The best advice we got in 2024
If you’re reading this, you probably know there’s no shortage of advice — good, bad, middling — in our digital landscape. Influencers are always peddling one weird trick to help you “hack” your health; many people on the internet won’t bat an eye before telling you to “divorce him,” and Reddit has become the de facto destination to tell you whether you’re being an asshole (and for actually honest reviews). Of course, if you’re a regular Vox reader, you might’ve noticed our practical guidance on topics ranging from personal finance to friendship to health and wellness.
As we close the book on 2024, I combed through some of the best tips and tricks experts gave to Even Better this year. From small tweaks to major reevaluations, therapists, researchers, dating coaches, and more have shared their insights with us all year. Here’s a cheat sheet for all the best advice we learned and will be taking with us into 2025.
Get out of your chair once an hour
If you, like me, have a job that requires you to sit for many hours on end, Keith Diaz, an associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, says daily exercise isn’t enough to offset the negative effects of prolonged sitting. (Those negative effects include higher risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even early death.)
Experts say you should be getting out of your chair at least once an hour. To help remind you, Diaz suggests using natural break points in your day as a way to get movement. Have an hour-long meeting? Go for a short walk after. Have to refill your water bottle? Take the long route to the kitchen.
Use past regret to inform your future
Regret, at some point in life, comes for us all. Instead of getting stuck amid the “what ifs,” regret can actually teach you about how to move forward in life. In her reporting, contributor Charley Locke found it helpful to “place your choices in context.” Why did you make the choices you did? What pressures or constraints influenced your decisions? Ask yourself what you can learn from regret: What do you wish you’d done differently — and how can you make those past dreams a reality now?
Make a specific observation to kick-start a conversation
There are few things more awkward than attending a party where you don’t know many people. Who do you talk to? What do you say? What should you do with your hands? Well, I have some advice that can help: Make an observation or pay a compliment. Talk to a stranger about the host’s immaculate design choices or approach the person with a Phillies hat and chat about baseball — you have that much in common. As for what to do with your hands, I’m still figuring that out, too.
Don’t be afraid to let your kids feel a full range of emotions
Parents are rightfully protective of their children — it’s their role to try to shield them from life’s misfortunes, after all. But parenting experts caution against being too quick to problem-solve when your child experiences emotional pain, social conflict, and even boredom. Give kids space to process their emotions on their own terms, says Dorsa Amir, an assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University who studies kids and culture.
Boys, especially, hear messaging reinforcing the importance of toughness and anger. “But part of being a full human is being able to access and express a fuller range of emotions,” Christopher Pepper, author of the forthcoming book Talk to Your Boys, told my colleague Keren Landman. “So for adults, it’s important to ensure it’s safe for boys to do that, that you’re not criticizing them or judging them for it.”
Get specific about your financial goals
Most people would probably say they’d like to earn and save more money. But are they totally honest with themselves about why? Advice columnist Nicole Dieker Finley suggests setting specific and realistic financial goals. Think more granularly than “I’d like to be saving more.” Even more specific than “I’d like to save more so I don’t have to worry about losing my job.” Get as nitty-gritty as “I’d like to save more because I want a financial cushion so I can start my own business.” Once you get specific, you can start making an actionable plan, Dieker Finley writes.
Figure out what you’re really fighting about
Not that anyone plans on getting into an argument, but if you do, keep this tip in your back pocket. Underneath seemingly petty disagreements over who takes out the trash are deeper issues at play. Influential couples counselors John and Julie Gottman call this the “dreams within conflict.” To get to the root of an argument, they suggest asking the person you’re clashing with questions like, “Tell me why this is so important to you,” or, “Is there a story behind this for you?” Hear them out and then answer these questions for yourself, too.
Don’t believe every health hack you see online
TikTok is rife with tricks and hacks meant to improve your health. Some of it is wacky and others might be downright harmful. Vox’s Keren Landman — an actual medical doctor — has some sage words for the health content consumers among us: “If a wild health claim is too good to be true, it probably is. … Is the person sharing the information trying to sell you something by making a health claim? If so, that’s a concerning sign, and you should be especially careful to further check the accuracy of what they’re saying.” Be on guard and don’t believe everything you hear.
To meet potential romantic interests IRL, take romance off the table (at first)
Many singles, exasperated by dating apps, are taking a tried-and-true approach to dating: meeting potential romantic interests in the wild. But there’s a lot of ambiguity in the real world — unlike on dating apps, it’s unclear whether that person across the yoga studio is into you, or is even single in the first place. To take some of the pressure off, relationship expert Susan Winter says to avoid flirting from the jump and to simply enjoy pleasant conversation with new people. “If you get boxed up, forget that they are a romantic prospect,” Winter says. “Actually tell yourself they are a human being and your task is to engage with this human being.”
Thinking about starting therapy? Don’t be afraid to shop around.
As with any personal or health relationship, fit is everything. A therapist could be exceptional, but if you don’t jibe with their style or personality, then they’re not the right mental health professional for you. Jeff Ashby, a psychologist and professor at Georgia State University, says you shouldn’t be afraid to shop around for a therapist. After trying on a mental health professional for a bit, you can decide to move on to another one. “You’re still absolutely within your rights — and not in violation of any norms — to move on to someone who’s a better fit,” my colleague Keren Landman writes.
Don’t go looking for news that makes you enraged
Cable news, X, that one Facebook group that drives you insane: There are plenty of sources of maddening information. You probably don’t need me to tell you how harmful it is to live in a perpetual state of anger. But part of breaking that cycle involves avoiding seeking out news or posts that get your blood boiling. Consume just enough where you feel informed and avoid falling prey to rage bait on social media. “I’m going to choose not to go looking for things that make me mad,” says psychologist Ryan Martin, author of How to Deal With Angry People and Why We Get Mad: How to Use Your Anger for Positive Change. “It’s not that different, honestly, from choosing not to see scary movies.”
Keeping your phone out of sight will help you embrace small moments of connection
Even the smallest, most mundane forms of social interaction have the ability to brighten your mood and make you feel more connected: a quick hello to a neighbor, a brief exchange in an elevator. It’s hard to engage in these moments of humanity when you’re staring at a phone. Nicholas Epley, a professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, says we should be more intentional to live in a way that promotes sociality — and that might mean removing your phone as a distraction. “I, for instance, don’t keep my phone in my pocket ever unless I’m supposed to talk to somebody,” Epley says. “I have it in my backpack. That just makes it easier for me to engage with other people when they’re around.”
Be skeptical of products making big health claims
Whether it be full-body deodorant, energy drinks, or the burgeoning number of “functional beverages” now available in grocery stores, it’s good practice to be cautious when a new category of products is making big health promises — and have an awareness of possible harms they may cause. It’s also wise to think about whether the product is just a solution looking for a problem. As Sarah Everts, author of The Joy of Sweat, told Keren Landman about the glut of full-body deodorants that were introduced this year: “Nobody’s being fooled into thinking that you’re a citrus fruit.”