For many people, 2020 has been a difficult year. From health to finances to social isolation, the effects of the coronavirus pandemic have been felt around the world. But with the first wave of people getting vaccinated against COVID-19, there’s hope that 2021 will be a better year.
Whether you’re trying to get in shape for when you return to the office in a few months or you want to pick up a new hobby while social distancing, the new year provides an opportunity to set a goal.
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However, Forbes reports that most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions by February. To make sure that you’re able to stick to your goals throughout the year, here are some tips and tricks to help you accomplish your New Year’s resolution.
Tell your friends
Be it a social media post, sending an e-mail to your family, or putting it in your team’s group Slack channel at work, if you have a goal that you want to achieve, tell the people in your life. They can keep you in check, and if your resolution involves changing certain behaviors, you can ask them to keep an eye out for them and help you curb old habits. If they are trying to stick to new habits as well, having each other as accountability buddies will be helpful for all of you!
Don’t give up if you fail
You’re kicking off the new year with lofty weight loss goals, but a few days into January you’re too tired to cook a healthy dinner so you decide get takeout from your favorite restaurant instead. If treats or cheat meals weren’t built into your plan, this could derail your diet, but the important thing is to keep going instead of giving up entirely. You’ll chip away at your goal little by little, so don’t let one setback be the reason you throw all of your efforts away.
Create visual cues
Sticking to a new habit takes repetition, so give yourself visual reminders to make sure you don’t forget. Are you trying to drink more water? Wear a blue rubber band around your wrist so that when you check the time on your watch, you remember to pick up your water bottle. Want to eat more fruits and vegetables instead of chips and cookies? Put a note on your fridge or pantry to remind yourself that you have healthier snack options available.
Set yourself up for success
Resolutions are broken when you’re not prepared to stick to them, so do yourself a favor and plan ahead! If you’re trying to spend less money on coffee or lunch at work, set up your coffeemaker and pack a lunch the night before so that you’re not scrambling in the morning. Want to start exercising more? Keep a packed gym bag in the car so that you can go straight from work to the gym. If you want to incorporate morning workouts into your routine, lay out your exercise clothes the night before, or if you want to take it to the extreme, sleep in your gym clothes so that you’re ready as soon as you wake up!
Don’t set too many resolutions
Whether you want to read more books in the coming year, learn how to paint watercolors, train for a marathon, or finally get around to building a garden in your backyard, it’s important to remember that, in order to stick to them, you need to be able to focus on your resolutions. Pick the resolutions that matter most to you, be it creating a rainy-day fund or calling your grandparents regularly, so that by the time next year rolls around, you can focus on new goals and bask in your achieved resolutions.
Take advantage of technology
Whatever your resolution is, there’s probably an app for that. From language learning to calorie tracking, there are free smartphone apps that can help you keep track of your goals, and because they gamify the process, they make sticking to your resolution fun!
Celebrate your achievements
Plan a reward for yourself so that you have something to look forward to when you achieve your goal! If you’re trying to save money, maybe don’t go on a shopping spree as your reward, but you can certainly celebrate with a day trip to your favorite state park or by cooking your favorite meal.
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