6 reasons why you should skip having new year resolutions

According to countless publications the reason you don’t keep New Year resolutions is because you only wish and don’t resolve to doing something. Get the difference? Whether it is due to lack of interest, finances or motivation, less than 10 per cent of us will keep our resolutions. With that said, is it really worth it? If it is a bad habit you need to stop, you should not wait for January do it.

Before you make a long list of what you hope to achieve this New Year, you need to keep it real.

This is why New Year resolutions don’t work.

Come February, the excitement has worn off and you are back to your old ways. You simply lose interest or if something isn’t going according to plan you get discouraged and stop. Set goals along the way and use them to track your progress. Do so with positive reinforcement from loved ones and yourself to keep the momentum going.

Most of us list down our resolutions and it ends there. You need an action plan that will act as a guide. Break your end goals into monthly, weekly and even daily tasks to create a calendar. This will help towards you achieving your resolutions.

There will come a time you will fall short of your expectations and that is not the time to beat yourself. Whatever little progress you have made take it as a stride in the right direction and pat yourself on the back. Reward yourself for the effort you made and continue.

Many at times we set the bar very high and fail. For example if you expect to shed 45kgs in three months it will not happen. Take a hard look on yourself and habits and set an achievable goal within a realistic time frame. Remember, it also starts in the mind and requires some behavior change. Prepare yourself before you commit and waste time.

Not only are you coming from the holidays where rules were thrown outside the window but you are now thrown into the harsh reality of January. That does not form a very inspiring picture. Forget the peer pressure and make decisions at your right time. Who said you have to make life changing decisions at the beginning of January? If need to make a change you can pick any day out of the 364 days you have in a year.

Many resolutions have a cost implication attached to it and this is one of the top reasons many give up. For example, losing weight may mean paying for gym membership. This does not have to be so. Look for creative ways you can lose weight without spending much.