How to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions

Read on for our tips for making – and sticking to – New Year’s Resolutions.

It can be tempting to want to overhaul your entire life as soon as the clock strikes midnight on January 1, but setting small, achievable goals is far more likely to prove sustainable than a full blown lifestyle shift. Zero in on an area of your life that you’d like to upgrade, and start by making the smallest change possible. Want to read more, but feel like you never have time? Don’t tell yourself you’re going to read 52 books next year. Instead, resolve to tear through five to ten pages of a book every day (or even every week – whatever actually feels sustainable). That way, you don’t run the risk of overwhelming yourself with your own goals.

This tip, which we picked up from James Clear’s excellent book Atomic Habits sounds counterintuitive, but it’s worked for us: when you’re trying to build a new habit (which is another, less intimidating way to look at resolutions), stop doing before you get sick of it. For example: if you want to start journaling, stop a page before you’re inclined to. That way, you leave the experience wanting more – and are more likely to return to it again the next day.

Aiming to listen to more educational podcasts and also start foam rolling? Another fabulous Atomic Habits tip is to employ a technique called “habit stacking.” It’s as simple as it sounds: pair two of your resolutions together – or pair one of your resolutions with a pleasurable activity (i.e., doing 100 sit-ups while you watch your favorite show) and you may find yourself wanting to do them.

Another surefire way to increase the odds you stick to something is to invest in it. Want to go to the gym more? Paying upfront for an annual gym membership should help motivate you to get your money’s worth. Looking to become more mindful in the New Year? Invest in a Transcendental Meditation course. Want to volunteer more? Sign up for an hour-long, in-person training at the organization of your choice for some extra accountability.