Take a friend or make new friends to make exercise more enjoyable
How many times have you made new year’s resolutions to get fitter or healthier, quit a bad habit or exercise more?
Gyms are full for the first fortnight, beers are ditched in favour of healthier drink options and vegans aren’t the only ones vying for veggies… until the holidays end and we all sink back into old habits.
Maintaining good overall health, catching any potential issues before they escalate, and generally being your best self should be a year-round game – and with just a little bit of planning and preparation, this can be your best and healthiest year yet.
Depending on where you’re at in life, there may be many different things you can add to your 2026 checklist, whether it’s developing a new habit or just getting around to those things we don’t always prioritise. Here are a few you might like to consider:
Ease up on the alcohol
Cutting down the daily alcoholic beverages can have a whole range of positive impacts on your wellbeing – from better sleep to clearer skin and weight loss – and even a healthier bank account!
Whether those weekday wines or beers with the boys are to help celebrate, socialise or drown your sorrows, the short-term highs can quickly wear off and leave you with increased depression, anger or anxiety.
Take it one drink, one day, or one week at a time – whether that’s subbing in a soda water or a tea for one drink a day, having one alcohol-free day per week, or picking up a new hobby to give you something else to focus on. The little steps will soon have you feeling clearer, lighter and happier.
Quit the vapes/smokes
Are we seriously still smoking in 2026? Brother eww!
The only good things about smoking or vaping are… actually no, there are none.
Inhaling toxic, cancer-causing, heated chemicals that are often used in nail polish remover, weed killer, cleaning products and bug spray directly into your lungs is so not a 2026 vibe, so if you’re still doing this, maybe it’s time to look at giving it up.
There are plenty of support options available to help you kick the habit. Try downloading the My QuitBuddy app for Apple or Android, call Quitline on 13 78 48 or request a call back, or chat with your GP about prescription options or nicotine replacement therapy.
Plan/prep your meals
You don’t need to be a gym junkie to meal prep – nor do you need to eat out of a container for every meal.
Having a few easy recipes on rotation or meals prepped and ready to go can help avoid the temptation to hit up your local takeaway. And you’ll probably find you’ll get to eat sooner and avoid the dilemma of what to order anyway!
Try making a few home-made snacks to have handy as well – you can control the amount of sugar in them and ditch all those extra processed additives you don’t need.
Schedule your sessions
If you’ve said ‘I want to go to the gym more’, have a plan for what that will involve. Consistency is key in sticking to your plan, which could just be a regular Tuesday Pilates class before work and a Sunday afternoon walk to wrap up the weekend.
If boredom is your biggest challenge, now could be the time to pick a new hobby and enrol in that dance class you’ve been thinking about for years.
As long as you find something that keeps you motivated to stay active on a regular basis, you will improve not only your physical health, but also your mental and social health.
Slip, slop, slap, seek, slide and SLAY
While Queensland is known as the sunshine state thanks to its abundance of sunny days, it also makes us the skin cancer capital of the world.
While it’s easy to think ‘it won’t happen to me’ or ‘it’s just getting a mole cut off’, two in three Australians will be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer in their lifetime. Some of these skin cancers will require chemotherapy and long-term monitoring, and for some people, these cancers will prove fatal.
Next time you’re heading outdoors, slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, slap on a hat, seek out some shade, slide on those sunnies and slay the days away.
Check in on your checkups
We all lead busy lives, and routine health check-ups are easy to put off for another day, week or month – but it’s really important to do those preventative checks on time.
These checks are designed to catch any health issues early – before they potentially become a big problem. Many should be undertaken once a year, with some not needed quite as often.
Important health checks you should consider include:
Skin: It’s critical to keep an eye on any new or changing spots, marks or sores on your body. Skin changes can be a sign of skin cancer, and it’s important to get an annual skin check with your GP or a dermatologist. They can help detect any skin changes that look suspicious or may be a sign of skin cancer, and help you take action. Early detection of skin cancers is key to ensure positive treatment outcomes, and in the case of melanoma, before it spreads to other parts of the body.
Dental: Poor dental health doesn’t just lead to bad breath and cavities – it can also cause gum disease, heart disease and other health issues. On top of regular brushing and flossing, it’s important to book in to see your dentist every 6-12 months for a check-up and clean to maintain good oral health.
Eyes: It’s not always obvious when you have an eye condition developing, but an optometrist can check for early signs of cataracts, glaucoma or macular degeneration before symptoms occur, with many eye conditions being treatable. They can also keep you seeing clearly with updated glasses prescriptions as required.
Make sure you pop in for an eye test at least every two years, or more often if you’re over 65.
Cervical screening: Cervical screening is the best way to prevent cervical cancers through early detection and treatment, even if you’ve received the HPV vaccine.
A cervical screening test is recommended every five years (unless an abnormality has been recently detected) for women or people with a cervix. Contact your health provider to arrange a test. The doctor or a nurse can do the test for you or you can choose to self-collect your sample.
Breasts or testicles: This check is one you can do yourself. Self-check your breasts or your testicles regularly – about every month – feeling for any lumps or changes. If you do feel something out of the ordinary, follow up with your doctor.
Sexual health: If you are sexually active, you should get tested for sexually transmitted infections each year. You can go to your usual doctor, or order a free 13 HEALTH Webtest.
Mental health: If you feel like you might be experiencing anxiety or depression, ask your GP for a mental health assessment. They can refer you to see a psychologist for up to six Medicare rebatable sessions per year, plus an additional four after that if needed.