How are Your New Year’s Resolutions Going?

It’s been about four weeks since you may have created New Year’s Resolutions. How are they going? Hopefully well as studies show that between 50-80% of people give up their resolutions by February.

If you are struggling, here are some of the possible reasons.

The first main cause could be that the resolution wasn’t yours to start off with. Say your partner wanted you to give up smoking but you weren’t sure you were ready. If you made the resolution just to appease someone else, you’re not likely to achieve your goal. It’s better to have an honest discussion with your partner and set this goal when you are ready.

Another reason you may be struggling to achieve your New Year’s Resolutions is that they are too vague or too big. For example, if your resolution is to ‘exercise more’, what does that mean? Or maybe you want to ‘lose 30 pounds’ but you don’t have a realistic plan on how to get there.

One way to make sure that your goals are specific and realistic is by creating SMART goals - goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound. Let’s go into more detail.

Specific
Your resolution should be so clear that anyone can quickly tell you if you are achieving it. Instead of saying “I will exercise more” be specific - for example - “I will walk during my lunch break at work.”

Measurable
Make sure the goal can be measured. In the example above, how long will you walk each day? How about “I will walk for 10 minutes during my lunch breaks at work?” This can easily be measured and your brain has a target to focus on.

Achievable
Too often, we set ‘go big or go home’ goals such as ‘I will walk 30 minutes every day.” While this might be a good goal to get to eventually, start off with a more achievable goal so that you don’t end up frustrated or discouraged. How about starting off with ‘I will walk for at least 10 minutes during my lunch break 3 times a week’? This goal is more achievable, allowing you the flexibility to skip days when the weather is bad or you don’t have time. And you will be positively reinforced every time you achieve it. After walking the minimum of 10 minutes, you can continue each walk if you feel like it, but by setting a very achievable goal that you can do on even your busiest day, you are setting yourself up for success and are more likely to persist. Once you are in the habit of walking at least 10 minutes three times a week, you can change your goal to increase the number of times you do this each week or increase the duration.

Relevant
Is this a goal that is important to you and is it important at this time? If it is an important goal for you but not the right time, consider getting rid of it. If you can’t get out of the office to take a walk at lunchtime because of meetings or other time restrictions, change the timing to before or after work. Think through when you are most likely to be successful.

Time-bound
Set an end time for your goal. For example, ‘I will run in a 5-kilometer race by the end of October’. Then break this goal into smaller parts, such as ‘I will run at least 2 kilometers 3 times a week by the end of February.’ Achieving the smaller goals will help keep you encouraged and moving toward the bigger goal.

Here are some examples of poorly set goals and SMART goals:

• I will eat better.
  SMART goal: I will eat vegetables with my dinner 3 times a week.

• I will be more patient with my kids.
  SMART goal: I will take a deep breath before yelling at my kids when I see that they didn’t make their beds. Then I will calmly remind them to make their beds.

• I will meditate more.
  I will meditate for 5 minutes before breakfast twice a week.

Remember, the more specific and achievable you make your goal, the more likely you will achieve it. Then you can add more goals or intensify your current goals. Remember to be as patient with yourself as you would be with a friend. Behavior change is a life long journey, not a set-it-and-forget-it process.