Your Annual “New Year, New Me” Resolution Spiel
It’s that time of year again! Where we are bombarded with advertisements of self-help products, exercise equipment and the latest diet to start the new year off “right”. Motivation is in high gear now that the holidays are coming to an end, and we return to our regular scheduled programming. Setting goals and implementing a new routine are great ways to ditch your old habits and finally make those lifestyle changes you have been putting off.
But how long can you ride the new year high? Slowly but surely, people begin to lose the will to stick with the commitments they established in January. Changing behaviour patterns can be tough, especially for us Canadians during the long and dark, cold, and snowy months we endure leading up to spring.
According to psychologist Timothy Pychyl, breaking a habit means establishing a new habit, as the old habit or pattern of responding is still there, but it is less dominant. Neuroscientist Elliot Berkman also explains that if you want to develop a new behaviour, it will take at least two months. Basically, it is much easier to start doing something new, than to stop doing something habitual without what he describes as a replacement behaviour.
So, when you are reflecting on your new year’s resolution, consider a few things.
Make your goal Specific.
Often when our goals are too general, we can lose sight of the end goal and become unmotivated.
Make your goal Measurable
This means tracking your progress to stay focused. Tracking can foster a feeling of excitement to achieve your goal.
Make your goal Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound.
When considering which habits, you either want to break or start, it is also important to choose something realistically achievable, relevant to you, and have a deadline (time bound).
This concept is also known as SMART goal setting, developed by Dr. Edwin Locke and Dr. Gary Latham. This technique is commonly used in a therapeutic setting to help individuals who are wanting a solution-focused approach.
Don’t forget to love yourself in the process.
Self-compassion and reflection are also key during this process. If you aren’t achieving your daily or weekly goal, simply ask yourself why? What is the barrier(s) stopping you from doing so? What is in your control to change this? The other piece is recognizing that life happens, people get busy, deal with illness, have work obligations etc. So, it is important to remember, if you become off track for any reason, acknowledge it and move forward without self-judgement.
Now that you have the knowledge of SMART goals, how are you going to start and end your 2022?
References:
Dean, S. (2018). Here's how long it really takes to break a habit, according to science. ScienceAlert. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://www.sciencealert.com/how-long-it-takes-to-break-a-habit-according-to-science.
Team, the M. T. C., wrote, Y., & wrote, M. (2020). Smart goals: – how to make your goals achievable. Time Management Training From MindTools.com. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/smart-goals.htm.