We’re about two months into the new year, which is right around the time New Year’s resolutions are abandoned. The most common resolutions, according to Statista, are change diet, exercise more, lose weight, spend less and pick up a new hobby.
It looks like most people want to make improvements in themselves so they make lifestyle-altering promises. Where is the disconnect? Why is it so hard to keep up with changes that you want to make? A lot of the tips shared online draw from one thing: mindset.
There’s a lot to be said about proper planning, setting realistic goals and monitoring your success, but none of that amounts to anything without the right attitude. Why make a resolution you don’t care about? It’s tradition at this point to declare what you want to improve on, which means by December, we’ve probably ruminated on our failures and feel exhausted from gift shopping. It’s no surprise, then, that resolutions might feel like chores to people.
On the other hand, some of us are invigorated by the holidays to the point that we struggle to maintain that energy when the holidays are over. It’s not our resolutions or the new year that excite us, it’s the gifts and dinners and themed decorations.
In the two months since the holiday season ended, I’ve noticed myself sorting my habits into two categories: good and bad. When I followed through on a bad habit (like browsing online) I felt guilty and discouraged, but browsing online was a distraction from those emotions, so I kept doing it. I started to associate those emotions with any resolution work and avoided it altogether.
I wanted to be more productive, but when I planned out time for hobbies, I felt disappointed at the thought of doing them, which meant to make myself feel better, I did the things I considered bad habits. When I inevitably followed through on a good habit, however, I only praised myself for obeying rather than for the results of my work. This meant I only cared about the idea of resolutions, and not actually improving myself.
In other words, I lost the plot. It was no longer clear to me why I was doing what I was doing, only that I had to do it. That’s not a strong motivation to have, and it all stemmed from my mindset. There are no bad habits. In my example, browsing online was not productive, but it still had a purpose. I did it because it made me feel better. That’s not a bad thing. The tricky part came when I had to figure out a habit that both made me feel better and was productive at the same time.
When I felt the urge to browse again, I didn’t blame myself for it, instead I asked myself if it was really going to help me. If I felt it was, then I set a timer to keep me from browsing too long. If it wasn’t, then I thought about what would actually help. Sometimes that was taking a walk, having a snack or working on assignments.
I’m not an expert, but making that simple switch from good/bad habits to helpful/unhelpful habits made it easier to remember my goals and stick to them. If you’re looking for expert advice, however, Harvard Medical School shared their suggestions on sticking with resolutions. Whichever tips you choose to take, best of luck in tackling finals, a pandemic and whatever is happening in the Capitol when you’re reading this.
