With the arrival of a new year, those of us that want to better ourselves have arrived at the perfect time and place; but where to start? I’m here to give you some unique tips and tricks to focus on self-improvement in 2026!
1. Productivity.
Yikes! You probably groaned in your head when you saw this, but it’s very true. This year (especially in this final semester for my fellow seniors), it’s time to emphasize getting our work done. Not only does this reduce stress, but also ends up giving you more time to do the things you love! A way to help boost your productivity may be creating a routine. According to judkin.com, students said that they were spending only 44 percent of their study time actually studying, while the rest of their time was spent with social media, etc. We really need to make this number go up if we want to succeed. This is something I definitely need to work on!
2. Mindfulness in what you consume.
This one may come off as a hot take. I’m not saying that you need to totally rewire your algorithm, I’m just saying that what you see on your social media does affect you!
When I “doomscroll” online, I usually want to see memes or something I really don’t have to think about, yet when I see a Christian video or something educational, I feel different. I will be the first person to say that the random brainrot on Instagram reels is absolutely entertaining (and for what reason I’m not sure). However, when you start to see things online that help you in any manner, whether that be educationally, religiously, or otherwise, it can serve as a way to improve your brain slowly but surely. It’s a good way to learn random things and increase your general knowledge! There are many people online that share neat facts about pretty much anything yet still deliver the bite-sized videos that have become universal. Who doesn’t want to be smarter in 2026?
3. Educate yourself.
This one definitely feeds off the last one. Yes, I know that when you get home you want to do nothing except relax, mindlessly scroll, play a game with friends, hang out, chill, whatever. I KNOW – but hear me out.
There are so many ways that you can put yourself ahead outside of school that are not super tenuous or boring! If you have specific interests, there are free ways to learn all about various things: classes, courses, etc., that you don’t have the option to learn about in school right now. For example, Hillsdale College has a plethora of online courses to learn about anything from geometry to American paintings. I have personally taken their Genesis Bible course and learned so much!
Additionally, MIT (yes, THE MIT) has posted many of their courses online in free YouTube videos. You can take classes from one of the most prestigious universities in the country for free.
In conclusion, only you can put in the work to make yourself better. No more excuses – you’ve got this! Whether it be one of the points from this article, or something you come up with, I hope that you are able to improve yourself this year.
