Do not Let New Year's Resolutions cause added Stress
2022 - New Year - New You. Is that going to be at the heart of your January or will these new goals and objectives just add unnecessary pressure to your life?
Every year just before the clock strikes 12. we have that voice in our heads telling us we will make dramatic and bold changes to our lives - join the gym, stop drinking alcohol, give up cake, take the stairs, keep a journal and the list goes on.
A You Gov poll at the end of 2020 showed that overall, 12% of Britons made New Year’s resolutions for 2020, although this is fewer than half of the 27% who said they were planning on doing so when we asked in December 2019 possibly as a resultofthe pandemic. Resolutions proved most popular among the young; nearly a quarter (24%) of those aged 18-24 made a resolution compared to just 6% of the 65+ age group. Of those who made resolutions, only a quarter kept all of them (26%), although half managed to keep some of them (48%). Around a quarter failed entirely (23%).
So why do so many people fail to meet their New Year goals? Often the resolutions are too onerous and overwhelming, and sometimes unrealistic. According to a 2009 study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, it takes 18 to 254 days for a person to form a new habit.
Dr Nicolas Davidenko PhD recommends two very key approaches to keeping resolutions throughout the New Year.
1. Set shorter-term goals
Rather than committing to a full 365 days of a new healthy or productive habit, start with a 90-day goal. The shorter time frame has two benefits: first, it will create a more manageable set of expectations in which you will see consistent progress. Each week in which you meet your goal will represent a substantial step forward to meeting your 90-day resolution.
2. Avoid perfectionistic goals; instead, set trend-based goals
Rather than committing to doing a new activity every morning, define your goal in terms of weekly or monthly trends. For example, rather than committing to walking 7,000 steps every single day, make a goal of walking an *average* of 7,000 daily steps, from week to week, or from month to month. This way, a day in which you don't meet your goal does not signify the failure of your resolution; it is fine to skip a day here and there, as long as you make up for it another day and your weekly or monthly trends are keeping steady.
What kind of Resolution will you choose?
Resolutions relating to exercise and improving fitness are always at the top of the lost, along with losing weight and improving eating habits. These are the most challenging because they relate to mindset and changing deeply rooted psychological habits.
Following on from health & fitness is saving money. The pandemic was a driver for many to save because going out and holidays were put on hold, this year may be slightly different as restrictions have been lifted.
One of the key changes in the last 10 years is to spend less time on social media. One of the activities that removes us from family, friends, socialising face-to-face has increased as a result of the pandemic, yet it is one of those resolutions we all endeavour to change. Working from home was great, but as the novelty of living life on Zoom wore off, there was deep rooted need to have real social contact because life is a people thing.
Time is free and with 168 hours available to us all in one week, think very carefully how you spend your time and exactly how much time you waste. For example, getting up just half an hour early to exercise or write a journal entry, will be incredibly beneficial. And use your countless devices to help you - set your alarm and use tech to help you make the changes you want in your life.