How To Make Effective New Year's Resolutions
Look, I know I haven't posted on here in a while, but one of my new year's resolutions is to post more so I'm starting with this guide, cause if there's one thing I'm good at it's sticking to new year resolutions.
Tip â1: Do something you care about
Don't write "go to the gym" if you know you're not actually interested in losing weight or getting fit. Don't write "read more" if you don't even like reading. Make your resolutions something you actually would like to do, and can see yourself doing.
Throughout this post Iâm gonna be using âgoing to the gymâ as my example resolution, but these tips are of course useable for all kinds of resultions.
Tip â2: Make them measurable
"Go to the gym" isn't gonna cut it. Instead, write something like "Go to the gym at least 2-3 hours every week". Setting clear goals will always be more effective, as you know what you have to do. Otherwise, how do you know youâve reached your goal?Â
You can make a tracker for "Go to the gym at least 2-3 hours every week" by making a grid of 2 squares for every week of the year. By colouring them in each time, you can visualize your progress, and therefore use it as motivation. Seeing you've already exercised for 12 hours is gonna feel a lot more accomplishing than knowing you've exercised for 6 weeks, even though it's the same thing.
Don't immediately start with "Go to the gym for 1 hour every day". You'll be tired of doing so because you aren't used to it, and will give up faster. So instead, set a first stage amount, second stage amount, third stage amount, ect.
So with the gym resolution, start with 2 hours every week, then 4 hours every week, then 30 minutes a day, then 1 hour a day, 2 hours a day, ect. See what I'm getting at?
Tip â5: Share your resolutions
If a friend knows your goal, or even better; has the same goal, it's easier to stick to it. This is also why a lot of people tend to go to the gym with a friend. Itâs easier to give up on a goal or habit if you donât have anyone to hold you accountable. If you stop, your friend will have to go to the gym alone, and you wouldnât want that, right?Â
Tip â6: Forgive yourself
So you didnât go to the gym for two hours this week, but instead only went for 1 hour? Forgive yourself. Itâs better to forgive yourself for this one failure to completely give up all together.Â
Tip â7: Reward yourself
Need an external motivator? Thatâs totally fine. Make some rules for yourself. âIf I donât miss more than 2 hours at the gym this month, I can go get my favourite scented candle at bath and bodyworksâ. Pick something you would like as a reward for reaching your goal, and stick to it!
Note: donât give yourself your reward if you didnât stick to your rule. To stick to the candle example, if I bought a candle anyway even though I didnât stick to my rule, is there really a penalty for not skipping more than 2 hours of exercise? Hold yourself accountable and donât cheat!
And those were my tips! If youâre looking for some example resolutions, I have a post of my resolutions up on my blog, or you can click the link right here to go to that post directly.Â
And if you want, please let me know what your resolutions are! Maybe we have some in common and we can keep one another accountable too!
