We’ve all been there. “New year, new me”. New year’s resolutions hold so much hope but those good intentions often never last. According to the Fitness Industry Association, around 12% of gym members sign up in January and most have quit or stop going after 24 weeks. More would probably quit earlier if they weren’t tied to a 6-month contract!
When setting your new year’s resolutions this year, you would do well to think through them more thoroughly so as not to fall off the bandwagon. New year’s resolutions are essentially goals and should be treated in exactly the same way. There are lots of methods to approach goal-setting and we will consider a few methods here.
1. What, why, how, when, where, who
For any goal to be actionable we need to know what, why, how, when, where and who:
- What - needs to be defined clearly in a way that you can track progress
- Why - is arguably the most important; if you don’t know why you’re doing something you will never stay motivated
- How - you need an action plan to achieve any goal
- When - schedules help you keep momentum and deadlines keep you accountable
- Where and who - it is useful to consider where you will work on your goal and who with rather than figuring things out on the fly
Let’s take a look at a new year’s resolution you’ll hear during the holidays and how you can use this approach to make it a 2021 goal:
“My new year’s resolution is to lose weight”
becomes
“My goal is to lose 5kg so I can fit into my red dress for my friend’s wedding in June. I am going to cook all my meals at home Monday to Friday and go to the gym 3 times a week with my partner”
2. SMART goals
A useful structure for goals many of us use at work is the SMART goal:
- Specific - defined clearly and meaningfully
- Measurable - quantifiable to measure progress and success
- Attainable - realistic within your means
- Relevant - aligns with your motivations and values
- Time-based - have a deadline
Let’s see how this applies to another common new year’s resolution:
“My new year’s resolution is to eat healthily”
becomes
“My new year’s resolution is to eat paleo 80% of the time for the next 3 months so I can control my gut symptoms by keeping a food photo journal”
3. The Hippocrates Lounge New Year’s Resolutions tool
Try using our #Healthy2021 goals tool below. All you have to do is fill in the blanks, repeat for as many goals as you wish and then it will send you an email with your new year’s resolutions morphed into 2021 health goals you can act on and stick to.
Here’s to a #Healthy2021!