Do You Even Care About New Year’s Resolutions?

Can you believe that only 8% of Americans are successful with their New Year’s Resolutions?

Is that really possible? That means 92% of people who make resolutions don’t follow through. Hmmmmm….Wondering why this happens?

You might be reading this because the title caught your eye. You might not care about New Year’s Resolutions. But a family member, friend or colleague might be attempting to turn a new leaf, so here’s some information that can help you to help them not be in that 92%!

So, why do so many people not follow through on their New Year’s Resolutions? For starters, the top New Year’s Resolutions usually involve big life changes. Try Googling “top five New Year’s Resolutions.” Every year, the list includes lose weight or exercise more or quit smoking or get organized or save more money. These are big life changes, which require planning and support. They’re not going to just happen magically overnight.

What can you (I mean, your family member, friend or colleague) do to make sure that success is achieved when it comes to New Year’s Resolutions?

Choose only one. Some people come up with lengthy “do better” lists. “I want to eat healthy, stop drinking sodas, practice yoga, save money, be more organized, and stop being late to meetings.” That’s a great deal to attempt if you haven’t been doing any of those in the previous year. Focus on just one change.

Make a plan. What will you need to do in order to be successful? If you want to start eating healthier, when will you learn what types of food are truly healthier? On what days of the week will you plan your meals? Who will grocery shop? Who will do the cooking? Take a few moments to brainstorm and figure out what steps need to happen.

Create targets. When people vow they want to “get organized,” that’s terrific, but get organized is such a broad term. What do they mean? What part of your life do you want to get organized? Choose a measurable target so that you’ll know how far (or how close) you are to achieving your goal. For example, you might set a target of removing one grocery bag of donations each week or re-organizing one drawer or shelf of items each week. Choose something you can measure (a size or a quantity). When our goals are very broad, we can’t really measure them, so we think we’ve failed because we think we haven’t made progress – when in actuality, we may’ve already done a heck of a lot.

Reflect with power! Each afternoon or evening, give yourself credit for each positive thing you did – even if it’s something small, like you saved $1.13 by ordering a small coffee instead of the large. Once you’ve given yourself a pat on the back for what you’ve accomplished, then you can take a look at the next steps you’ll take to get you closer to your goal.

Select an accountability partner. We are so much more successful when we have a support system in place, so find an organization, a club, a coach, a friend…someone who you can share your progress with. When we feel that we have a commitment to check in with someone else, we are more likely to work toward our goal.

By pausing to map out your plan, you can be successful with your New Year’s Resolutions and be a part of the 8%!

For more guidance on creating the time to plan for and accomplish your goals, check out The Inefficiency Assassin: Time Management Tactics for Working Smarter, Not Longer.