How To Stick To New Year’s Resolutions

Hands up if you made a New Year’s resolution. Now keep your hands up if you’ve stuck to it. Probably quite a few of you with your hands down! The stats make for a very telling story – while 28 million of us in the UK have made a commitment to do something new in 2022, around two-thirds will abandon their resolutions within the first month! While making resolutions is easy, it is sticking to them that is definitely the problem. If you’re struggling to keep your commitments going, then you are not alone, and this article is definitely for you. Here’s how to stick to New Year’s resolutions.
Be Realistic
When you’re thinking about New Year’s resolutions, then at the outset you need to keep it real! There is no point going into the New Year with a goal you know in your heart is unachievable at this stage in your life. For example, if you’re a very social animal, you may give your liver a pounding over the festive season. Although Dry January might be a very sensible move, if you crack halfway through the month, you’ll probably fall off the wagon altogether. It’s often better to go with a smaller goal that is achievable so that it is easier to stick with it. So, instead of doing the full monty, resolve to cut down on the booze or the cigarettes throughout the year. Same applies to any other resolution!
Keep The Numbers Down
Be sure to limit the number of resolutions you set. If you are trying to focus on achieving multiple things at once you are far more likely to fail. It becomes a major effort to focus on all the resolutions and stick to them. A study found that around 1 in 10 people who failed said they made too many resolutions. Certainly, it’s better to succeed at one or two resolutions than to fail at five or six. Focus on one of two commitments, then if you meet them at year’s end, then make two new ones for the next year.
Set Mini Goals
To keep yourself motivated to achieve your resolutions all year round, set mini goals. Aim to stick to them for one month, then two months, then three months and so on. A year is a long time: it is very easy for energy and motivation to flag. Taking a shorter-term view with new stages could pay off. It’s also a great way to build in regular rewards as you complete each “mini milestone”. I don’t mean jetting off on holiday for 2 weeks in the sun for making your bed every day for three months – but recognise the achievement you have made and be proud of it! Setting mini goals will help sticking to your New Year resolutions much easier. There are many ways to improve your lifestyle and focusing on them bit by bit is often the best way forward.
Track Your Progress
Another crucial way to stick to your New Year’s resolutions is to visually track your progress. Whether that be on a mood board or making a graph, whatever works best for you. A great (and very visual) idea is to simply put beads or buttons in a jar. This would be a good one for weight loss, for each ounce of fat you lose you could add a button to the jar and watch as the jar fills up till you reach your goal.
Similarly, this could be beneficial for your mini goals mentioned above as well. When you’re looking at a chart or other visual measures recording your progress, you are more likely to want to keep going. And don’t forget – whatever resolution you are looking to stick to, there is an app out there that can help! Whatever works for you – use it, and don’t give up.
Talk About It
Keeping silent about what you have chosen to commit to can negatively impact your motivation to stick to it. Be open with those close to you and use their encouragement to help you. Once you have told some people about your New Year’s resolutions it makes it harder for you to back out of them too! You might even realise that others around you have made the same or similar resolutions to you. In which case, you can help to encourage each other by sharing tips or tools that help you succeed.
Remember A Slip Is Not A Fall
Again, remember a year is a long time. It is easy to be distracted, or for events to derail our best intentions. After all, we are living in very unusual times, with stress and anxiety levels very apparent through our society. If you do slip up at any time over the year, then don’t give up. Stay positive, give your self a round of applause and start again. You’ll soon be back on track.
Final Thoughts
So, while sticking to New Year’s resolutions is nowhere near as easy as choosing them, there is a lot you can do to stay motivated. The key is finding out what works for you. When all is said and done, you are your own boss and if someone thinks you can’t do it, go out there and prove them wrong!
Do you have any other ideas of what you can do to stick to New Year’s resolutions? We’d love to hear what you think and if you have any suggestions to add to these ideas. Email us at hello@muvemediaandmarketing.co.uk
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