Some historians claim New Year’s resolutions are a 4000-year-old Babylonian custom—and we’ve probably been quitting those goals for just as long. Every December 31st, many will commit to better financial health, more self-care, losing weight or other changes only to find those goals are hard to maintain even just a few weeks into January. Studies show that 45% of people make New Year’s resolutions, but as many as 23% abandon their goals within one week of the New Year. The majority give up between four and six weeks.
Since we seem truly committed as the clock strikes midnight, we asked several family and internal medicine physicians from Northwest Medical Group why don’t these resolutions stick? They agreed that the top five reasons are a lack of motivation, bad planning, a lack of support, making too many resolutions or proposing changes that are too ambitious. But they added that there is hope if you incorporate these five strategies to stay committed:
- Make sure that the goal is something you want to do, not just something you should do. We have to be truly ready to change if we want to stay motivated. For example, if you hate running, but want to be more active, a daily treadmill-based goal may not work for you. Pair your goal with an activity you like.
- Draft clear, realistic and measurable goals Instead of a vague statement like, “Get more organized in 2023,” set bite-sized specific tasks, such as “throw away or box up at least two donation items per day for a week.”
- Seek a support system. Some people ask a friend or family member to keep them accountable and check in to see how they’re progressing on their goals. If you’re uncomfortable sharing, research shows that fitness apps that track progress spark a similar feeling of accountability.
- Use a reward system. For every small goal you reach, give yourself a little treat. If you’ve worked out every day for a week, for example, maybe it’s time to buy yourself a new audiobook to listen to on day eight.
- Engage in positive self-talk. Give yourself a break if you slip or miss a day of working toward your goal. Self-criticism and negative self-talk can kill your motivation. Instead, be self-compassionate and focus on ways to get back on track.
To stay on track, the providers at Northwest Medical Group suggest making “resolution” time a wellness checkup time, which could include anything from screenings to vaccinations, as well as education on conditions for which you may be at risk.
They suggest patients make a list of any questions they may want to ask, along with issues that may be concerning them – such as stressors and things you can do to protect their health. A comfortable dialogue with a physician can be one of the best tools in a patient’s arsenal when it comes to their health goals and sticking to their 2023 resolutions.
To learn about Northwest Medical group or to schedule an appointment with a primary care provider, visit NWMedicalGroup.com.
