Oh, the New Year’s resolution. It seems so promising for those first few days of January – this is going to be your year! This will be the semester you finally buckle down and get your life together! But now that January’s almost over, some of that early enthusiasm is starting to wane and you’re falling back into old habits. If you need a little inspiration to stick with your goals, try out these tips.
1. Start small
Don’t use the new semester as a way to change everything about your life. You’re not going to have much success if you’re simultaneously trying to get a 4.0 AND lose ten pounds AND find a killer internship for this summer, but you might be able to do one of those things. Don’t spread yourself too thin, or you’ll end up unable to commit enough attention to anything.
2. Find a buddy
It’s so much easier to follow through with your plans when you’re actually being held accountable. If you’re the only one who knows about your goal to go to the gym four times a week, it’ll be hard to convince yourself that half an hour on the treadmill is really a better use of your time than watching the next episode of your latest Netflix addiction. But if you let a couple friends in on your plan, you’ll have someone to force you to stick to your schedule. Plus, someone else might decide to join in on your plan, and that way you can commiserate about how awful working out really is!
3. Avoid temptation
If your resolution is to eat less junk food, the easiest way to follow through is to simply stay away from junk food. