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Tips for Successful New Year’s Resolutions (30/12/2019)

Dec 30, 2019

Press Release – For Immediate Distribution

Tips for Successful New Year’s Resolutions

As the New Year begins, many people start the year with hopes of behavioural changes by making New Years Resolutions. (Info based on research of Psychologist John C. Norcross; www.statisticsbrain.com; www.psychologytoday.com)

Facts:

  • Approximately 50% of the population make New Year’s Resolutions each year
  • Top resolutions include weight loss, exercise, stop smoking and better money/debt management
  • Average person makes the same resolution 10 years in a row
  • Average resolution is abandoned within six weeks
  • Estimate that less than 10% of New Year’s resolutions are actually achieved
  • Those who make resolutions are 10 times more likely to successfully change behaviour than those who don’t make resolutions

Why are they unsuccessful?

  • set unrealistic goals and expectations
  • people aren’t ready to change their habits
  • don’t prepare for how to cope with slip ups

Suggestions:

  1. ) focus on one resolution. Make it realistic and specific (e.g. losing 10 lbs over 90 days rather than general goal of losing weight, take the stairs at work once each day vs get more exercise)
  2. ) make them SMART – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound
  3. ) take small steps. Goals need to include small, manageable changes
  4. ) tell someone. This can help to keep you accountable and provide you with support
  5. ) celebrate mini successes along the way. Don’t just focus on the end goal
  6. ) focus on each day. What’s the one thing you can do today, right now, towards your goal?
  7. ) Make the first step something that is easy to do for at least the first week
  8. ) Put it in your schedule
  9. ) Avoid “all or nothing” thinking. Slip ups will happen, but don’t let that be an excuse to abandon the goal completely

Psychologists can be accessed through your local health care centre, via workplace Employee Assistance programs, and privately (see www.apnl.ca – click on Find a Psychologist for more details.).

Media interviews with a Psychologist on this (or other topics), can be arranged by contacting Dr. Janine Hubbard at 682-0235 or janine@janinehubbard.com

 

Click Here to download the PDF.

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