The More/Less List: The gentler way we're writing our 2020 New Year's resolutions.

Scrolling through Instagram late last night, I came across the account of Stella Bugbee, editor-in-chief and president of New York magazine’s fashion and lifestyle publication The Cut.

Nestled in her grid of chic interiors and magazine covers that really are works of art, I spotted a photo of a list.

The handwriting was chic, and the content, simple. It’s what Bugbee refers to as her More/Less List.

 

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I did a More/Less list last year and found it to be useful, so I did it again. Tell me all about cordyceps in 2020 – I’m all ears. ✌???????? Happy new year! What do you want more and less of? ♥️

A post shared by Stella Bugbee (@stellabugbee) on Jan 1, 2020 at 10:48am PST

A More/Less List is exactly that – a list of things you’d like to do ‘more of’ and ‘less of’ in the coming year. Think of it as the gentler, more easy-going version New Year’s resolutions. For example, Bugbee’s included more biking, good sleep, listening and documentaries, and less meat, small talk and assumptions.

Bugbee isn’t the first person to come up with such a list – in fact, she was inspired to write her list by her colleague Julia Rothman – but seeing it come up on my feed in-turn inspired me to ditch my semi-formed thoughts about resolutions and write my own More/Less List instead.

Sure, for some, a thorough, actionable list of New Year’s resolutions works. But research shows although half of us make New Year’s resolutions every year, fewer than 10 per cent of us actually manage to keep them for more than a few months, The Conversation reports.

Side note – the Mamamia Outloud podcast share their ‘words of 2020’ in this New Year’s resolutions-themed episode below. Post continues after audio.

This is because resolutions, or trying to come up with them, can feel overwhelming or like signing a contract and feeling pressured not to breach it. A More/Less List is kinder. Writing one requires a few small baby steps – you can simply jot down a few key words or everyday tasks you’d like to strive to do more or less of in your day-to-day life.

The trick is to keep your list short and based around actions and tangible things. For example, ‘losing weight’ doesn’t fit, but walking or pilates does. Then, stick your list somewhere you’ll see it daily like on your laptop, work desk or the back of your phone.

To kick things off, I asked my Mamamia colleagues and the good people of Instagram to send me their More/Less Lists. Theirs include such things as more connection, sleep (always more sleep!), fun, wearing SPF, Saturday nights in and sex, and less things like packaged sh*t, guilt, feeling bad for not wanting to have sex and using the clothes dryer.

If you’ve been stalling or feeling anxious or uncertain about making New Year’s resolutions, scroll through our lists and give writing one a try yourself.

Feature image: Instagram via @stellabugbee.

What do you want to do more and less of in 2020? Tell us in the comments below!