It’s January of a brand new year, which means you’re more likely than not to have some New Year’s resolutions. Although it’s important to let you know that there’s absolutely no need to change who you are, and the pressure that these resolutions can put on us can sometimes counteract the benefits of accomplishing them, we recognize that resolutions can be a great way to kickstart your year. If you are making some New Year’s resolutions, we’ve got some great tips for you so you can actually stick to them, and accomplish all your goals for the new year!
Keep them realistic
If you have never exercised before, setting a new year’s resolution that you’ll get a gym membership and start working out for an hour every single day isn’t going to be realistic for you. People can tend to set pretty unrealistic resolutions as they look at January as a fresh start to become a brand new person. But you don’t need to be a new person! If there’s things you’d like to change, or start doing, make sure you’re taking small steps so you don’t wear yourself out. This will make it far more likely that you’ll be able to stick to your goals! For example, setting a goal of taking a ten minute walk outside every day is much more manageable than an hour stint on the treadmill.
Be specific
Let’s say you want to start meditating four times a week in the new year. You’re more likely to accomplish this goal if you set specific days and times for your meditation sessions. Simply saying “I’ll do this four times a week” isn’t a specific enough resolution; imagine how easy it would be to just tell yourself you’ll do it tomorrow… and then you’re caught in a cycle of procrastination. Being specific with your resolutions forces you into a schedule and routine that you’ll very quickly adapt to!
Stay accountable
How many times have you talked yourself out of doing something? It comes pretty easily, especially if it’s something you’re resistant to, such as a boring chore or exercise. Having someone else to stay accountable to prevents you from skipping out on a resolution due to that pesky voice in your head. Let a friend or family member in on your resolution, and ask them to keep you in check. Offer to do the same for them, and you can start a pretty great system of accountability!
Gamify your goals
There’s a reason people enjoy playing games — they’re fun! Not to mention the massive dopamine hit you get from a satisfying win. Gamifying your goals can help you get more excited about not only accomplishing them, but also the act of doing them as well. A great way to do this is to set small rewards for yourself at various milestones. Let’s say your resolution is to keep your home clean. What if each time you vacuum the house, you let yourself watch your favorite TV show? You can also assign points to various tasks, and give yourself a reward after a certain number of points — washing the dishes can be ten points, taking out the trash can be five, etc. Rolling dice is another great way to gamify your chores — assign each chore a number, and roll the die to decide for you what chore to do! It takes decision fatigue out of the equation and makes you feel like you’re playing a game.
Have you made any New Year’s resolutions this year? Has there been a method that’s worked great for you in the past? Let us know in the comments — we love to hear from you!
