p.s. if you haven’t yet got clear on your goals, check out our ultimate goal setting guide for a simple step-by-step process)!
I’m sure I don’t have to remind you though, that setting goals is only the first step! It’s so important to have tangible steps you can take to make your intentions a reality, and it can be super helpful to have a set of tools to guide you along the way.
Here are a few of my fave wellness and productivity tools to keep me on track in the new year:
productivity tools
google home
I seriously love my virtual assistant. I have the Google home mini which is the most basic version of the product, and it’s still been so helpful for my sanity and productivity. Some of my favourite ways to use my Google home:
Setting reminders when I’m in bed and don’t want to look at the glare of my phone (i.e. “Hey Google, remind me tomorrow morning at 9am to reschedule dentist appointment). The reminders integrate seamlessly with my phone so I get the reminder regardless of where I am. You can also use the reminders in more complex ways. for example if you are putting a certain document in a spot you think you might forget in the future (guilty), Just say “Hey Google, remind me I put _____ in the drawer beside my bed”, and the next time you’re looking for it just ask and the assistant will reply with the answer!
Asking random questions (i.e. “Hey Google, how long will it take for me to drive to work?”, “Hey Google, what’s the weather today?”, etc.) – this saves me a ton of time searching on my phone, where I would often get distracted anyways and end up on Instagram, completely forgetting why I picked up my phone in the first place (anyone else relate to this!?). Note that for some of the more personalized answers you’ll need to update the information section in the app.
As a timer and/or alarm. I don’t like to have my phone in the bedroom with me, so my Google home is my happy-medium alarm solution (secretly dreaming of the day I can just wake up with the sunrise + no alarm but for now…).
Spotify playlists. I absolutely love music when I’m studying, getting ready, meditating, doing yoga, etc., and love the integration the Google home has with Spotify. I can specifically ask for certain playlists based on what I’m doing, and can use the music as a way to unwind, relax, or get shit done.
For ocean sounds as part of my sleep routine. If you’ve read my numerous posts on sleep, you’d know I’m kinda obsessed with creating the perfect nighttime routine. Sleep is sooo important and so neglected in today’s culture. One of my favourite ways to relax my mind and induce sleep is listening to ocean sounds (subconsciously manifesting my beach house I will someday own), which my Google home makes so easy (“Hey Google, play ocean sounds”).
things 3
To-do lists are definitely the most basic productivity tool, but they are still super important in my opinion. Daily, I like to have 3 main things I want to complete for the day (that relate to my bigger goals), and then a few more smaller tasks that would be nice to complete if I have time. Because I am really intentional about what I want to complete daily, there are a lot of activities, projects, and tasks that need to be done, but are “upcoming” or “future” tasks. Rather than keeping these in my head (which is so not a productive method – trust me, you’ll forget, or be so sidetracked thinking about everything else you have to do you’ll be too overwhelmed to focus on the task at hand), I keep them in my Things 3 app.
Things 3 is a digital task manager. I use it for upcoming to-dos, tracking projects, random ideas/ thoughts, and lists, sorted by the area of life they’re in. It’s super simple to use and has a clean layout which is really important to me. Here are a few of my favourite lists:
Daily cleaning list (this repeats every day with a few tasks – wipe the counters, quick tidy, dishes, etc.)
Books to read (whenever I hear about a book I think I want to read, I add it to this list!)
Blog post ideas (for whenever inspiration sparks)
Instagram caption ideas (broken down by different buckets which outline the key pillars of my brand - sustainability, wellness, health, personal development, etc.)
Big picture goals (this is essentially my life’s bucket list – a reminder of what my vision is for my life, and a reminder to be intentional in my everyday while still working towards these goals).
Regardless of if my lists resonate with you or not, the app is super versatile and you can use it in many different ways to track your productivity (i.e., maybe you break your lists up into your full-time job and side hustle, if you have kids maybe you have buckets for each of them, or if you are a full-time entrepreneur maybe you have lists for each client).
There are also a ton of other project manager systems and apps out there if you don’t like the layout of Things 3, but I can only speak to what I know and love!
a journal
I currently have about 15 journals on the go, but my goal this year is to streamline my journaling to 1-2 notebooks depending on the content. Overall though (despite my current chaotic set-up), journals have been a huge game changer for me and my productivity.
There’s something incredibly inspiring and grounding about putting pen to paper rather than relying on digital tools all the time. I use my journals for a few main things, central to my productivity and wellness rituals:
Morning pages. I have a whole blog post outlining a beginners guide to morning pages. Essentially though, morning pages are free-form journaling inspired by Julia Cameron’s book, “The Artist’s Way”. The process is meant to help you clear your mind, spark creativity, and get rid of any blocks because you are truly just writing anything that comes to mind without judgement.
Goal setting. If I didn’t write my goals down I seriously think I’d be about 10 steps further behind in life than I am. Journaling your intentions, goals, and motivations for the week/month/year helps to truly give you clarity on the life you want to live, and how you can tangibly get there. Read my full goal-setting guide here.
Book notes. I am a self-proclaimed nerd, and like to turn most books I read into true learning opportunities, meaning I make them essentially into workshops for myself. I take notes, reflect on the content, and look at what I can implement in my own life. Otherwise I find I’m inspired when reading the book, but then everything goes out the window a week after I’m done reading. Yes, this means I take longer to read most books, but it also means I’m really taking the content to heart, and using it to improve my life. If you want to learn my full workshop process, check out this blog post.
leuchtturm traditional bullet journal, dotted | simple lined indigo journals, set of 3
stickies on mac
The digital sticky notes on Mac computers are a super simple, sustainable, and free way to improve your productivity. They are really versatile but I use them mostly for tracking the weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals I am working on. Yes, I also put these in my journal, but my desktop is a place I look at multiple times daily.
