Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis offered 13 tips to make 2013 the best year yet, including committing to lifelong learning, volunteering, paying down debt, using a smartphone to quit smoking, minding your health, kicking car habits, making every day count with children, getting more sleep, and consuming more culture.

1. 13 steps to make 2013 your
best year yet
Based on decades of
study, researchers at
Washington University
in St. Louis have
offered 13 notable, no-
holds-barred, what-are-
you-waiting-for tips to
make 2013 your best
year yet.
http://www.rediff.com/getahea
d/slide-show/slide-show-1-
specials-year-end-make-
2013-your-best-year-
yet/20121224.htm?print=true
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2. 1. Make 2013 the year you
commit to lifelong learning
• "Taking a class in a subject
you enjoy is a great way to
rekindle your love of learning.
• If you give yourself the
freedom to explore new
interests, you might uncover a
passion that you never knew
existed,"
– said Robert E. Wiltenburg, PhD,
dean of University College, the
professional and continuing
education division of Arts and
Sciences at Washington
University.
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3. 2. Walk in the park
• A quick walk in the
park can do wonders
to reduce stress and
increase focus,
– according to Aaron
Hipp, PhD,
environmental health
expert and assistant
professor of social
work at WUSTL's
Brown School.
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4. 3. Volunteer
• Volunteering is good for your
physical and mental health, as
well as the local economy,
– said Amanda Moore McBride, PhD,
associate professor and associate
dean for social work at the Brown
School and director of the university's
Gephardt Institute for Public Service.
• "Research links volunteering
with improved overall well-
being, and connections
between people within a
community correlates with
strong economic indicators,"
– she noted.
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5. 4. Get your social media house
in order
• The Internet and social
media have opened up
exciting new
possibilities to connect
with others and new
vistas to share our
preferences in films,
books and music.
• Have fun.
– But be cautious.
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6. 5. Rediscover the library
• A library card can be the
most powerful item in
your wallet, opening up
vast resources that will
enrich your life and give
you access to more than
you can imagine,
– said Jeffrey G. Trzeciak,
university librarian at
WUSTL.
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7. 6. Step away from your desk
• Physical activity
improves health, lowers
stress and increases
productivity.
• In addition research has
shown that exercise
reduces the risk of
diseases such as breast
cancer, colon cancer
and Alzheimer's.
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8. 7. Pay down your credit
card debt
• Paying down your
debt more quickly is
a positive step
toward a happier,
more prosperous
new year.
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9. 8. Use your smart phone to
quit smoking
• If you use nicotine
replacement therapy and take
advantage of some form of
counseling to help, you are
more likely to be successful in
quitting,
– Sarah Shelton, manager of
research and evaluation at the
Brown School's Center for Public
Health Systems Science.
• Use your smart phone to get
text messages of support,
tweets and access websites
that give step-by-step
encouragement,
– Shelton suggested.
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10. 9. Mind your health
• Committing to eating
a healthy breakfast,
paying attention to
grocery nutrition
labels or sticking with
a consistent exercise
regimen can help
you get healthier in
the new year.
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11. 10. Kick the car habit
• Leave your sedan, SUV or
minivan in the garage and try
alternative means of
transportation, such as public
transit, bicycling, walking or
park-and-ride commuting.
• Shifting your commuting
habits can have a measurable
impact on the environment
and on your health,
– said Phil Valko, director of
sustainability at WUSTL.
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12. 11. Parents should make
every day count
• In order to be happy,
well-adjusted children
that grow into happy,
well-adjusted adults, kids
need happy, well-
adjusted parents,
– said Kelly L. Ross, an
assistant professor in the
Department of Newborn
Medicine at the
Washington University
School of Medicine.
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13. 12. Get more sleep
• For decades studies
have confirmed the
positive effects of
overnight sleep on our
ability to retain
information and to
perform tasks.
• In fact, recent research
suggests that sleep may
help clear the brain for
new learning.
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14. 13. Consume more culture
• Make it a point to visit
your local museums,
galleries, theaters,
dance companies and
music venues.
• The arts not only
educate and entertain,
but they help us to better
understand ourselves
and others.
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