Every New Year, individuals around the world make resolutions to improve their lives and start the year right. Unfortunately, while well-intentioned, many of these resolutions don’t make it past the first few weeks of the year. Keeping New Year’s resolutions is hard, but with the right knowledge, you can stick to those commitments well past January and into the year.
Here are a few techniques you can use to keep up with some of the most common resolutions.
Lose Weight
After Christmas, when most people have over-indulged on food and alcohol, it’s understandable that many will set themselves a goal to lose weight. Whether you’re looking to shave off a few pounds or really turn your life around, avoid fad dieting and instead focus on long-term results. This means completely changing your attitude towards food and exercise.
Include regular physical activities in your daily routine. If the idea of being stuck in the gym doesn’t appeal to you, try more natural forms of exercise, such as walking and running, or take up a sport like soccer or netball. These will give you fresh air and be easier to integrate into your schedule.
When it comes to food, you need to remember that there’s no quick fix. You might need to overhaul your entire diet or just cut out a few unhealthy snacks here and there depending on your goals. There are many proven ways to lose weight, so take the time to explore the lifestyle choices that will be best for you, rather than making short-term changes. This approach will allow you to not only lose weight but also keep it off.
See More Of The People You Love
Many people want to spend more time with those they love, be it family or friends, but often this New Year’s resolution is forgotten after the festive period when everyone goes back to work and gets busy again.
To avoid this, try setting aside regular times to see people, like having a drink after work every first Thursday of the month with your best friend. You might also try finding a mutual interest or hobby that you can do together to keep it fun throughout the year.
Save Money
The festive season is an expensive time of year, so it’s understandable that in the new year, people will want to save money and pay off the debts they’ve accumulated over the last month.
Instead of being extreme and saving money to the point where you deprive yourself of any enjoyment in January, rather set yourself a goal to save a little every month throughout the year. For example, look at all of your regular bills, like your life insurance, and see if you can change providers to reduce them. Life cover premiums go up every year, but you might be able to save on them by switching insurers. You can find policies no matter where you’re based, for instance if you’re in South Africa you can check out this insurance comparison site to review the various options out there. If you’re in the UK however, try Compare the Market. This will help you find a life policy that’ll save you money throughout the year and further into the future.
Learn A New Skill
Whether you want to learn a new language, take up a musical instrument, or start playing a sport, it’s easy to forget this kind of resolution when you get frustrated when you’re not an expert after two weeks of practise.
If you want to avoid losing interest in your new hobby, it’s important to choose the right skill to learn. Often, it’s the amount of work that goes into achieving proficiency in a skill that causes people to give up on learning it, so try to make practising fun. Practise your new skill with friends, or in a public place like a café where you can relax and unwind as you learn. It’s also a good idea to set achievable goals so that you feel like you’re working towards something while you’re learning. Whatever approach works for you, remember why you wanted to learn that skill in the first place – to enjoy yourself.
Quit Smoking
Smoking is a dangerous habit, both for your health and your wallet, so it’s no surprise that many people add quitting the habit to their resolutions list. However, anyone who has ever tried to quit smoking knows it’s much easier said than done.
If you are truly dedicated to giving up cigarettes for good, it’s important that you don’t do it alone. There are many professional support programmes out there that can give you help and advice, be they online or in physical spaces. Find one that will fit into your schedule and which offers you the assistance you need to kick the habit for good.
Earn A Promotion At Work
Unlike the other resolutions on this list, this one is not entirely up to you. Your manager ultimately has the final say on whether you achieve a promotion, but that doesn’t mean you’re helpless when it comes to getting what you want.
It can be a challenge, but it’s important that you’re patient and actively work towards earning a promotion. Just doing a good job isn’t enough; you’ve got to show your manager you’ve got what it takes to succeed in your chosen field and take on the responsibilities that a more senior role will bring.
Keeping your New Year’s resolutions can be challenging, but it’s also an enjoyable experience that could leave you a better person if you stick to them. Use these tips to continue working towards your goals throughout the year and beyond.
