Making New Year’s Resolutions?

by Erin Sharplin Love | erinlove@panachebyerin.com

Does anyone really make a New Year’s resolution anymore?  Has the age-old tradition been left in the past and considered a waste of time?  To find the answers to those questions, let’s explore some research and maybe even find out why so many of us fail to carry through with the resolutions we do make each year. As a bonus, you might find a reason to improve some areas of your life. 38% of people make New Year’s resolutions each year, but only 9% of people stick to them all year.

Top Statistics from Drive Research:
A whopping 80% of resolutions made in January are forgotten by February! Surprisingly more men (86%) feel they will stick to their goals than women (79%). A good thing is that most adults feel positive about going into a new year and look forward to improving themselves or aspects of their lives, hence resolutions seem like a good idea for accomplishing those goals.  But then why are a majority of resolutions abandoned so soon?

Motivation dies with distractions that are inevitable in busy lives. To avoid this resolution killer, don’t use this excuse to abandon your goals. If you are distracted for a while, so what. Pick back up. All is not lost! A good reminder to keep you on track is to set yearly goals — whether you are a stay-at-home mom or a successful entrepreneur, setting goals is an important part of getting things done.  Rarely does something happen if you don’t commit to it. Write it down so it becomes real to you, then keep the list where you will see it every day.  Feel free to add to the list monthly.

Another resolution killer seems to be Fridays! So be aware of this “Quitter’s Day.”  Friday signals the weekend that we all look forward to. We tend to relax and sometimes change our routines, like not setting the alarm and/or staying in PJs all day. So, of course, resolutions like exercising more or getting organized are relaxed, too. Be aware of this pitfall and plan accordingly.

Making too many resolutions can be overwhelming and lead you to abandon all of them.  Commit to one or two that are the most important to you and your family.  The top resolutions made by adults include getting organized, exercising more, meditating, seeing a therapist, being more spiritual, and taking a break from social media. If you are interested in improving your mental health, there are Apps that can help keep you on track. One online resource is mind. It can help you find the right APP to fit your goals.

If your goal is to be more organized, start with one room in your house like the master bedroom. The master bedroom should be a place of complete relaxation for you and your significant other, so take time to declutter and organize the space this month.  Clear out anything that is weighing you down and that you don’t love.  Consider changing your bedspread or duvet cover – you wouldn’t believe how good it feels to make this slight change.  Remove anything that might be hiding under the bed and clean thoroughly so the relaxing energy has room to flow.  Finally, don’t forget to organize your bedside tables.

Ideas for sticking with resolutions all year include starting a journal or notebook. Write down each time you do something to reinforce your resolution. It will make you feel successful in your endeavors and serve to motivate you to continue.

Another way to stay on track is to sit down with your children or your spouse and discuss resolutions each want to make for the new year.  The goal doesn’t have to be the same for everyone.  The idea is to hold each other accountable for his or her efforts to maintain the goals all year.  It can be a fun project for the entire year.