4 Habits of New Year’s Resolution Keepers

Have you ever wondered how some people can make New Year’s resolutions and keep them? Or why do some resolutions fail? The answers aren’t as simple as, “some people are just more motivated to reach their goals.” Motivation doesn’t always yield fruitful results. In fact, Ohio State University psychology professor Steven Reiss argues that “…there is no real evidence that intrinsic motivation even exists.” This is to say that motivation can’t be prepackaged in a neat little box and sold as one size fits all.

When you make a resolution for the New Year, usually it’s in an effort to make positive changes in your life. And many who are successful in that endeavor are creatures of particular habits. Want to learn more about those specific tendencies? Keep reading.

How to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions

1. Keep It Real

For those able to avoid resolution failure, one of the most important habits is keeping them grounded and real. It’s never a good idea to set an unattainable goal or one outside your means to complete it. For instance, if you resolve to travel internationally but you’re in enormous credit card debt, that’s probably not the most realistic (or financially savvy) resolution for you at this point in time. Strive for something you’ll be able to achieve, like spending more time with your family, reading more books, or drinking more water.

2. Plan Ahead…Backward

Poet Robert Burns coined the phrase, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” This simply means even with a plan there’s no guarantee of success. However, there’s a much higher chance that you’ll accomplish a New Year’s resolution when you plan ahead in reverse. What does that mean?

In a 2017 study, researchers at the University of Iowa, Peking University HSBC Business School, and the Korea University Business School found that goal-planning methods amongst students were more comprehensive when done backward. According to the study, the participants that worked in reverse were “planning the steps they would take just before their goal and working backward in time until they reached the step nearest in the future.”

To put things in perspective, start with your end goal and work backward to develop a plan to achieve your realistic resolution. Make sure to set a due date if a schedule drives your goal. Remember, reverse planning doesn’t mean you follow your steps backward. It’s simply a way to help you map out your goal if you’re unsure what the first step should be.

3. Incentivize Resolutions

Keeping New Year’s resolutions can be challenging if you set your sights a little too high and don’t reward yourself throughout the process. Sure, the true reward is accomplishing your goal, but you deserve mini rewards here and there to keep you inspired.

Ways to incentivize your resolution include:

• Buying some clothing anytime you reach a mini-goal
• Book a staycation to a part of your state you’ve never been
• Treat yourself to your favorite dessert
• Invite a good friend to watch a movie you’ve been waiting to see

Whatever the incentive, make sure the reward doesn’t contradict your resolution. For instance, if you’re working toward cutting back on sweets, the best reward probably isn’t a box of chocolates or a bag of gummy worms. Your incentive should be something in line with your goal.

4. Give Grace

Sometimes, resolutions don’t always work out the way you planned because various factors get in the way, or other things take precedence. In those cases, give yourself grace. Don’t beat yourself up about any missteps you may have. There’s, literally, always tomorrow. But that’s not to say you should continuously give yourself a pass on the things you aspire to achieve.

Whether you resolve to stop a bad cleaning habit or pick up a healthier routine, continue to focus on reaching your goal. And while you’re taking on the world, we’ll be here to maintain the cleanliness of your home with our detailed cleaning services.

Find your Merry Maids location online or call us at (888) 490-4227 to get more information about how we can help.