Last year 74% of adult Americans,* (thats a whopping 188.9 million people!) said they were determined to make a resolution to learn something new, make a lifestyle change or set a personal goal in an effort to better themselves. We all know that its a lot easier to make a resolution than keep one though; during a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, only 46% of people who made #NewYears resolutions were successful, and of those who didn’t make a resolution, but still had a goal to achieve, only 4% were successful.
Let's not get discouraged, though! We want you to achieve all you can and live your life to the fullest. Follow these easy steps to be successful in sticking to your resolutions during 2022 and beyond, plus we've got this year's top 10 resolutions, if you're looking for some inspiration!
How to successfully MAKE your resolution(s)
Set resolution goals that motivates you, not ones determined by a boss, family member or peer pressure. For example, if a group of your coworkers are planning to train for and run a marathon this year, but you're not remotely interesting in running, don't join the group just because everyone else is. Focus on YOUR top priorities, and what would have the biggest impact on you personally.
Limit the number of resolutions you make. We’re not superheroes. We can’t do everything, all the time. Take some time to make a list of your resolution ideas, then order them by most important to you, and focus just on the top 1-3.
Be specific. "Get healthy" sounds great, but it's too big, too vague. It doesn't give you any direction. Instead, make it specific, measurable and attainable. "Keep up with my favorite coach on Fitness+ workouts four days a week " is a much better resolution than "get healthy."
How to successfully KEEP your resolution(s)
Mentally prepare and get yourself motivated. Resolutions often focus on areas we want to improve on, so instead, think of all you've achieved this year. Get in a positive mindset. Use post-it notes to leave yourself reminders of your accomplishments, and other notes of encouragement.
Don’t make big, quick changes. Changes and new habits that actually stick should happen gradually and keep building.
Take on one resolution at a time and break it down. Make it into smaller, more manageable accomplishments, and keep yourself on track using weekly or monthly goals. For example, if your goal is to use meal planning to organize your meals, streamline your shopping and/or keep yourself within a budget, don't start this week with detailed weekly meal plans that include every single thing you're going to eat. You'll burn yourself out in a few weeks. Instead, build up to a full meal plan slowly:
January: plan a few grab-and-go breakfast meals each week, such as hard boiled eggs, frozen waffles, breakfast egg muffins, or prepackaged avocado for avocado toast. Write down your favorites in a journal or recipe book.
February: keep planning a few grab-and-go breakfast meals, and also plan a few take-to-work lunches. Keep writing down your favorites and what works.
March: Continue with a few breakfasts and lunches a week. Add one weeknight dinner - maybe make it a theme night, such as Friday pizza night, or Taco Tuesday, so it's fun and easy to remember. Keep writing down what works.
April: ...
See how much more sustainable it is when you start slow and build on each accomplishment? By the time you add another step, you've had 4 weeks to get used to the one before.
Automate as much as you can to help you keep on schedule and so you don't forget. Use whichever tool is quickest and easiest for you – your focus is meant to be on doing, not scheduling. We suggest using your Google or Apple Calendar, the Reminders app if you're an Apple user, or Boomerang, which is a gmail add-on that let's you schedule emails (you can use it to schedule reminder emails to yourself). You could also use a to-do list, or task management app with reminder and milestone capabilities such as Trello, but only if it's an app you use all the time and are already comfortable with.
Give yourself space (and time!) to get used to each small change, and some grace to not get it perfect on the first try.
If you fall off track, get back on quick. If you've been working out 4 times a week, and then one week you only work out twice, don't give up. Give yourself some space, and get back up to 4 days next week.
Celebrate each win. Each small goal you achieve brings you closer to your big goal, so don't be afraid to reward yourself.
Share your resolutions with others, so you can keep each other accountable and motivated. Don't forget to celebrate together too!
Resolution Inspiration: Our Top 10 Resolutionsto Make for 2022
1. Get healthy by...
This is by far the most popular resolution, but remember to ask yourself what "get healthy" mean to you? Is it eating a balanced diet, drinking more water, sticking to an exercise schedule, practicing meditation, journaling...? Make sure you get specific!
2. Get organized by...
What is it that drives you crazy? Do you struggle with keeping the house or clean, or planning healthy meals? Break it down into manageable steps and set yourself some weekly/monthly goals. Remember our meal planning example with monthly goals!
3. Sleep better
So many of us function day to day without enough sleep. So what's your strategy here? A few ideas: use a sunrise alarm clock to wake up gently, a weighted blanket to help you stay asleep, journaling, yoga or mediation at night to clear your mind, or try a sleep tracker app.
4. Learn something
What do you WANT to learn? Do you want to learn a skill that will help you move your career forward? Maybe a new hobby you've always wanted to try? Sign up for a class, whether it's online or in person. There are tons of online learning platform, so you can't use the COVID-19 resurgence as an excuse! Some of the most popular are: Masterclass, Skillshare, and Teachable.
5. More me time
"I’ve had too much 'me time' lately," said No One Ever. In order to be the best (friend/parent/employee/boss/caregiver) you can be, you need some time where you get to be #1. So what helps you destress and reenergize? Read the next book by your favorite author, listen to your favorite podcast, pick up that hobby that you used to love but never have time for anymore. Schedule time for yourself.
6. Save more money/spend less money
This is another popular resolution, and once again, the key here is to be specific. Decide how you're going to change your spending and schedule your goals. Some tactics could be: start using a budget tracker, focus on taking control of one budget category at a time (ie. restaurants/eating out, household goods, insurance, groceries, miscellaneous), and even give yourself a weekly/monthly allowance.
Give us a call at (860) 785-4854 to see how we can save you money on your insurance.
7. Get outside more
The health benefits of getting outside more are substantial. Check out this article from Harvard Medical School if you want to learn more. There are a lot of options here, so get specific. "Take a 15 minute walk during my lunch break on sunny days," "take the dog/kids to the park twice a week for at least 30 minutes," and "get up 30 minutes earlier on weekdays to watch the sunrise on the deck and enjoy my cup of coffee" are all great (and very specific) resolutions to make.
8. Pay it forward
Do you want to send more love out into the world? Try making a resolution that focuses on others, such as showing your employees more appreciation for a job well done.
9. Make your bed
It may sound overly simply, but this article from CNBC will tell you why it can make a bigger difference than you think. Start off each day with your first accomplishment checked off in the first 5 minutes!
10. Grow something
We talked about getting outside to improve your health, but what about improving your health while indoors too? If you're just developing a green thumb, learning to grow and care for indoor plants is a great first step. If you're a more experienced gardener, a more substantial vegetable garden makes a very healthy resolution.
That's a wrap!
Don't forget to share pics of your resolutions with us so we can cheer you on! You can tag @spectrum-ins on Instagram or follow us on Facebook.
Made a resolution to finally get life insurance? Want to check your rates as part of your budget-related resolution? Give us a call today at (860) 785-4854.
*Survey of 1,790 US adults born between 1928 to 2002, commissioned by Finder and conducted by Pureprofile in September 2020. Survey assumed the participants in the survey represented the US population of 254.7 million Americans who were at least 18 years old according to the July 2019 US Census Bureau estimate. This assumption was made at the 95% confidence level with a 2.32% margin of error.