1 / 3Photo: Michael Dwyer/AP/TT
Eat better, drink less and exercise more? Are you one of those who have big plans for a better life in 2024? Here are the experts’ tips on how to optimize your chances of succeeding with your New Year’s resolutions.
When a new year begins, many people plan to start new habits. A new year symbolizes a fresh start and after Christmas and the New Year’s holidays, the lifestyle may have been less perfect than expected.
But how do you keep a New Year’s resolution?
– The first thing is not to aim too high, says Per Carlbring, professor of clinical psychology at Stockholm University, who researches New Year’s resolutions and is one of the world’s foremost experts in the field.
– If you’ve never been on a pair of skis, you probably shouldn’t bet on going to the Vasaloppet in March. It is a common mistake to take in too much.
Add new habits
Carlbring has seen in his research that there is a greater chance of keeping the promise if it is formulated as an “approach goal” where the promise is to start with something, than if it is formulated as an “avoidance goal”, where you must stop a habit.
– Anyone who wants to change their diet and eat more healthily has a greater chance of success if the promise is to start eating more fruit and vegetables rather than giving up sweets.
By setting approach goals, you can aim to replace one behavior you want to get rid of for another. If you eat fruit several times a day, it’s probably easier to cut back on sweets.
Another tip is that the promise should be specific. Instead of deciding to “save money”, you should specify an amount that is transferred by direct debit. It is also easier if the goal is measurable.
– Among women, a common promise is to “stress less”, which is very diffuse. Then you can try to break it down and say that you should have a quiet activity during the day. Instead of “training more”, you can decide which days and for how long, says Carlbring.
Believe in yourself
Marcus Bendtsen is an assistant professor at Linköping University and researches lifestyle changes. He says that it is important to believe in your own ability to change a habit if you are to succeed in the long run.
– That’s why a good tip is to set smaller goals that you can achieve at first and then set new goals when you’ve come a little along the way, he says.
Anyone who wants to quit smoking can, for example, start by removing all ashtrays at home. Then you show yourself that you can make a change. The next step may be to set a maximum number of cigarettes to smoke and then stop completely.
Succeeding in changes, even if they are small, gives a boost to self-esteem.
– If it is about alcohol, you can set the goal not to drink while cooking or not to drink alcohol at home before going out to a party. After that, you can set bigger goals, says Marcus Bendtsen.
Deterrent threat
A different approach is to give a sum of money to a close relative who can hold it as a hostage. If you succeed with the promise, you get your money back. But if you fail, the money goes to something you dislike.
– The deterrent can act as motivation, says Per Carlbring.
Last but not least, both Per Carlbring and Marcus Bendtsen point out that setbacks are a completely natural part of a change in behavior.
– If you have planned a running streak where you will run a distance every day and miss one or two, you don’t have to give up. If you continue after the break, you have still made a big change in lifestyle, says Per Carlbring.
FACT TIP: This is how you keep your New Year’s resolution
Per Carlbring, professor of psychology, advises on the smart method when setting goals and promises:
A – Specific. The New Year’s resolution should be concrete so that you know what to do. It shouldn’t be about getting in better shape, but rather being able to walk up the stairs to work without getting out of breath.
M – Measurable. What do you want to achieve? Instead of a goal of saving money for the holidays, decide to save a certain amount each month.
A – Attractive. Set a goal that motivates you and that you want. The gain must be greater than the sacrifice for it to feel attractive.
R – Realistic. Don’t set unrealistic goals, then you risk failure. If you are going to the Vasaloppet in March and have never skied before, it is not realistic.
T – Timed. Decide when you have reached the goal and when you will do reconciliations. It is also good to not only have one goal, but several sub-goals.
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