The New Year is right around the corner. If you’re like most people, chances are you’ve been thinking about the list of resolutions you want to set. Who knows? Maybe you’ve already started sharing your resolutions with friends and family, encouraging them to join you on your 365-day quest to make 2022 a remarkable year to celebrate. We’ve all been there, haven’t we?
Here’s the funny thing about resolutions, though. Hardly any of us wind up accomplishing them. Reports show that more than 79% of resolutions set on January 1 fall apart by the year’s end. To make matters even bleaker, further research shows that a whopping number of resolutions (25%!) are dead in the water come January 7.
So, what’s the trouble? While psychologists and researchers cite many reasons for the low success rate of New Year’s resolutions, the truth is there are ways to ensure that yours don’t fall apart before you get started. (Bonus: The strategies to boost your chances of success are a lot easier than you might think.)
Don’t Call Them Resolutions
First up: Instead of using the term resolution, try swapping it for the word goal. It may seem trivial, but there is a benefit in refraining from using the term resolutions when you’re gearing up to blaze a trail for yourself in the new year.
On the one hand, you get to ignore the doom and gloom of the research looming around New Year’s resolutions. On the other hand, you have an opportunity to make the things that you want to accomplish more–well, achievable–with one simple switch.
Goals, unlike resolutions, are more objective by definition and tied to our ambitions, elevating their importance in our mind’s eye. And when we give something importance, it naturally feels less of a struggle devoting our time and energy to it. Because a resolution, by definition, is nothing more than a “firm decision,” replacing it with something more substantial just makes sense.
Be Specific
One of the biggest challenges we face when deciding things we want to accomplish is that we’re often too broad. Instead, make sure your goals are as specific as possible. For example, if regular exercise is something you’d like to achieve in the coming months, take some time to specify what “regular exercise” means. Does it mean hitting the gym once or twice a week? Or is it more or less?
The more specific the goal, the easier it is to chart a course to achieve it.
Simplify
Once you’ve set a specific goal for yourself, the next step is to break it down into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Just like scaling a mountain, a goal becomes less daunting when you view it as a step-by-step process.
If you want to accomplish a specific goal within the next year, what might your success look like three, six, nine months from now? Think of these bite-sized pieces of your end goal as milestones along your journey toward success.
Track Your Progress
Have you ever set a goal for yourself, only to fall off track or forget about it completely days, weeks, or months later? Here’s the thing: goals become much easier to achieve when we establish a way to hold ourselves accountable and track our success.
In fact, a study by the Dominican University in California has shown that we are 42% more likely to achieve a goal when we first write it down and, second, monitor our progress. So, once you’ve figured out what the milestones or bite-sized pieces of your overall goal are, choose a way to track your progress as you move forward.
Depending on what you want to achieve, chances are there are phone apps, bound journals, or printable checklists available to help you stay on track and celebrate your progress each step of the way.
Here are a few lists of high-ranking favorites:
- Apps for better sleep
- Apps for tracking exercise
- Apps for tracking general goals
- Goal-Setting Journals
Treat Yourself
Speaking of celebrating, don’t forget to reward yourself each time you reach an important milestone on your journey. Not only is indulging in a special treat now and then exciting in and of itself, but studies show that rewarding yourself for progressing toward a significant goal can boost your motivation and help you stay the course when the going gets tough.
Whether it’s a piece of chocolate, a night on the town, or a new pair of shoes–the best part of deciding your reward is it’s entirely up to you.
Bonus Tip: Sleep Well
The more quality sleep you can get, the more rested and energized you’ll feel as you set out to achieve your goals. So, our final (bonus) tip is never to underestimate the power of sleep.
Set yourself–and your goals–up for success by minimizing sleep disruptions as much as possible. Look to outfitting your sleep environment with a clean foundation and plenty of cozy layers to keep you comfortable as the seasons shift from one to the next. And if soothing aromas appeal to your senses much as they do ours, consider using aromatherapy as a tool in your sleep arsenal as well.
Mix, Match, and Save
When it comes to setting your sleep environment up for long-term success, we’re happy to provide you with all the clean, comfy tools you need.
Visit us at purecare.com to save up to 40% off by mixing and matching your favorite bedding essentials to curate the perfect bundle to suit your unique lifestyle and sleep and wellness goals.