On Jan. 1 you had a list of resolutions to make 2015 the best year. As the ball dropped, you had dreams of the toned muscles you would have from going to the gym everyday or smiled at the thought of finishing all your papers on time.
But before Feb. 1 rolled around, you were back to being a couch potato avoiding the gym, homework assignments and all the grand New Year’s resolutions you made.
So, what happened there?
If you feel guilty for slacking off on all your New Year’s resolutions, you’re not alone. According to a study by the University of Scranton, 45 percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, but only 8 percent are actually able to achieve them. While this number may make you feel defeated, it’s never too late to get back on track with your resolutions.
Here are some helpful tips that will help you accomplish your goals in 2015.
1. Re-evaluate and be REALISTIC. One New Year’s resolution I promised myself was cutting soda out of my diet. It wasn’t a huge goal so I thought it would be easy to accomplish. Unfortunately, I only lasted a week before I was guzzling Coca-Cola again. It was unrealistic of me to think that I could stop drinking soda completely after years of having it all the time. I didn’t want to make the same mistake again this year and decided to re-evaluate. Maybe I can’t stop drinking soda completely but I can cut down on it for now. It may feel like a step backward to reduce your goal to something little, but understand that little victories are victories in themselves.
2. Plan, plan, plan! Weight loss and getting more exercise are among the most common New Year’s resolutions, according to proactivechange.com, so it’s no surprise that I’ve included that in my resolutions before. I tried to go to the gym more often last year too, but I dropped out because of laziness. To make sure that I would stay on track with this goal this year, I planned my workout schedule and started a food/exercise journal to track my progress. I allow myself two “lazy” days a week and came up with reasons why I should need to go to the gym. Planning can help with organizing and following through with your goals.
3. Be accountable. Resolutions are funny—we publicly announce them at the beginning of the year, but as time goes on we never inform people of our progress. When there’s no accountability, it’s easy to slack off and forget about your goal so get a buddy to check in on you. It doesn’t have to be an interrogation; a simple “How’s your resolution?” going will suffice. When you know someone is going to check in on you, you’ll be more likely to get to work done.
4. Set a deadline. “So my goal of losing five pounds? I have all year to do that! I mean, I can totally eat pizza every day in February! I’ll just get back on track in March. Or July. Or November. Or … maybe try again next January.” Procrastination is a common vice and can easily delay our goals. To avoid this pitfall, set deadlines for yourself to create a sense of urgency for your resolutions. Who knows? Maybe you’ll finish your New Year’s resolution by June.
5. Be patient! This is key. Results don’t happen overnight. Bad habits don’t break overnight. The only thing that happens overnight is … well, nothing really. Take each day slowly and focus on one goal at a time. Before you know it, all your resolutions will have been checked off the list.
If you do at least one of these helpful tips, chances are that you can become part of the elite 8 percent that accomplish their resolutions. And if you pass this article around enough, maybe the number will increase to 9 percent.