Hack Your 2023 New Year’s Resolutions
Get yourself a planner, start journaling now, and more.
Delay the thought as much as you like, but the new year is coming in 11 days whether you like it or not. While the holidays are an extremely exciting time, it’s also the optimal time to reflect on what we’ve learned from the ending year and what we would like to see change in the new one. What did you accomplish, and what are some items left unchecked on your bucket lists? What’s something new you would like to pick up on.
Sure, it’s super convenient to write out some New Year resolutions, and even follow up with them… at first. That’s why the first week of the New Year all gyms are absolutely packed, and the salad & vegetable stands are out of stock in grocery stores. But then, slowly but surely, you’ll begin to see treadmills clearing out, and the demand for potato chips replacing those for zucchinis. In fact, while 75% of people are usually successful in keeping up with their resolutions in the first week of the year, that number drops to 64% at the end of the month. Before we even know it, half of us will have given up by the first half of the year on the resolutions.
So, how do we make sure we’re on the successful half of this mix? Here’s 4 tactics that I’ve found useful this past year.
4 Hacks to Ace Your New Year’s Resolutions
- Create joint resolutions.
Sometimes, new year’s resolutions can be intimidating to follow through when you are on your own. How about you choose one or more companions to join the challenge? Do you want to drink more water this year? Find a friend who would like to do the same and remind each other periodically to drink water. Looking to wake up earlier during weekdays. Challenge your significant other to go on morning walks at 6 am for 30 minutes. Not only will you have a person who can keep you accountable, but also the resolutions will become way more fun!
2. Get yourself a planner.
A planner really helps you convert macro new year’s resolutions into actionable items in your agenda. Take working out for example; say you set yourself a goal to work out 4 times a week this year. To turn this goal into a reality, I renewed my subscription to my gym- Core Power Yoga, and designated 2 other workout methods I will include in my weekly schedule; running outdoors (weather permitting) and boxing. Every Sunday, I sit down for just 5 minutes, check my work schedule, and decide on which 4 days to integrate these workouts. Is it raining on Tuesday; let’s go to Core Power that day. Do I have a long day on Monday; let’s fit in a quick 30-minute run midday. By having these in my weekly planner, it was drastically easier for me to keep my promise to myself. Are you having difficulty finding the right planner for yourself? You’re in luck. Insumo’s launching its new weekly planner at the top of the year that even includes its own habit-tracking field for you to keep up on your tasks, habits, and goals.
3. Be realistic.
There is no harm in knowing your limits and setting realistic goals. For example, I would love to be better at speaking French by the end of 2023. But, given my strictly conversational level (that sometimes mildly borders on adequate when I’ve had a couple of glasses of wine), I know I won’t be fluent by the end of the year if learning French is not my sole focus in life. Instead, I can set myself a goal to complete at least 15 minutes of French lessons on Duolingo every day, or start taking lessons from a tutor for 1.5 hours every week. Hopefully, with some progress, I will be able to order my food in French without receiving a response in English the next time I go to France.
4. Make it fun.
A new year is an exciting prospect and a source of endless hope. Create items on your resolutions that you would look forward to, and perhaps have been wanting to do for a while. Was there a place you’ve been wanting to visit for a while but have been delaying? Is there an experience in the city you were thinking of doing for a while? I and my roommate sat down the other day and created a list of places and experiences that intrigued us in New York: going to an opera at the Met, watching a show at the Comedy Cellar, going to a gallery opening… Even the prospect of checking these off your bucket list is so fun and exhilarating.
In 2023, let’s set out to be in the half that fulfills their resolutions and guides others to do the same. Take on the challenge with us at Insumo!
