So how can you become someone who actually keeps your New Year’s resolutions?
Every year in January the gym fills up with new faces. Most of these people won’t last more than a month or two, even though they probably pay for six. So how can you become someone who actually keeps your New Year’s resolutions? Here are a few helpful tips to creating new habits and getting them to stick.
Make your resolutions explicit: This seems like a simple thing that everyone already does, but if you set exact goals, such as lose 10 pounds in 3 months, or start saving $50 dollars every two weeks, it has been shown, by the University of Scranton, that you will be 10 times more likely to achieve your resolution. Vague goals, such as, “I want to cook for myself more often this year,” are the easiest way to fall back into your old routine. So get specific and don’t be afraid to set deadlines and exact amounts.
Tell other people what you are doing: Talk about your goals with friends, get excited for yourself. Studies show that 75% of people are able stick with their resolutions for a week, but only 46% stay with it for up to 6 months. That number plummets to 8% by the end of the year. However, if you have the support of your friends, or if you can get one of them to join you in your resolution, maybe become your gym buddy or quit smoking also, your chance of achieving your goal over the long run drastically improves. So seriously consider joint resolutions, and make sure you share your dreams with your friends, you might be surprised how often they are willing to help you out.
Pick reasonable resolutions: The top three resolutions from 2014 were lose weight, get organized, and spend less/save more. All three of these are great resolutions because you are identifying and area of your life you would like to improve and more importantly have the ability to improve. If you set a bunch of goals such as, I want to find the love of my life (number 9 on the top 10 of 2014 list) or I want to become famous this year, you are setting yourself up for failure. Pick things that you have control over. While there is nothing wrong with dreaming big, you will find that if you can get the little things down and become a more complete person the big things are much easier to achieve.
Plan ahead: Possibly the most important tool you can use is just a pen and paper, or an excel spreadsheet, or one of the few dozen apps aimed at keeping you on top of the things you need to get done. By sitting down and allotting time for the things you want to do, and getting yourself into a routine, like making a plan to run at 6:30 every Tuesday and Thursday instead of watching TV, it becomes much easier stay on top of your resolution. So good luck with your resolutions, and remember that flossing is an easy one that can really improve your health.
Dr. Potts is a gentle, caring dentist who uses the most advanced materials and procedures available. He practices comfortable, health-centered dentistry, with a strong emphasis on getting to know each patient. In addition to his technical proficiency, Dr. Potts is a careful listener. He makes sure to understand what you want and will explain beforehand what treatment is best for your individual needs, along with all options available to you. Check out our Twitter, Facebook page, and website.
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