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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Emma Beddington

‘New year, new you’? How are we supposed to find the time?

Portrait of tired woman outdoors after her fitness workout.
There will always be something missing from the wellness routine. Photograph: Irina Shatilova/Getty Images

I’m not anti-resolution. I actually stuck to one last year: not a single microwave rice sachet has passed my lips since 1 January 2024 and yes, I do want a medal, thanks. But I also want to ask anyone implementing something “new year new you”-adjacent in the wellness space: do you really have time?

The wellness timesuck starts innocently enough, setting a manageable daily step count, maybe, downloading a couch to 5k app or targeting the NHS’s recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise. But once you get started, you’ll discover everything else you should be doing, especially if you’re a suggestible social media user. “Start strength training,” your algorithms nudge, raving about bone density and heart health, so soon you’re adding deadlifts and split squats to your weekly routine. Then it’s mobility – don’t you realise it’s key to avoiding pain and later-life problems, dummy? Do daily stretches or suffer the creaky consequences.

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