The second month of our new decade is coming to an end. How are you doing? Still keeping up with that New Year’s resolution? Whether it was to start eating healthier, get that one room in your house picked up or vowing to be a more generous it can be difficult to keep that vibe going throughout the duration of the year. We have compiled some tips and tricks to help you finish out this year in a better place then you were when you started.
Give Yourself a Break
The first and most important tip is to give yourself a break. That early morning workout that you missed for the past couple days, or weeks? Maybe your mind needed that extra hour of sleep in order to conquer your workday. Splurging on those girl scout cookies that have been calling to you from your freezer? Good for you, treat yourself! Just because you went off track for a couple days, does not mean that you can’t jump right back on and start again.
Keep the Momentum
We’ve all heard the idea that it takes two weeks to make a habit, but that isn’t a fact. According to a 2009 study in the European Journal of Social Psychology, it can take between 18 to 254 days for a person to form a new habit. So, in short, everyone is different and there is no magic number of days for you to continue following your new resolution before it becomes second nature. A big thing to take away from this point is to not compare yourself to others. The British Journal of General Practice cites in a 2012 study that habits are “actions that are triggered automatically in response to contextual cues that have been associated with their performance.” For example, some have found that they were able to make the habit of working out early in the morning before work, if they were able to force themselves to get out of bed when the alarm goes off. Your body will take over from there and will get you to the gym or to your yoga mat.
Set Reachable Goals & Award Yourself
What better way to keep you working towards your resolution than having something specific to strive towards? You have your big goal that you want to reach by the end the year, like saving money towards your 401k. When you first get started that number might seem impossible, so it can help to set smaller goals throughout the year that feel more achievable. Once you reach those goals, then you have that sense of accomplishment. It doesn’t have to be a numbered goal either! It could be saying one good thing a week to your coworkers or cutting out negative thoughts by listening to your favorite playlist. Keep track of yourself reaching those small goals, so when you start to lose your ambition you can look back and see how far you have come!
None of these ideas are the end all, be all for sticking with your resolutions, but try them out and see if they work for you. If you find new tricks that you utilize, share them with us at learn@allsynx.com.