As thoughts of new year, new beginning start to fade, you may find that keeping your New Year’s resolution has fallen off your to-do list. Maybe you gave up on “eating healthy” as soon as you got back to school and your friends asked if you were in for Chipotle. Maybe you’ve found yourself blaming snowstorm Jonas for keeping you from getting outside for your morning run. It’s easy to lose motivation, but the year has barely begun. There are plenty of ways to get your drive back. Here are seven ways to stay on track or get a late start to on your New Year’s resolution.
1. Limit your resolutions
It’s easy to make a laundry list of all the things you want to change in 2016, but setting too many resolutions isn’t always realistic. It’ll make it hard to focus on what you need to do to in order to achieve each goal and may leave you feeling overwhelmed. Try focusing on one or two resolutions and really following through with them. You can always add more later.
2. Fail, fail, try again
It’s okay to break your resolution, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up. When you pop open that bag of chips or start hitting the snooze button, don’t give up and forget about your resolution. Know that change is hard and it’s normal to revert back to old habits.
According to Forbes.com, only 8 percent of people actually achieve their resolutions. If it’s helpful, you can look at the first day of each month as a mini new year to reflect on your progress. This may be a good time to restart or even tweak your resolution to make it more achievable.
3. Keep them visible
You set your New Year’s resolutions for a reason, so don’t let them escape from your memory. An easy way to hold yourself accountable is by writing down your goals. Then, keep them in a place where you can always see and reflect on them. Whether you use a goal-setting app on your phone, or type your resolutions on a desktop sticky note, seeing your goals will be a constant reminder so you don’t lose your focus.
4. Surround yourself with motivation
Many people find it helpful to set a resolution with a friend. This way, you can encourage one another, develop a little friendly competition, and check in with one another at the end of the day to hold each other accountable. It’s also helpful to find inspiration – whether that’s through following social media accounts that leave you feeling motivated or watching videos to get yourself pumped up. Do what makes you feel empowered.
5. Stay specific
If your resolution is broad and vague, you may find your results are disappointing and lacking. It’s often helpful to reevaluate your resolution and make sure it’s as specific as possible. This way, you’ll know exactly what you have to do and can even set a timeline so that you’ll stay on track and ensure that you’ll achieve that resolution.
6. Break it down
If you have one big project, it’s often helpful to break it down into a few smaller projects. You can do the same thing with your New Year’s resolution. If your goal is to get to bed by 9 instead of 1 a.m., take the first few days to just go to bed 1 hour earlier. By breaking your resolution down into smaller steps, you’re making it more attainable. If your resolution is to eat healthier, start by adding one extra veggie to your plate that day. Your progress may start off slow, but this way you’ll be sure not to give up.
7. Celebrate Often
You don’t have to wait six months to reward yourself for completing your resolution. Look for small steps to celebrate to keep your drive and focus. Whether it’s rewarding yourself with M&M’s for every 15 minutes you don’t procrastinate or giving yourself a day off from the gym when you’ve beat your record time on the treadmill, don’t forget to celebrate your progress.