Making New Year’s resolutions when you’re feeling motivated is easy – but sticking to them after the initial enthusiasm wears off is a whole other story. How can you make sure you keep your New Year’s resolutions long after January has ended? These seven easy tips will help to keep you on track.

Set SMART Goals

SMART goals are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-focused and Time-bound. Be specific and realistic about what you want to achieve; make sure you can measure your progress in a tangible way, and set out timelines and milestones so you can track your progress as the year continues.

Commit to it in Writing

Research has shown that writing your goals down increases the likelihood of acting on them. Put pen to paper and write down your (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-focused, Time-bound) aspirations. Keep your list in a place where you can see it every day, or at least go back to it regularly to reflect on your progress and adjust your goals as needed.

Don’t Go “Cold Turkey”

Speaking of keeping things realistic, remember that you can’t quit all your bad habits overnight. Start small, slowly reducing one bad habit and replacing it with a healthier, more positive one. If you try to do too much too fast, chances are you’ll get fed up or discouraged, and slide back into your old negative habits.

Choose an Accountability Partner

Join forces with a friend, family member or colleague who also wants to stick to their goals for the year. Share your goals with each other, and check in regularly. Hold each other accountable and celebrate each other’s progress.

Seek Out Support

You don’t have to limit sharing your goals to your accountability partner. Tell others in your life what you’re aiming to achieve, and ask them to help you by reminding you of your resolutions and holding you accountable. For example, if you want to cut out junk food, ask your partner not to keep tempting goodies in the house, and have them remind you of your resolution when you reach for that packet of crisps in the grocery store. Having extra support will help to keep you on track.

Don’t be too Hard on Yourself

Nobody’s perfect, and it’s completely normal to mess up sometimes. Don’t let a couple of mistakes derail your resolution completely – just recognise that you’re going to “break” your resolutions from time to time, and the important thing is to keep on working towards your goals anyway.

Start Today!

It’s all too common for us to say, “I’ll start in January/ on Monday/ after my birthday” and so on. In all honesty, there’s no reason to wait for New Year’s Day, or any other specific time, to start changing your habits and life for the better! If there’s something you want to achieve, there’s no time like the present to start working towards it.

Wishing you all the best with your New Year’s resolutions for 2019!

 

 

Sources

Smart Goals. Retrieved from: https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/smart-goals.php

14 Ways to Continue Sticking to your New Year’s Resolution. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/01/23/14-ways-to-keep-sticking-to-your-new-years-resolution/#a4efcbb59317

Making Your New Year’s Resolution Stick. Retrieved from: https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/resolution.aspx

How to Stick to your New Year’s Resolutions this Year. Retrieved from: https://theartofcharm.com/empowerment/stick-new-years-resolutions-year/