Perhaps the champagne was stronger than expected or you were swept away with the euphoria of the celebration to start with a clean slate. Regardless how you celebrated New Year’s Eve, you have made your resolutions for 2023 publicly known. Will you set out in good spirits or are you already mentally preparing for Blue Monday? In this article, we’ll give you 6 tips for persevering when implementing ambitious resolutions.
1. Be as specific as possible
Many resolutions fall through before the end of January because they are too vague. “I’m going to exercise more,” sounds good and is certainly useful, but what do you mean by this? Will you sign up at the local gym or simply hop on the bike to work? The more clearly you formulate your resolution, the easier it will be to achieve. For example, “I’m going to play tennis with my father every Wednesday and Friday afternoon.”
2. Set realistic goals
It is tempting to hit the ground running into the new year, but then chances are you will still throw in the towel. Therefore, it’s wise to start with clear but achievable goals. Instead of: “I won’t eat chocolate anymore,” you can start with: “I will only eat a piece of chocolate in the evening with a cup of coffee.” From there, you can adjust your goal incrementally. Give yourself the time to adjust.
3. Make it fun for yourself
Resolutions are a great way to work on yourself, but make sure you do it because you want to. Your motivation won’t last long when pressured by others. The same is true if you must do something you don’t enjoy at all. Of course, this can’t always be avoided. Instead, try linking fun activities or hobbies to your resolution, such as: “I listen to my favorite podcasts while exercising.”
4. Don’t be too strict
Despite your best intentions, you couldn’t resist grabbing a burger on your way home or you couldn’t find the energy to go to the gym this evening. Instead of quitting on your resolution, it’s more sensible to permit yourself a slip-up or two. Thanks to the leeway you’ll be more motivated to do it right next time.
5. Build in a penalty
This sounds more dramatic than it is, since it can be a stronger motivator than rewarding yourself. For example, you can assign someone to frequently check up on your progress. Punish unwanted behavior, by the way, not the results you achieved. Examples of punishments include donating to charity or giving away a round on a busy night at the bar.
6. Ask for help
Many hands make light work, and this is also the case with your New Year’s resolutions. Especially when it comes to drastic lifestyle changes, it’s nice to have support from your partner, friends, and colleagues. In addition, you can also ask for advice from people who have successfully carried out their resolutions. Learn from their experiences so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
