Why New Year's Resolutions Fail and How to Make Yours Work
The dreadful year of 2020 has finally come to an end. With COVID-19 wreaking global havoc, Kobe Bryant's horrific death, and outbreaks of protests in response to the unfathomable death of George Floyd, many of us have been eagerly awaiting the start of 2021. With the new year comes resolutions that may or may not be maintained throughout the remainder of the year. Common resolutions include vows to lose weight, exercise more, and take up new hobbies or skills. No matter how simple our New Year's resolutions may be, the reality is that the majority of resolutions are left abandoned by the end of the year. The truth is that only about 20% of people stick to their resolutions throughout the year. So the question is: why are New Year's resolutions so prone to failure?
It seems that our failed commitment to our New Year's resolutions is, well, casual to our everyday goals. After the hoorays and celebrations we engage in on New Years, we simply lose the motivation needed to fully complete our objectives. We lose the drive to complete our tasks, and as a result, we either procrastinate or abandon our resolutions all together. There are a number of reasons why we lose motivation so quickly. According to Forbes, the widespread failure to continue our New Year's resolutions throughout the year is usually due to a lack of support and planning. But how can we fix this?
The solution is quite simple actually. Asking a friend to join you in your New Year's resolution plans will allow you to connect the feelings of happiness that your friend brings to completing the task you have set up for yourself, making the task more enjoyable. New Year's resolution partners can also discourage procrastination and help to boost your motivation.
Planning is also an effective way to combat procrastination. Putting tasks on your calendar, planner, or even on your fridge are great ways to plan ahead. Without effectively planning out your duties, it is difficult to prioritize their completion.
Last but not least, being as specific as possible when it comes to creating your resolutions is extremely important. Usually people with uncompleted resolutions make their resolutions too broad. Instead, it is helpful for you to identify a specific task or two that will lead you to your end goal. For example, instead of saying that you want to lose weight this year, expand your resolution and put it into action by eating healthy and going to the gym. Such methods of narrowing down your resolutions will make them much easier and more enjoyable to complete.
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