This month's lifesaver lifehack, concerns alternatives to resolutions, which can feel far too restrictive and become far too hard to maintain.

Self care can come in many forms, whether that is prioritising your mental health, implementing a healthy lifestyle, learning a new skill, rediscovering a favourite hobby, or carving out time for yourself.

So rather than a resolution, why not consider a monthly intention or goal instead?

These intentions or goals do not need to be a daily task, it can be as simple as setting a goal for the month, such as; reading a book from your too be read pile or trying out a new recipe.

The beauty of an intention or goal is you can set new ones each month, and set as many or a few as you choose, and that way you will hopefully pick up some new habits along the way. 

You can of course set a daily task within that month, such as 30 days of journaling and if you enjoy it, why not include it in the following month for another 30 days.

Here are some examples: 

January- 30 days gratitude journaling / Try a new recipe each week / Drink more water.

February- Eat at least vegetarian for two days a week / Go on a snowdrop walk.

March- Try out a new craft - drawing / watercolour / knitting / sewing.

April- Try an online or in group yoga class / Rediscover an old hobby.

May-  Walk more.

Now you get the idea, why not grab a notebook or write on the calendar, what you would like to try. Take it a month at a time and see how you get on!!

Now, a book we have heard all manner of fantastic things about since its release earlier this year, but have shockingly not got around to reading yet, is The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn. An evocative tale which spans from the 1920's into World War II, following the lives of three siblings from childhood to adulthood. Judie our Head of Design, and Emma our team blogger, have said one of their New Year's goals is to read this novel - and whoever reads it first have promised to reveal no spiolers!

Something a little bit different this month, to tie in with some of our suggested intentions and goals, a fabulous cookbook Four Seasons by Dairy Diary. This cookbook is based around eating seasonally, which is a tremendous help when trying to source food locally, or if you enjoy growing your own produce, like Sara in our order fulfilment team. There are some gloriously delicious recipes - and if you check out this month's seasonally scrummy, you will see we have chosen to highlight one of these recipes.

This is a wonderful hearty soup, as promised, from the Dairy Diary Four Seasons cookbook, mentioned in our book recommendations.

Their Slow Cooked Minestrone Soup - is fabulous any time of year. Bursting with nutritious vegetables, this soup can be chopped and in the slow cooker in a matter of minutes, to simmer happily away, until you are ready to settle down for a hearty bowl of goodness.

Please forgive us, as this isn't strictly an app, but FurtureLearn it is a wonderful online resource where you can do online academic based courses for free. Now don't be put off by the word academic, these aren't the sort of courses where you feel you are back in school, and you mostly certainly do not  have to submit an essay at the end.

These courses are done through reading articles and watching videos. After each segment there is a small, multiple choice test, but there is absolutely no pressure!

It's a lovely way to discover a new interest. Charlotte our marketing assistant's, eye was caught by the History of Royal Fashion course. It looks most intriguing and it is run by Historic Royal Palaces and the University of Glasgow.

One Life is based on the true story of Sir Nicholas Winton, who along with the British Committee for Refugees in Czechoslovakia, rescued 669 children from the Nazis, in the months leading up to World War II.

We fully anticipate this will be an incredibly moving, tear jerker of a film, with a fabulous cast; including Anthony Hopkins and Helena Bonham-Carter.