It’s January 3rd, and the new year is in full swing. I’ve made a few New Year’s resolutions for both my personal and professional life, and quite a few of you have probably done the same. It’s pretty easy to keep up with your resolutions as January begins, but how do you guarantee you’ll still be at it once we’re in the trenches of March and April, or that you’ll be sitting there on New Year’s Eve saying to your friends and family “I did it!”?
Well, it’s all about having a plan and following through. There are steps you can take to ensure you have a much better chance of success- recent studies have shown that only half of people who make New Year’s resolutions are certain of being able to follow through with them, and only 12% of resolutions actually succeed. So, to combat these disheartening statistics, follow these tips:
1) Set smart, manageable goals. Telling yourself that you want to lose 100 pounds in a year is not only a daunting task, but can cause you to abandon your goal when you feel like you aren’t making any progress. Instead, set a gradual goal of 1-2 pounds a week. This number sets both an achievable goal and a timeframe that will keep you feeling like you’re making progress.
2) Remember that absolutes are harder– another reason resolutions are so hard for so many people is that they try to make an absolute lifestyle or behavior change. Trying to quit something cold turkey- like smoking- can be a huge change to your system and routine. Look for an option to help you gradually step away from your habit of choice.
3) Accountability is key! The more people who know about your resolution, the more people will ask you about it, and help keep you on track. So, go public! Post it on your blog! Tell your coworkers! Tweet about it! The world is watching to make sure you succeed.
4) Don’t give up if you slip up! Don’t abandon your resolution if you make a mistake. If you’re dieting, and the siren song of a big piece of chocolate cake overcomes your willpower, don’t abandon the diet then and there. Write it off, say, “I’ll do better tomorrow,” them proceed to do so- and learn from your mistakes. Don’t give up your resolution just because the going got tough.
5) Establishing habits– the old adage states that it takes 7 days to form a habit, but 30 days to change one. Use this to your advantage to form good habits to support your resolution, for example, if quitting soda is a goal for you, get in the habit of drinking the physician-recommended eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, both to keep you hydrated and to keep you from reaching for the cola can.
As for me, well, to follow my own advice, my resolutions for this year are:
Personal: get back in shape- eat right, exercise, and quit drinking soda.
Professionally: move up or move out. It’s time for changes and new challenges.
Blog: post 2-3 times a week, and look into joining a blogging network.
So, join me and make your own resolutions, or just help me keep up with mine! Either way, I’m glad for your comments!
