Ready to quit your New Year resolutions? These three tips will help you re-prioritise your goals.
This year, National Quitter’s Day fell on 14 January. Other research by Strava shows that 19 January is the most popular day to give up resolutions, while research from OnePoll has a more forgiving belief that we make it to 4 February before throwing in the towel. Whatever the date, the data shows that new year’s resolutions are made to be given up on.
That shouldn’t be the way – especially if your goal is to do something genuinely positive for your life or your health. Plans to exercise more or take up a new fitness hobby often results in eye-rolling from those around us, but surely taking steps to feel better can only be a good thing? So why do we ditch these goals so fast?
“I don’t subscribe to the view that January is the perfect time to stop or start something,” says Nancy Best, personal trainer and founder of Ladies Who Crunch. “I think that’s where people tend to go wrong – they put too much pressure on themselves to change 70 things in the least motivating month of the year. If you’re struggling to feel motivated after 22 days, I’d say the goal was too ambitious or not aligned with your values or tastes. It’s not going to be all sunshine and rainbows, but it shouldn’t be that hard.”
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The truth is that there are ways to make meaningful changes without the constant on/off narrative. So if you’re feeling close to quitting, understand that you simply can change how you approach your resolutions – because you don’t have to wait until next month (or year) to set a new goal. To use a cliche, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.
For those feeling like their routine is slipping through their hands like sand, Best suggests re-jigging your goals with these tips.
1. Break it down
“You need to figure out the nitty-gritty of what you are actually trying to change,” says Best. “There’s no point just saying at the end of it you want to ‘be stronger’ – you need to figure out the steps of what is going to get you there. And preferably, make those steps more empowering and exciting, because they’re the things that are going to be sustainable.”
You’ve heard it a million times, but goals that are specific and measurable tend to be the easiest to achieve. So think about the real purpose behind your desire to move more and think about the smallest things in your life you can change to get there. It’s about breaking macro into micro – it’s easier to have five really tiny changes than one big goal, ie ‘I vow to prepare my running kit the night before’ is better than ‘I want to become a regular runner.’
2. Work your way up
If you are looking to increase your strength or fitness by increasing your training frequency, you don’t have to go double or nothing. Aiming for four sessions a week when you’re used to one or two is a huge shock, and easy to fail at. Instead, Best recommends sticking to your usual two workouts, but adding in an extra stretch or walk. “If you’ve maybe been able to hit that target, you might then feel a bit more prepared to increase your workout volume, swapping in those short, low-intensity habits for your workouts. Before you know it, you’ll have ended up overshooting that January goal – it just might be that you’ve achieved it closer to the spring or summer.”
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3. Find a support system
Remember what we were saying earlier about people eye-rolling at fitness? It’s something Best has seen a lot with her clients, who often find that they are seen as weird or wrong for prioritising their health – especially if it means earlier nights or less drinking. “Sometimes you have to make difficult choices to facilitate your own needs. And other people in your life might not like that change to your circumstances. That’s why I think having a network or community of people who can support you is really important,” she says.
Obviously, if your goal is too ludicrous, no one can make it work. But having people around you who help you realise that prioritising yourself is OK can be hugely beneficial.
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