Keeping my goals and ideas VISIBLE is so important in keeping them fresh in my mind, and is a constant reminder of the areas I should be focusing my time on (aka not social media!).
I also love the flexibility in that I can easily change and modify my goals, thoughts, and notes if something changes.
Often, I think, we can have some resistance around goal-setting because there’s this weird idea that once we say we want to do something we have to follow through or we’ve failed. Not true!!
Things change, stuff comes up, YOU change, and if you have realized you aren’t quite on the right path, or that an area needs more attention moving forward, that’s totally okay!
In fact, I think it’s pretty incredible that you’re able to recognize the need for change, and are looking to be more intentional with your time, energy, and other resources.
calendar background
This goes directly in line with the sticky note tip(s) from above. A digital desktop calendar is my favourite way to see my month at a glance. Again, it’s something I am looking at literally every day, and having the visual reminder is a great way for me to stay on top of my schedule: noting how many days are left in the month, checking in with how I’m doing on my goals, and reminding myself to be intentional every day.
I have the Graceful Living calendars from the Bare Creative Studio online shop, and absolutely love them. The calendars are the perfect size for your desktop, there is inspirational wording with gentle reminders about intentionality along the side, and the earth tones are completely my aesthetic. There is also open space along the left-hand side, which is the perfect spot for any desktop icons or the digital sticky notes I spoke about above! On their site they say, “each month acts as a fresh reminder to live in hope, to slow down, and to appreciate what’s important,” which I absolutely love.
Note there are some religious references on some of the months, so if that doesn’t resonate I would recommend checking out some of the other options in the Bare Creative Co., shop, or searching “desktop calendars ____ [enter year]” on Google.
wellness tools
We live in a culture that values hustle, burnout, late nights, and coffee, all in the name of productivity.
I truly do not believe that these things are what make a productive person. Productivity should revolve around giving yourself more time to do the things you love.
It should be based on what feels good to you, not what you see others doing, And it should be measured based on your goals and aspirational feelings, not for the sole purpose of just getting more done.
Therefore, a huge part of my productivity routine also involves elements of wellness to keep me grounded, help me unwind, and take care of my body, so I’m able to do more of what I love.
While planning for the future is important, and I’m all for having big dreams, you also need to focus on what makes your body feel good in the moment.
yoga mat
Yoga at any time of the day can be super helpful in giving yourself a break from the stress of work, school, other people, etc. I love using intentional movements to stretch my body, unwind, and really focus on just being in the present. It’s like meditation for the body, simply allowing yourself to be, rather than do; offering yourself a few moments of just peace and serenity.
Light a candle, or bring out some essential oils, put on some comfy clothes, roll out your yoga mat, and either follow a guided YouTube video like those found on the Yoga with Adriene channel, or feel into what intuitively feels right in the moment for your body.
Bonus tip – when you feel you need a break from your work, rather than scrolling on your phone (aka just another screen which is not truly a break), give yourself 10 minutes on the mat. You will seriously feel so much more refreshed and come back to your work with more drive and focus.
scoria cork yoga mat | use the code sustainablebliss10 for 10% off your order
sun mylk
When you find a ritual you love, you stick with it! Anyone who’s been following along for a while knows I absolutely love warm drinks. To me the ritual of sitting and sipping a drink while reading or journaling is incredibly calming – the perfect way to truly bring yourself into your body and focus on the present moment.
My go-to lately has been the Lake and Oak Sun Mylk, which is an adaptogenic blend of organic turmeric and spices with maca and ashwagandha, ingredients which have been shown to reduce inflammation, improve the body’s ability to manage stress, elevate energy and mood, and more. Wellness and health are of utmost importance relating not only to overall wellbeing but also to productivity. If you aren’t feeling yourself, you aren’t going to feel motivated and driven to make progress on your goals.
So, give yourself time to unwind and get grounded by sipping on a warm drink, journaling, and just stepping away from the stresses of work for a few moments!
sun mylk | lake and oak tea | use the code sustainablebliss for 15% off your order
diffuser + essential oils
We all know the importance of sleep in terms of health and productivity.
Without sleep you aren’t able to operate at full capacity, and you risk overwhelm, burnout, adrenal fatigue, and so many other of the buzzwords that seem to embody our hustle culture. The reality is if you’re not sleeping well, everything else on this list is secondary.
Sleep helps to reduce stress levels, increase energy, aids mental health, and support proper hormone balance in the body. lack of sleep can negatively impact all areas of your life, so having great sleep is imperative to productivity!
In order to get great sleep after a long day, I need a space that brings me back down to earth and helps me unwind. Natural essential oils or other DIY sprays are a perfect way to evoke peace and bliss in your room before bed.
Consider investing in a diffuser and essential oil blend to create a soothing atmosphere (I have the Aroma Om White Diffuser from Saje and my favourite essential oil blend is the Saje yoga blend). Both of these work naturally to help you relax, reduce anxiety, and feel centred.
Having a signature scent associated with sleep is also extremely helpful; as soon as I smell the yoga blend It evokes feelings of warmth and relaxation, meaning I immediately feel at home and ready for slumber. If you’re looking for more sleep tips consider checking out my ideal night routine, or this post on 10 things to consider buying if you want great sleep.
saje yoga grounding diffuser blend | saje aroma om® white diffuser
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about the author
Hey there! I’m Jasmine, founder of the Sustainable Bliss Collective, a Certified Meditation Teacher, and lover of all things self-care, slow-living, and personal development.
I believe that ambition and self-care can coexist, and as such I hope to encourage and inspire you to take care of yourself, breathe deeply, connect with who you are, manifest your dreams, enjoy the blissful moments of each day, and make an impact in this beautiful world we call home.
Connect with me on Instagram here!
