How to Stay Productive in the New Year

Noelle Armstrong

Ever feel stuck, bored, or like you should be getting more done? You’re not alone—I’ve been there too. Here’s a list of simple, practical ideas to help you feel more energized, focused, and productive in your everyday life.

Take Screen Free Breaks

These can really help with your mental health, and give you a chance to do something outside of a screen.

Plan Ahead

If you schedule your days ahead of time, you can feel less stressed out when it comes to knowing you're doing that day.

Prioritize your day

If you tackle urgent and important tasks first, you don’t have to worry about doing those things later, and can reward yourself.

Set Goals

Decide what you want to be able to accomplish, and break it into smaller and achievable steps.

Prioritize Your Sleep

It is very important to get enough sleep. Your immune system and physical health to getting enough sleep so that you are energized for the next day.

Avoid Multi-Tasking

You are actually more likely to get less stuff done when you are trying to do more than one thing, so try to minimize the number of things you are doing.

Small Changes with Big Impacts

Five things YOU can do this year to help your family save money

Mrs. C. Clark

Though you may not know it, there are several small changes that you can make to your daily lifestyle that could help your family save money. The money that your family saves from making these changes could pay for something fun, like concert tickets or a new TV. 

As an added bonus, many of these small changes could also have a positive impact on our local environment! 

Here are five changes we can all make that could help us save money, and maybe help our environment too.

Change #1- Use Less Water

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American uses 80-100 gallons of water per day. That is just for basic needs, like bathing, flushing, washing hands, and drinking. During the spring and summer months, the number increases because many of us use more water to water lawns and gardens, fill swimming pools, play on slip'n slides, etc. 

Ideas for using less water: 

• Take shorter showers

• Turn off the water when brushing your teeth or washing your face

• Collect rainwater runoff from gutters into barrels/containers

• Use leftover water for plants or animals

• Only run the dishwasher and washing machine for full loads

Your water use is not free. Your family pays for every gallon of water that is used in your home, or for the electricity to pump it, so cutting back on water consumption will not only positively impact the environment, but it can also help your family save money. 

Change #2- Lessen Energy Use

Monthly bills for energy use can really add up. According to KIRO 7 News, electricity costs rose over 12% in Washington from May 2024 to May 2025. By making a few changes around the house, you can help your family save money on electricity.

Most people think that if electronics are turned off they do not use any energy, but scientists have proven that is not true. Wired reports that even when turned off, appliances and electronics that are plugged in are still sucking "vampire energy". In order to stop wasting power, make sure electronics are unplugged when you aren't using them. 

Ideas for using less energy: 

• Unplug rarely used electronics 

• Plug electronics into power strips and switch the power strips off when you aren’t using them 

• Unplug cell phones/Chromebooks/tablets/etc. once they reach 100% charged

• Open blinds and curtains during the day

• Turn off the lights when you leave a room

• Hang laundry to dry (on a rack indoors, or on a clothesline outside during warmer weather)

• Wash your laundry in cold water

• Turn the heat down when you're not at home

It makes no sense to pay for energy you aren't even using, and cutting back could also benefit the environment.

Change #3- Stop Using Single-Use Plastics

There are many reasons to stop using single-use, “throw-away” plastics, but two very important reasons are 1) they are largely a waste of money, and 2) they contribute to litter all over Ellensburg. 

Ideas for using less single-use plastics: 

• Carry a reusable water bottle with you, everywhere, every day

• Use reusable bags, boxes, or baskets for groceries and shopping (leave them in the car)

• Pack your lunch/breakfast/sports snacks in reusable containers instead of using expensive Ziploc baggies and plastic wrap

• Buy powdered Gatorade/Powerade mix instead of single-use bottles

By not paying for single-use plastics, you'll be keeping litter out of landfills and off the streets, too! 

Change #4- Buy Used Items 

According to Reader's Digest, there are several items that people should always buy used, including bicycles, sporting goods, books, exercise equipment, and furniture. Buying used is a great way to stretch your dollar and save your family money. 

Also, when you buy used items from other people (this excludes stores), you don’t have to pay sales tax, which adds approximately 10 cents to every dollar spent! 

Ideas for buying used:

• Buy from friends or family (send a group text or email letting them know what you're looking for)

• Check online selling sites like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or Varagesale

• Stop at Garage/Yard Sales when you see signs

• Visit stores that specialize in selling used goods, like Goodwill, Value Village, Plato's Closet, and Habitat for Humanity

• Shop from online websites that specialize in used goods, like eBay, Poshmark, and Depop

Buying used items will save your family money, and sometimes you can find unique things that aren’t sold new in stores, like vintage clothes, old records, and cool collectibles. 

Change #5- Sell or Repurpose Your Old Stuff

Sometimes we have items that we no longer need or want. These items may be outgrown, or they could be something that your family just no longer uses. Most people just pile all this stuff up until they reach the breaking point, then it all gets loaded up and donated to Goodwill. 

But, this is an opportunity to make some money! If something is unneeded, you could try to sell it. Ask your parents or guardians to help you find the selling methods that would work best for your family. 

Ideas for selling, or repurposing old stuff: 

• Sell nice, like new clothes and shoes to a used clothing store, like Plato's Closet, Buffalo Exchange, or Crossroads Trading, or on a selling website like Poshmark or Depop

• List bicycles, furniture, sporting goods, farm equipment, horse tack, etc., on selling sites like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or Varagesale

• Organize a Garage/Yard Sale for all of your smaller items, including books, games, and toys (late spring, summer, and early fall would be the best times)

• Repurpose items into fun DIYs or gifts for friends and family (here are some ideas from Country Living)

• Cut stained or ruined clothes into cleaning rags (and save money on paper towels!)

By trying your best to make small changes like these, your family will most likely save money, and you might make a positive impact on the environment along the way.