Every year, the 1st of January signals a mass of activity around New Year’s Resolutions, as people reflect on the previous 12 months, and make plans for what they will do differently in the year ahead. We all expect that most will fail after just a few weeks.
At Humaniti, we wanted to understand what people promised themselves this year, and how many people think they’ll stay on track! We asked over 2,000 of our Humanitirians how they approached this time of year, and what progress they had made on any resolutions.
53% said they had made New Year’s resolutions, with 17% really committed to the process, but what were the most common? There were two areas that people really focused on. The first one was getting their finances in shape, whether that be saving more (62%) or paying down debts (47). While the second was quite literally getting in shape in the more traditional sense, with an emphasis on eating more healthily (58%) and getting fitter (57%). Admirable goals to say the least!
How were people doing 4 few weeks in? An impressive 98% still had their New Year resolutions on track, with 44% feeling they were going well, and 54% with a few that had slipped off, but generally still doing ok. So, what are the top tips for keeping on track?
1. Have a plan, write it down: It sounds obvious, but the secret is in the detail. You know when you are most likely to be tempted away from your goals. What is your strategy in those moments? How can you manage your money on pay day, what do you do when you are you eating out? Make sure you write your strategy down somewhere you’ll see it often, then focus on making smart micro-decisions along the way to help you achieve the overall goal.
2. Talk about it: Sharing your goals with others can make you be more accountable to yourself, and can empower your support network to help you when things get difficult. Tell your partner, or a friend, the twitterverse, or even your dog!
3. Track your progress, and celebrate the wins: You may well have an end goal, but how do you know if you are getting there? What are the milestones along the way and how can give yourself a little reward when you achieve them?
So the February scorecard looks pretty good. For all of you who made New Year’s Resolutions, we wish you the best of luck and we will check in later in the year. Stay tuned.