Start the new year off on the right foot: here are 5 ways to make life a lot easier

In what feels like the blink of an eye, 2021 is over. The new year is here, and it’s a perfect time for us to start anew and hit that 21st-century-life refresh button.

Let’s be real: 2020 and 2021 were tough years for all of us. While there’s no guarantee that 2022 will be completely smooth sailing, we can each make adjustments to give ourselves more time back in our days and ultimately reduce stress.

But since developing good routines and sticking to them can take longer than we anticipate, there’s no time like the present to get started. Don’t worry if you’re unsure of where to start; we’ve rounded up five ways to make life a little easier for you.

Try express grocery delivery

Jason Briscoe/Unsplash

Taking a trip to the grocery store can be a bit of a process when you have to clear the snow from your car and driveway before you even think about getting on the road. But if you require last-minute essentials for dinner, there is a faster solution: Walmart Canada’s Online Grocery Delivery service.

You can enjoy the convenience of having your groceries delivered right to your doorstep when you spend $35 or more (this is available at select locations only and comes with a delivery fee).

For those of you who’ve ever wanted to try a grocery delivery service, this is the perfect time to do so. For a limited time, save $3 on all grocery delivery fees at Walmart Canada from now until February 28, 2022, at 11:59 pm (this is only available to regions where the Grocery Delivery service is available and it excludes certain postal codes). With the discount, you can get those last-minute essentials in as little as two hours with express delivery, now only $11.97.

Bonus: you can save money (as well as time) with low prices on groceries, and the option to order beauty items, cookware, toys for the kids and more. With more delivery slots available for you to choose from, grocery shopping can (finally) be stress-free.

If you’re a new customer, you can get $15 off your first four orders of $75 or more when you use the code 60CANADA at the checkout. Check out the Walmart website for details and set up your account (this offer expires on February 28, 2022). To learn more and start shopping for everything you need, visit walmart.ca.

Make self-care a priority

Taryn Elliott/Pexels

First and foremost, it’s time to invest in yourself and your self-care rituals. All too often, we can get caught up in the bustle of work, catching up with friends and family, and everything in between that we put self-care to the bottom of our to-do lists. But this should be the first thing we think about so that we’re revitalized for our workdays. Self-care looks different for everyone, and the smallest things, whether relaxing in the bath or reading a new book while wearing a face mask — make all the difference.

Get organized a day earlier

Greta Hoffman/Pexels

There’s nothing worse than starting your day not knowing what you have to get done. Without a general plan, every little thing can take longer. However, one way to combat that is to get organized every evening, whether by jotting your next day’s tasks down on your phone, a to-do list app, or in a notebook. This way, you already know what’s coming up and how you will approach it. Choosing your outfit the day before also gives you one less thing to worry about — freeing up the start of your day for the things that matter most.

Create a simple budget

Creative Christians/Unsplash

Financial planning and money management overall is not everyone’s cup of tea, and for that reason, examining your finances can seem more stressful. Like so many other aspects of life, it doesn’t need to be this way, and making a simple monthly budget goes a long way. You could do anything from preparing a spreadsheet outlining your income and expenses or downloading one of the many helpful budgeting apps out there — some of which you can link to your bank account so you’ll be alerted when you need to review your spending.

Spend more time outside

Yan Krukov/Pexels

While this might sound like a peculiar life hack to have on a list, we could all use a friendly reminder to spend more time in the great outdoors this year. With remote and hybrid work now mainstays for so many Canadians, it’s easy to wake up, log in to your computer, and get into the flow of work without leaving your home. Spending more time outside, whether it’s a walk in the morning or a stroll after work, can be incredibly beneficial for your overall well-being. Plus, a change of scenery is always good for productivity and inspiring ideas.

Pickup: excludes Penguin Pickup locations. Minimum $35 order before taxes and fees. See Walmart.ca for details.

Promo: must have a Walmart.ca account and spend a minimum of $75 (before taxes and fees) to be eligible. Offer is valid for new customers. Walmart reserves the right to modify this offer. Offer ends on February 28, 2022.