New Year Resolutions

Its New Years Eve, and nows the time to sit down and make a list of resolutions - if you havent done so already. If youre one of those laidback souls who make long lists of resolutions, and then break them all before breakfast on the 2nd of Jan (considering that youll be too hungover to do anything motivating on the first), this article is for you. Heres to keeping New Year resolutions! In this articleBe specificBe realisticBe focussedCut downBe seriousHeres a list of some of the most common New Year resolutions Be specific Once youve got a broad idea of what you want to achieve during the new year, be more specific with your targets. For example, if your goal is to lose 10 kg within six months, dont just let your resolution be "Lose 10 kg by June 2003. Instead, jot down something like: Will stop having sugar in my tea. Will go for a jog every morning, etc. Dont have abstract goals - be more specific. If you want to get a book published, resolve to write five or ten or twenty pages a day. Be realistic Set realistic goals. Dont decide to go for a morning walk at the crack of dawn if you hate dragging yourself out of bed before ten a.m. If you normally wake up at say eight o clock, you could decide to wake up at seven instead. If you know you wont be able to keep it up, and dont really see the need, then resolve to exercise in the evening instead. The key to keeping your resolutions is to make achievable ones - which require will power, not torture - or you wont be able to keep them. In this manner youll stop taking your goals seriously, and achieving anything will be a struggle for you. Be focussed Lets get back to the list of resolutions. This list should not consist of more than 5 resolutions, as, frankly speaking, you know youre not going to be able to stick to any more. Sure, you want to achieve more than 5 things in the year, but its best to do this by narrowing your focus. Cut down Do you want to give up the bad things you eat, smoke, drink, inhale or inject? Realize that you may not be able to stop cold turkey. Focus on cutting down. In fact, research states that those people who have resolved to start a positive activity on the New Year have met with more success than those who resolved to give up a bad habit. Be serious Giving up something like drugs would be very difficult, but its certainly not impossible. However, if its a last minute decision, youre setting yourself up for failure. If you want to give up something, make a resolution only if youve been wanting to do so for a while now, and youre really serious about it. That is the resolution youre more likely to stick with. And if its a serious addition that youre trying to give up, like smoking or drinking, then let it be your only resolution this year. If you havent been able to stick to your resolutions, dont fret. Figure out what went wrong and why, and try again. Not everybody manages to fulfill all resolutions in one year, unless theyve been really focused and just listed down one or two resolutions. Heres a list of some of the most common New Year resolutions: I resolve to go for a walk/jog every morning, at least three times a week. I resolve to quit smoking. I resolve to smoke no more than 5 cigarettes a day. I resolve to quit alcohol. I resolve to drink no more than 2 pegs a week. I resolve to join yoga/dance/painting/sculpture/photography etc. classes. I resolve to join a gym, and work out at least three times a week. I resolve to devote at least an hour a day to my kids - where its just me, my kids and my spouse. No television. I resolve to quit sugar. So what are your New Year resolutions? Share them with us, and let us know your progress. Have you managed to keep them? Did you weaken? Jot them down, take them seriously, and set yourself up for success. All the best and Happy New Year!

It's New Year's Eve, and now's the time to sit down and make a list of resolutions - if you haven't done so already. If you're one of those laidback souls who make long lists of resolutions, and then break them all before breakfast on the 2nd of Jan (considering that you'll be too hungover to do anything motivating on the first), this article is for you. Here's to keeping New Year resolutions!

Be specific

Once you've got a broad idea of what you want to achieve during the new year, be more specific with your targets. For example, if your goal is to lose 10 kg within six months, don't just let your resolution be "Lose 10 kg by June 2003. Instead, jot down something like: Will stop having sugar in my tea. Will go for a jog every morning, etc. Don't have abstract goals - be more specific. If you want to get a book published, resolve to write five or ten or twenty pages a day.

Be realistic

Set realistic goals. Don't decide to go for a morning walk at the crack of dawn if you hate dragging yourself out of bed before ten a.m. If you normally wake up at say eight o' clock, you could decide to wake up at seven instead. If you know you won't be able to keep it up, and don't really see the need, then resolve to exercise in the evening instead. The key to keeping your resolutions is to make achievable ones - which require will power, not torture - or you won't be able to keep them. In this manner you'll stop taking your goals seriously, and achieving anything will be a struggle for you.

Be focussed

Let's get back to the 'list' of resolutions. This 'list' should not consist of more than 5 resolutions, as, frankly speaking, you know you're not going to be able to stick to any more. Sure, you want to achieve more than 5 things in the year, but its best to do this by narrowing your focus.

Cut down

Do you want to give up the bad things you eat, smoke, drink, inhale or inject? Realize that you may not be able to stop cold turkey. Focus on cutting down. In fact, research states that those people who have resolved to start a positive activity on the New Year have met with more success than those who resolved to give up a bad habit.

Be serious

Giving up something like drugs would be very difficult, but it's certainly not impossible. However, if it's a last minute decision, you're setting yourself up for failure. If you want to give up something, make a resolution only if you've been wanting to do so for a while now, and you're really serious about it. That is the resolution you're more likely to stick with. And if it's a serious addition that you're trying to give up, like smoking or drinking, then let it be your only resolution this year.

If you haven't been able to stick to your resolutions, don't fret. Figure out what went wrong and why, and try again. Not everybody manages to fulfill all resolutions in one year, unless they've been really focused and just listed down one or two resolutions.

Here's a list of some of the most common New Year resolutions:

• I resolve to go for a walk/jog every morning, at least three times a week.
• I resolve to quit smoking.
• I resolve to smoke no more than 5 cigarettes a day.
• I resolve to quit alcohol.
• I resolve to drink no more than 2 pegs a week.
• I resolve to join yoga/dance/painting/sculpture/photography etc. classes.
• I resolve to join a gym, and work out at least three times a week.
• I resolve to devote at least an hour a day to my kids - where it's just me, my kids and my spouse. No television.
• I resolve to quit sugar.

So what are your New Year resolutions? Share them with us, and let us know your progress. Have you managed to keep them? Did you weaken? Jot them down, take them seriously, and set yourself up for success. All the best and Happy New Year!