10 Things to Start in 2026 to Boost Your Health

As we step into 2026, it’s a great opportunity to pause, reflect, and intentionally shape the year ahead. At PACE, we take a biopsychosocial approach to health — meaning we consider not just your physiology, but also your lifestyle, stress, relationships, and environment. With that lens in mind, here are ten simple, powerful actions you can start this year to boost your health, energy, and wellbeing.

1. Begin by auditing your 2025 using a Resource Allocation Matrix.
Draw a square divided into four sections: Work, Physical Activity, Relationships, and Recovery. Imagine you have 10 points to allocate across these four areas and assign them based on how you lived last year. Once you’ve mapped out your 2025, ask yourself whether this reflects the kind of balance you want. Then redraw the matrix with the spread you’d prefer for 2026. This exercise helps you see whether your habits and time align with your values and highlights where you may want to shift your energy. Think of exercise and recovery as long-term investments — putting points into these areas now will return greater energy, momentum, and resilience later.

2. Improve your sleep hygiene by creating consistent, calming routines.
Sleep acts as the foundation for your cognitive performance, mood, recovery, and physical health. Establishing a wind-down routine 30–60 minutes before bed can make a significant difference. Try reducing bright light exposure, stepping away from stimulating content, and replacing late-night scrolling with gentle, non-demanding activities like light stretching, reading, or breathing exercises. A consistent sleep and wake time also supports your body’s natural rhythms. Better sleep leads to better decision-making, stronger workouts, improved emotional regulation, and more stable energy across the day.

3. Set clear, simple fitness goals that feel genuinely achievable.
Rather than vague intentions like “build fitness,” choose something specific, measurable, and realistically achievable. A great example is: “Walk 20 minutes, three times per week, for the next six weeks.” Your goals should feel slightly too easy rather than overly ambitious — this builds confidence and consistency, which are the true drivers of long-term progress. Once you set your goal, identify the barriers that might get in the way, such as busy schedules, low motivation, weather, or discomfort. Putting supportive systems in place ahead of time dramatically increases your chances of sticking with your plan.

4. Build habits using a simple behavioural framework that makes change easier, not harder.
Start by making your habit obvious — schedule your workouts in your calendar and keep your exercise gear somewhere visible. Make it attractive by pairing movement with something enjoyable, such as meeting a friend or walking in a location you love. Make it easy by simplifying the steps required; for example, laying out your clothes the night before. Finally, make it satisfying by tracking your progress or pairing the behaviour with a small reward. When your environment supports your goal rather than relying on willpower alone, consistency becomes much more achievable.

5. Check in with your nervous system daily to understand where your body and mind are at.
A short self-scan helps you recognise stress, tension, and emotional shifts before they escalate. Tune into the “five windows to the inside”: your breathing, heart rate, muscle tension, mental focus, and emotional state. Noticing these signals without judgment allows you to respond more intentionally, whether that means adjusting your exercise plan for the day, taking a short break, or using breathing techniques to recentre yourself. Free tools like the “How We Feel” app can help build this self-awareness, which is a key part of managing stress and improving emotional wellbeing.

6. Use movement as a stress-management tool rather than a source of pressure.
Movement reduces stress hormones, regulates your nervous system, and improves clarity and mood — but it doesn’t need to be strenuous to be effective. Aim to include one form of movement that gets you physically active (such as walking, gym sessions, cycling, or swimming) and one form of movement that supports your parasympathetic state (such as gentle yoga, stretching, breathing, or slow pilates). Restorative movement should leave you feeling calm, present, and ready to re-engage, not depleted. When movement becomes a way to downshift your nervous system, it becomes easier to stay consistent.

7. Choose one keystone habit that will anchor your week and create positive momentum.
A keystone habit is a small, simple action that naturally leads to other healthy behaviours — like a domino effect for wellbeing. Great examples include a 10-minute morning walk, drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning, preparing your lunch the night before, or doing a short mobility routine upon waking. The power of a keystone habit is that it builds identity and structure. When you start your day or week with one small healthy action, it becomes much easier to make other positive choices throughout the day.

8. Create a “minimum standard” workout you can rely on when life gets busy.
Rigid, all-or-nothing exercise expectations can lead to inconsistency when motivation drops or schedules change. Instead, design a short fallback routine — something you can complete in 3–10 minutes. For example: 10 squats, 10 push-ups, 20 seconds of planks, and a 2-minute walk. This allows you to maintain your movement identity even on low-energy days. You can always do more if you feel good, but the point is that you always do something. This approach preserves momentum and prevents long breaks in your routine.

9. Schedule recovery as deliberately as you schedule training or work.
Recovery is not a luxury — it’s a key part of sustaining long-term health and performance. Plan at least one restorative activity each week, such as sauna, gentle stretching, a slow walk, meditation, light yoga, or quiet time with a book. These practices help shift your body into the parasympathetic state, allowing you to recharge mentally and physically. By treating recovery like a non-negotiable appointment, you protect yourself against burnout and support better training adaptations over time.

10. Surround yourself with a supportive social environment that aligns with your goals.
The people around you strongly influence your habits, stress levels, and overall wellbeing. Seek out connections that uplift you — people who encourage your goals, communicate openly, enjoy moving with you, or share similar values. Whether it's a walking buddy, a gym partner, a friend you debrief with, or a supportive colleague, these relationships act as protective factors for your health. Your environment plays a major role in shaping your choices, so choosing a supportive social circle makes meaningful behaviour change significantly easier.