Sunday, January 01, 2012

Making New Year's Resolutions? Ask Yourself 6 Questions.

Resolutions
Forty-four percent of Americans make New Year's resolutions, and I know I always do. I'm more inclined to make resolutions than ever, in fact, because if my happiness project has convinced me of anything, it has convinced me that resolutions—made right—can make a huge difference in boosting happiness.
So how do you resolve well? This is trickier than it sounds. Here are some tips for making your resolutions as effective as possible.
1. Ask: "What would make me happier?" It might having more of something good —more fun with friends, more time for a hobby. It might be less of something bad —less yelling at your kids, less nagging of your spouse. It might be fixing something that doesn't feel right—more time spent volunteering, more time doing something to make someone else happier. Or maybe you need to get an atmosphere of growth in your life by learning something new, helping someone, or fixing something that isn't working properly.

2. Ask: "What is a concrete action that would bring change?" One common problem is that people make abstract resolutions, which are hard to keep. "Be more optimistic," "Find more joy in life," "Enjoy now," are resolutions that are hard to measure and therefore difficult to keep. Instead, look for a specific, measurable action. "Distract myself with fun music when I'm feeling gloomy," "Watch at least one movie each week," "Buy a plant for my desk" are resolutions that will carry you toward those abstract goals.

3. Ask: "Am I a 'yes' resolver or a 'no' resolver?" Some people resent negative resolutions. They dislike hearing "don't" or "stop" (even from themselves) or adding to their list of chores. If this describes you, try to find positive resolutions: "Take that dance class," "Have lunch with a friend once a week." Or maybe you respond well to "no." I actually do better with "no" resolutions; this may be related to the abstainer/moderator split. A lot of my resolutions are aimed at getting me to stop doing something, or to do something I don't really want to do—such as Don't expect gold stars. There's no right way to make a resolution, but it's important to know what works for you. As always, the secret is to know your own nature.

4. Ask: "Am I starting small enough?" Many people make super-ambitious resolutions and then drop them, feeling defeated, before January is over. Start small! We tend to over-estimate what we can do over a short time and under-estimate what we can do over a long time, if we make consistent, small steps. If you're going to resolve to start exercising (one of the most popular resolutions), don't resolve to go to the gym for an hour every day before work. Start by going for a ten-minute walk at lunch or marching in place once a day during the commercial breaks in your favorite TV show. Little accomplishments provide energy for bigger challenges. The humble resolution you actually follow is more helpful than the ambitious resolution you abandon. Lower the bar!

5. Ask: "How am I going to hold myself accountable?" Accountability is the secret to sticking to resolutions. That's why groups like AA and Weight Watchers are effective. There are many ways to hold yourself accountable; for example, I keep my Resolutions Chart.  If your resolution is too vague, it's hard to measure whether you've been keeping it. A resolution to "Eat healthier" is harder to track than "Eat salad for lunch three times a week."

4 comments:

  1. That are nice question to find good resolutions!
    Happy new Year!

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  2. Great tips! I wonder what percent of people keep their resolutions, lol.

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  3. Anonymous4:32 PM

    I'm stuck in the first one. :/

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  4. My resolution is to raise my GPA.

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