Put These 6 Essentials On Your ‘Winter Arc’ Checklist To Boost Your Career

With less than three months left in 2024, some are already thinking about their goals for the New Year. According to the new ‘Winter Arc’ TikTok Viral Trend, it’s time to focus on our health and wellness goals in the 90 days left of the year to start 2025 on the right foot. Although the trend has been around for awhile, it’s rising popularity is partly an outgrowth of the unwillingness of younger members of the American workforce to pay the price of burnout as a “normal” side effect of hard work.

What Is The ‘Winter Arc’?

The Winter Arc starts each year on October 1st and ends on January 1st. The trend is a commitment to refocus your daily routines and habits before the first of the year. This enables you to lock in a healthy lifestyle and beat the temptation to eat more, be a couch potato and lax mental wellness during the cold winter months.

How many times have you resolved to improve your habits and set goals? Or how often have you promised yourself to eat healthier, lose weight or exercise more? Then a month down the road, your vows are distant memories. You’re not alone. In the bleak frigid months when days are shorter, it’s easier to stay under the covers than face the cold weather for a run or workout class. And it’s more comforting to eat that second pastry for breakfast. But if you have a Winter Arc, you’re more motivated to continue a plan that you’ve already started than to begin one from scratch.

Typically, a Winter Arc involves setting old-fashioned habits like ample sleep, regular exercise, healthy nutrition and mindfulness in October so you’ve already made progress before January 1st. This could mean going to a yoga studio five days a week, refraining from eating fried foods, getting up in the morning to exercise at 6:00 am instead of 8:00 am.

If you don’t have a Winter Arc checklist, it’s not too late. As long as you start your mental and physical health goals in the final months of this year, you can keep your New Year’s resolutions. There’s no one-size-fits-all. But you can use these six essentials to customize your own Winter Arc based on your personal circumstances and wellness goals.

# 1 Create ‘When-Then’ Goals

This is a surefire strategy that keeps you from getting sidetracked. It builds healthy habits by helping you stick to the action part of a challenging goal: When X happens (the time), then I’ll do Y (my action). Plugging a goal of working out three times a week into a specific action Winter Arc plan might look like this: “By January 1st, working out three times a week will be a set part of my exercise regimen.”

Having the when-then rule on my Winter Arc checklist has worked magic in my personal and professional life. My plan to exercise regularly went from a vague “I will start exercising” to “Every Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 8:00 a.m. I’ll meet my personal trainer at the gym for a one-hour workout.” Notice how clear my goals are and how specific I am in stating the plan. Being specific about when and where you will act on your goals (the when) automatically alerts your brain to be on the lookout for a specific situation (the when) and the action that must follow (the then).

# 2 Make Mental Wellness Your Top Priority

Advocate for your wellness, no matter the pressure from your employer, and don’t back down when your mental health is at stake. Practice “me time” regularly and throw people-pleasing out the window if it conflicts with your mental health. Practicing mindfulness keeps your awareness in the present moment as you navigate the workday. It keeps you focused on your goals and stay on track. It reduces mind wandering and improves focus on healthy goals and work tasks.

Consider taking a meditation class or joining a meditation group. Incorporating mindful breathing techniques throughout your workday significantly improves cognitive function and reduces stress.

# 3 Focus On Self-Care Basics

Make sure to balance your workdays with nutritious food, regular exercise and ample sleep. Sleep is a vital time for the brain to consolidate memories and undergo repair. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule ensures your brain gets the rest it needs to function optimally. And there’s always good reason to take a cat nap during the workday .

An active lifestyle is an essential part of the Winter Arc. Indoor swimming, exercise classes or lifting weights at the gym keep you vital. Regular exercise not only improves memory but also sharpens thinking skills, enhancing overall brain health.

Eat healthy by avoiding gobble-gulp-and-go. Give your full attention to your meals by sitting and mindfully consuming food slowly. Eat healthy with leafy vegetables and a plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables. A diet rich in antioxidants can act as a safeguard for the brain against oxidative stress.

# 4 Take Micro-Breaks

Five or ten minutes throughout the workday help you unwind and reset your energy level. After hours of sitting, short breaks are effective energy management strategies that can be as simple as stretching, walking up and down stairs, snacking, deep breathing, yoga or a five minute mindful meditation.

When developing a new habit or routine, it’s important to start small and move slowly so that you enjoy more success. It helps to write your checklist and have it in a folder on your computer or some place where you can see it in black and white.

# 5 Set Healthy Boundaries

Know your limitations and where to draw the line. Tell yourself there’s a limit to what you can do and put the rest out of the picture. Consider that attitude not as a weakness but a strength. Send guilt packing If you feel guilty not working and remember that putting on the brakes for rest and relaxation gives you the fuel to accomplish your goals.

Don’t hesitate to say no to an unreasonable job request or when you’re already overloaded, trying to keep your head above water. Saying no more than you say yes is a trait of healthy and successful people. Your first responsibility is to yourself to shame or intimidation that can keep you from talking to your manager about the possibility of a deadline extension, a more flexible schedule or reduced work load.

If you’re a remote worker, confine work to a specific area of your home so your job doesn’t intrude into the lives of other household members. Have a designated space for your workstation instead of spreading work out on the kitchen table or in front of the TV. Putting a hard stop time to your workday is crucial. After hours, keep your work space at arm’s length as if it’s five miles across town.

# 6 Create A ‘To Be’ List

One of the biggest mistakes creators of a Winter Arc make is to over emphasize “doing” and overlook the practice of “being.” Rest and relaxation are imperative to mental and physical health, and there are many ways to chill. When you’re trying to relax, flip the old adage by saying to yourself, “Don’t just do something, sit there.” Slow down your pace and pay attention to your body and what it needs. A “to be” list can include restful activities such as listening to soft music, reading a good book or gazing out the window at nature—even watching the grass grow or a sunset or bird nesting.

Here’s to your health this October and in January of 2025!

By Bryan Robinson, Ph.D., Contributor