It’s 2026! The new year is always an exciting time, with 365 days of possibilities before us. Most of us require momentum to make meaningful changes, and a new year provides the kickstart we need to form good habits. But life moves fast, and unless we’re intentional those opportunities quickly slip by. If you’re itching to make some changes, now is the perfect time to start.
But be careful: too much all at once rarely produces lasting change. A true “kickstart” should include small, achievable goals which become sustainable lifestyle choices. “Slow and steady wins the race,” after all. Below are five easy ways for a high school student to kickstart this new year, and hopefully see some excellent results in 2026.
Get a Planner (But One Tailored to Your Goals) 
It’s a vicious cycle: you buy a planner on January 1, eagerly track everything for a week, miss a day in week two, and before you realize it the planner hasn’t been touched in months. It’s happened to me a million times. The key is to (a) decide your goals before you purchase the planner and (b) ensure those goals aren’t too ambitious.
Do you need help remembering your weekly commitments? Or tracking and accomplishing specific tasks? Do you want to track everything or just some things, like your school schedule? (If it’s the latter, no need to purchase anything. Just download our weekly assignment sheet and read my article about how it can help students succeed!)
Do a Mini Academic Audit
Don’t overcomplicate this one. Begin by just asking a few questions. What’s going well? What took me the most time? Where do I need to improve? What class / homework do I dread the most? What do I look forward to the most? An honest assessment is better than a thorough one. It’s the beginning of a new calendar year, but you’re already halfway through the school year, so there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.
An honest assessment is better than a thorough one.
Declutter Your Room
Whenever I was a student and got super busy, my bedroom looked like a tornado just hit. As an adult, I’m busier than ever, but my home is much cleaner now. I’ve learned that I function better in a well-ordered environment, so I prioritize decluttering regularly and ensuring that everything I own has a “home” of its own. Take a few hours to declutter and organize your room before the semester really shifts into high gear. You’ll be surprised by the peace and focus it brings you.
Add One Quick, Easy Win to Your Morning Routine
Make your bed. Read non-school books for 15 minutes a day. Spend time journaling (the experience might surprise you). Study Scripture. Go for a walk. It doesn’t matter what you choose. The point is to accomplish one task shortly after waking, which helps teach discipline and sets you up for success throughout the whole day. But don’t take it from me: former Navy SEALs have written whole books about the benefits of this behavior. (We read Admiral McRaven’s book in our Business & Entrepreneurship class for this reason.) It’s amazing what a little momentum can do!
Make your bed. Read non-school books for 15 minutes a day. Spend time journaling. Study Scripture. Go for a walk. It doesn’t matter what you choose. The point is to accomplish one task shortly after waking.
Create (or Update) a Resume
I would have found this step very intimidating as highschooler, but it’s now much easier thanks to Chat GPT (or your AI of choice). There are many times AI use is inappropriate, especially when it comes to school work. You should always keep that in mind. But AI is good at resume writing.
Take 30 minutes to write down what you’ve done so far as a high schooler (volleyball captain, academic honors, part-time jobs, etc.). Put the list into Chat GPT and ask it to format the experience into a resume for a high schooler. Always remember to review the resume afterward and make necessary tweaks. You might want to have an adult look at it too.
If you aren’t comfortable using AI to format your resume, you can use Google to find templates and other helpful tools.
Cheers to 2026! May it be productive, peaceful, and full of exciting adventures!
