The Comment New Year"s Resolutions Stick
It is estimated seven million Britons
Psychologists use a variety of techniques to increase effectiveness of developmental goals within businesses. Many of these are now common in business language. We believe that applying these simple techniques to our New Year’s resolutions can also help to increase the chance of sticking to them!
Expectations
SMART is an acronym that can be used to help ensure that goals are effective. Smartening your New Year’s resolution can increase effectiveness.
Specific: The first thing your New Year’s resolution needs to be is specific. It is all very well saying ‘lose weight’ but to be effective you need to really define what that looks like. A more specific goal would be ‘to lose 7lb by my birthday’
Ask yourself - Exactly what is it that I want to achieve?
My New Year's resolution: to eat more healthily, specifically to eat more fruit and vegetables.
Measurable: Once you’ve clearly specified your goal you need to be able to measure your progress. This will help you to clearly see your progress; which can motivate you to continue or, of course, motivate you to get back on track if needs be! It also helps you know when you have achieved it!!! Some goals such as weight loss are easy to measure, but others are less tangible. Nevertheless, having some way to monitor progress is essential.
Ask yourself - How will I know when I’ve achieved my New Year’s resolution? How will I check my progress?
My measurable target: to eat five portions of fruit or vegetables a day
Achievable: One of the biggest mistakes we can make is being over optimistic about our New Year’s resolutions. A resolution should be about what we will be doing in the coming year, not what we would like to do. Make this year's resolution easier to achieve than previous years; make it slightly easier than you think it should be - there is nothing more demotivating than thinking about a huge, aspirational challenge you’ve set yourself that you feel you have little chance of achieving. Success, in a smaller, more achievable goal, will still be hugely motivating.
Ask yourself – Is this something I am sure I can achieve?
My achievable target – to eat five portions of fruit or veg at least 4 days a week
Realistic: Your resolution needs to be realistic, everything you need to do to achieve it should be things that you can do and are in your control. If this is not the case, rethink the resolution. Also, think here about what the barrier could be to stopping you achieve your target – what in your day to day life might get in the way? – How will you overcome that so you don’t fall at the first hurdle?
Ask yourself - do I have the time, money and support to enable me to do this? What might stop me?
My reality check - What might stop me? Cost of fresh fruit and veg, it going off while I am away, time to keep buying fresh.
How will I overcome this? Use orange juice/smoothies as one source, keep frozen and tinned vegetables in the cupboards, only buy as much fresh as needed, buy things that last a long time like apples.
Time-bound: If your resolution has a defined end – something likes losing ½ stone in weight – it is important to have timescales or a deadline. How often have you managed to get something done that you’ve been putting off, just before it needs to be done - painting the spare room before the in-laws come to stay for example? If there is no defined end, set some time scales for monitoring the goals and also when you will review it.
Ask yourself – when do I want to have achieved X by?
My timescales – week runs Sunday to Sunday – having met my 5 portions a day 4 times every week. To review this and perhaps increase the goal on the 1st May.
Psychologists use a variety of techniques to increase effectiveness of developmental goals within businesses. Many of these are now common in business language. We believe that applying these simple techniques to our New Year’s resolutions can also help to increase the chance of sticking to them!
Expectations
SMART is an acronym that can be used to help ensure that goals are effective. Smartening your New Year’s resolution can increase effectiveness.
Specific: The first thing your New Year’s resolution needs to be is specific. It is all very well saying ‘lose weight’ but to be effective you need to really define what that looks like. A more specific goal would be ‘to lose 7lb by my birthday’
Ask yourself - Exactly what is it that I want to achieve?
My New Year's resolution: to eat more healthily, specifically to eat more fruit and vegetables.
Measurable: Once you’ve clearly specified your goal you need to be able to measure your progress. This will help you to clearly see your progress; which can motivate you to continue or, of course, motivate you to get back on track if needs be! It also helps you know when you have achieved it!!! Some goals such as weight loss are easy to measure, but others are less tangible. Nevertheless, having some way to monitor progress is essential.
Ask yourself - How will I know when I’ve achieved my New Year’s resolution? How will I check my progress?
My measurable target: to eat five portions of fruit or vegetables a day
Achievable: One of the biggest mistakes we can make is being over optimistic about our New Year’s resolutions. A resolution should be about what we will be doing in the coming year, not what we would like to do. Make this year's resolution easier to achieve than previous years; make it slightly easier than you think it should be - there is nothing more demotivating than thinking about a huge, aspirational challenge you’ve set yourself that you feel you have little chance of achieving. Success, in a smaller, more achievable goal, will still be hugely motivating.
Ask yourself – Is this something I am sure I can achieve?
My achievable target – to eat five portions of fruit or veg at least 4 days a week
Realistic: Your resolution needs to be realistic, everything you need to do to achieve it should be things that you can do and are in your control. If this is not the case, rethink the resolution. Also, think here about what the barrier could be to stopping you achieve your target – what in your day to day life might get in the way? – How will you overcome that so you don’t fall at the first hurdle?
Ask yourself - do I have the time, money and support to enable me to do this? What might stop me?
My reality check - What might stop me? Cost of fresh fruit and veg, it going off while I am away, time to keep buying fresh.
How will I overcome this? Use orange juice/smoothies as one source, keep frozen and tinned vegetables in the cupboards, only buy as much fresh as needed, buy things that last a long time like apples.
Time-bound: If your resolution has a defined end – something likes losing ½ stone in weight – it is important to have timescales or a deadline. How often have you managed to get something done that you’ve been putting off, just before it needs to be done - painting the spare room before the in-laws come to stay for example? If there is no defined end, set some time scales for monitoring the goals and also when you will review it.
Ask yourself – when do I want to have achieved X by?
My timescales – week runs Sunday to Sunday – having met my 5 portions a day 4 times every week. To review this and perhaps increase the goal on the 1st May.
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