12 Dec 5 New Year’s resolutions for literacy practitioners

The new year is around the corner, and with a new year comes a new opportunity to start fresh and live the life that allows you to be your best self.

If you’re able to take a break over the holidays, use this time to decompress and completely disconnect from work. Come back in the new year well-rested and ready to take on 2023.

Here are 5 resolutions for literacy practitioners to commit to in 2023.

1. Learn a new skill. As a literacy practitioner, you live and breathe education, and lifelong learning should be practiced as much as it’s preached. Research shows that learning something new has positive impacts on many areas in your life. For example, learning a new skill helps you learn things faster over time, decreases the risk of getting dementia, and makes you happier.
2. Make time for grant writing. Lack of funding is one of the biggest qualm amongst literacy practitioners. With so much on the go, it can be hard to make grant writing a priority, but it’s extremely important if you want to continue the great work you do. Check out our handy list of  to help you get started.
3. Reduce screen time. Make a point in the new year to try and reduce the amount of time you spend on social media, your phone or in front of a computer. Excessive screen time has been found to increase the risk of obesity, sleep problems and diseases like diabetes.
4. Free up time with ready-to-use literacy programs. Finding new curriculum for students can be extremely stressful and time consuming. ABC Life Literacy Canada offers several free literacy programs that are easy to implement. Additionally, there is often an honorarium offered for organizations that run these programs.

5. Make “me time” a priority. As a literacy practitioner, you’re constantly thinking about helping your learners, which can sometimes leave limited time for yourself. It’s important to disconnect from work regularly, as it’s been proven to decrease stress, improve relationships, increase the quality of your work, and maintain emotional health. So, be sure to take a lunch break, go for a walk or treat yourself to a holiday. While it may be difficult, making time for yourself will help you stay energized and also indirectly help your learners in the long run.