Resolution check-in

Josie Jackson considers the issues surrounding resolutions and suggests e ective methods of setting and tracking goals.

We’re now a few months into 2022, which makes it the perfect time to check in on our New Year’s resolutions. According to a YouGov survey, 16 per cent of the UK made resolutions this year, compared to 11 per cent going in to 2021. The same poll showed that the focus of resolutions is often health, food and dieting; 49 per cent intended to exercise more or improve fitness, 41 per cent wanted to commit to improving their diet, and 40 per cent wanted to lose weight. Further healthbased resolutions included cutting down drinking alcohol (15 per cent) and giving up smoking (seven per cent). Meanwhile, other popular resolutions included saving more money (39 per cent), pursuing a career ambition (19 per cent), spending less time on social media (16 per cent), and taking up a new hobby (15 per cent). However, when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, many of us don’t succeed. Indeed, the survey for 2022 also asked participants whether they had made resolutions for 2021, and it was revealed that of those who did, only 44 per cent managed to keep “some” of thier resolutions, whilst 19 per cent said they “did not keep any”. But why is this the case? Timing may play a role. Many people use January 1 as an opportunity to set new goals, but why? If someone is really motivated and wants to reach a goal, do they need to wait until January to start working towards it? It doesn’t seem to make sense – particularly when January is, in many ways, a terrible time to start. The days are short, it is dark – not to mention cold! When you combine a lack of genuine motivation with lessthan-ideal conditions, it is not surprising that many of us fail to stick to our resolutions – particularly where exercise is concerned.

Timing

However, if you find that the start of a new year does give you that extra push towards self-improvement, you should still think carefully before creating your resolutions, as sometimes, this is where the problem lies. Some sentiments, for example “saving more money”, are broad and vague. Being specific with your goals can help you measure your success; is there a total amount you are trying to save? By setting a target, it will become much easier to recognise that you are making good progress, which will prevent you from feeling discouraged. Even if you struggle with yearly goals, that doesn’t mean having a timeframe is a bad idea altogether. Weekly or monthly goals can be a great alternative to annual resolutions; they can be goals in their own right as well as making up part of a larger. Smaller goals are often more manageable, and therefore seem more realistic – starting small is often the key to success. Returning to the example of saving money, if you know how much you want to save throughout the year, you can then break this down into more manageable monthly chunks which seem achievable.

Josie Jackson is the editorial assistant for The Dentist.

Focus

Likewise, those wishing to ‘be healthier’ often struggle without having a clear focus, and it is all too easy to become overwhelmed. In this instance, setting small, more specific goals will allow you to focus on particular areas of a healthy lifestyle, instead of a broad spectrum. Great examples of daily goals include eating all of your five a day, incorporating 30 minutes of movement into your day or limiting sugary drinks to weekends.

Walking for 30 minutes each day for a month is a great way to start a fitness journey, if this is something you are new to. It’s the kind of goal that you can work into your daily life, too, perhaps as part of your commute to work or the school run. Then, after a month, you could try adding in a longer walk one day a week, or even introduce jogging into your regime. For those who already lead a fitness-centred lifestyle, there will always be room for improvement – perhaps a personal best time to work

towards? Meanwhile, if cutting down on screen time is something you’re keen to achieve, then why not start putting your phone away 10 minutes before you go to bed each night, and increase this by an additional five minutes each week.

Conclusion

doesn’t mean that resolutions can be forgotten. Any day can be the first on your journey towards a goal – you don’t have to wait until the end of December! If you started the new year strongly but have found that your motivation has waned, don’t worry – you can start again and use the previous e ort as a goal to try and go beyond. Setting new targets and reevaluating you progress is a great way to stay motivated. Overall though, if you want to make changes in your life, think clearly and start small - but also remember not to be be too hard on yourself, particularly if you don’t succeed right away. Making changes to your life can be di cult, but with every step in the right direction you will be making progress!