Setting New Year’s resolutions is exciting, but trying to stick to them may lead to disappointment. In fact, most people quit their resolutions by the second Friday of January, which is known as “Quitter’s Day”—the best example of this trend is the amount of people in the gym on January 1st versus on Quitter’s Day. The difference in motivation might make you feel cynical about setting New Year’s resolutions, but fear not! Here are three effective ways to stick to your new habits, as well as some insights you can gain from this experience!
Keep the idea, change the execution
Some resolutions are hard to be consistent with because we actually don’t like them. If you find that you have to force yourself to stay consistent, it’s time to think about why you’re making a change in the first place. Usually, there is a good reason you set this resolution, but part of you wishes things were the way it used to be. For example, you set a goal to become healthier, so you make yourself do pilates everyday even though you don’t love it. You can still try to be healthier, but instead of making yourself do something you don’t care for, you can find an alternative, such as another form of exercise that you will actually enjoy. Changing up how you get to your goal doesn’t mean you’re quitting—it just means you’re adapting.Â
Create Habits that Stick
You need to take baby steps, not giant leaps. Lasting change comes from an accumulation of small and strategic changes, not a drastic one-time change that magically stays in effect. Picture this: you’re a college student that frequently stays up until 2 am. For the new year, you’ve resolved to wake up earlier. You set an alarm for 5:00 am every morning even though you usually get up at 10:00 am. After two weeks, you’ve gone back to staying up at night and waking up at 10.Â
It’s tempting to make big changes because it feels good to do so. It’s a declaration that says, “I am capable of doing good things for myself.” However, it’s just not sustainable. Revisiting the scenario above, instead of ambitiously chasing the instant gratification of being able to get up at 5 am, it’s better to just set your alarm 15 minutes before 10, and then slowly get up earlier throughout the month in 15 minute increments. It might sound boring, but it works.
Find an accountability buddy
There are two ways you can find an accountability buddy: one, tell a friend or family member about your New Year’s resolutions. Choose your person wisely—they should be someone who deeply cares about you and is not afraid to hold you accountable. Two, announce your resolution in the form of an “I am” statement around others. Let’s say your resolution is to become more organized and keep your space tidy. Then if the topic ever comes up in conversation around others, tell them that you are an organized person and that you like to keep things neat. If you feel like a fraud saying these things… great! That’s the point. If they want to see proof, then you have to follow your resolutions to give them proof. The pressure to uphold your image will hold you accountable.
Now it’s time for you to take action. Choose the strategy that suits you best and overcome Quitter’s Day!Â