As it is the New Year, and by now everyone has returned to work, we thought we would write a list of our New Year’s resolutions, and how we are going to use technology to help to implement them.

1. Get some Headspace

I think we can all agree that January is not the best month. It’s cold, it’s dark, you’ve spent too much money on Christmas presents and parties, and summer seems a long way away. However, rather than letting it all get too much, we are going to use the Headspace app to clear our minds from stress, helping us to work harder and keep focussed, but also stay relaxed and beat those January blues.

2. Read More

In our busy modern lives, it can be difficult to either find the time or the motivation to read enough books, when it is all too easy to be distracted by a screen, be it the television, computer, tablet or phone. Mark Zuckerberg seems to have noticed this trend (which he is partially to blame for!), and has now started a book club on Facebook, which has already garnered over 180,000 likes, and the first book selected, “The End of Power”, has sold out on Amazon.

3. Learn a language

In our ever-increasingly global world, being able to communicate in more than one language is a vital skill. Now, thanks to apps like Duolingo, you can learn a new language on your phone, meaning it can be done anywhere. From the commute to the bath, there is now no excuse not to try to broaden your linguistic skills!

4. Drink better coffee

Here at the Forsyth Group some of us could safely be called caffeine addicts. This year, we’ve resolved to give up on instant coffee, and we have instead started ordering from Pact. With Pact’s algorithms, you can rate the coffee you receive and they will tailor future deliveries to your taste. The difference is unbelievable, with coffee now being a pleasure as well as a necessity!

5. Make small realistic changes

YOU-app is a new IOS app that aims to gently nudge its users into healthier daily habits by use of what they call “micro-actions”. Promoted heavily by Jamie Oliver, the idea behind the app is that to create sustainable change in one’s life, research has shown that small steps, rather than radical leaps, are far more effective. All of the above resolutions are achievable according to this small change principle, so let’s hope we can stick to them!