New Year, new you? Whether it’s quitting a bad habit, starting a new good one, or achieving a goal, we all start the New Year with good intentions. But, did you know that 80% of us have abandoned our New Year’s Resolutions just a month into the year? Plus, by the end of the year, just 8% of those who set a resolution in January have managed to stick it out. So, what makes us a species of quitters, and how can you make sure you stick to your New Year’s Resolutions in 2018?
Why do so many of us give up on our New Year’s Resolutions?
There’s no single reason that so many of us have ditched our New Year’s Resolutions by February 1st. Some of us may blame life getting in the way of our plans. Others may lose motivation if they don’t see the progress they want. Science, though suggests it’s all in our thinking patterns. Over time, the things we do become engrained in our minds, and become our default behaviour when faced with a choice or decision. Changing a habit or creating a new one means creating new thinking patterns, and this takes time! If you’re impatient to succeed or don’t keep up the behaviour, then it won’t stick.
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SMART resolutions for the New Year
If you work in an office, or in any number of places, for that matter, you’ve probably heard of SMART goals. The acronym has a few variations, but they all boil down to the same principles. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based. Sometimes, Relevant is swapped for Realistic, which we think works better for New Year’s Resolutions.
So how can you make your New Year’s Resolutions SMART? Let’s take improving your fitness as an example. On its own, it isn’t a SMART resolution because it’s quite vague. But, saying you’re going to improve your fitness by running three times a week so that you can run a 5k in March – that’s SMART. You’re setting a specific task for yourself in the running. The number of times per week you’ll go makes it measurable – and you could use something like Map My Run or Couch to 5K to track your progress, too. The length of time you’re giving yourself makes it achievable and realistic – as long as it is. Having a deadline or a target event in mind makes it time-based. It’s that simple!
Read more: Sunny’s essential guide to surviving January
Other ways to set New Year’s Resolutions you can stick to
We often start the New Year thinking “this is it, this year is my year”, and make grand plans to change everything in our lives. Going back to the SMART principle, this isn’t realistic! Taking on too much at once – like quitting chocolate and vowing to hit the gym every day at the same time – can increase the temptation to give up on the lot, as you’re asking a lot from yourself. If you focus on one thing at a time, and layer up the changes gradually over the year, you’re much more likely to stick to your goals.
Having a buddy to keep you on track can also help you stick to your New Year’s Resolutions. Perhaps a colleague from work also wants to cut back on their biscuit intake and you can keep each other honest. Or maybe your partner is also up for joining the gym, and you can nudge each other along on the cold mornings where the duvet beckons.
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Most importantly, though, don’t forget to celebrate your success as you go along. Allow yourself rewards as you hit milestones so that sticking to your New Year’s Resolutions makes you feel good. Perhaps you buy a new pair of running shoes when you achieve a certain distance or time, or reward completing an event with a spa treatment to help you recover. Having something to look forward to is great motivation to keep going, even when you’re tempted not to.
Wishing everyone a happy and healthy New Year for 2018. Good luck with your resolutions!
