New Year’s resolutions. Love them or loathe them, chances are you’ve at times set resolutions to transform your life, ditch all your bad habits, or lose weight in the year ahead, only to find that – despite your best intentions – you fail.
You’re not alone. Research indicates that around 80 percent of people have given up on their New Year’s resolutions by February, showing that the problem here isn’t with you, it’s with New Year’s resolutions. More specifically, the issue is with creating loose resolutions without an action plan of how or why you’re going to achieve it.
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re a busy parent or are hoping to become one, so you likely have more than enough to keep you busy without adding the self-inflicted pressure of shedding the pounds, giving up your vices, or making drastic changes to your daily routine.
But what if you do want to make a meaningful change in your life in 2024? Thankfully there are other ways to set goals that are not only achievable but also create lasting results, leaving you more fulfilled and feeling more accomplished than ‘failing’ your strict diet a matter of days into the new year.
Here are just a few alternatives to setting unattainable New Year’s resolutions that will help you to make new healthy habits in 2024…
Swap resolutions for goals
Rather than setting resolutions, try making goals instead, thinking about things you’d like to achieve in the weeks or months ahead.
Using a notebook or specific goal journal, think about what your goals are and how you might feel when you achieve them, using the tools below to optimise your chances of success.
Think S.M.A.R.T.
When plotting your goals for the year ahead, it’s important to think S.M.A.R.T. if you want to succeed. That is, set goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based.
For example, it’s not enough to simply say you want to lose weight, instead, you may say you want to lose seven pounds in the next three months. This is a realistic amount that means you’re not setting yourself up to fail and have a deadline to focus on which means you’re more likely to take action.
Break down your goal into small, achievable bits
As above, rather than setting large overambitious goals, try thinking smaller and creating more attainable goals that will get you closer to what you want to achieve. The feelings of accomplishment you’ll get when you reach your goals are likely to help keep you motivated and stay on track, so you’ll meet your goals much easier.
Think about your why
It’s not enough to think about what you want to achieve, but also why. Having a clear vision of why you are setting this goal and a vision of how you will feel after achieving it will help with motivation on days when you feel like giving up. Take the time when setting your goals to write a sentence about why you think you want to do it and how it could change your life as something to refer back to on tough days.
Keep it positive
The issue with many New Year’s resolutions is that they are framed negatively, looking at things you need to give up or lack. When setting your goals, try to reframe your wording and mindset around things. Rather than setting a resolution to give up all ultra-processed food, could you strive to make more healthy snacks or try a new nutritious recipe each week? ‘Crowding out’ these foods with healthy swaps is not only a more positive way to look at things but it’s also more sustainable. It means you’re not viewing these foods as more desirable because they’re forbidden, but you’re simply choosing to eat something else instead and can continue to do so as a longer-term habit.
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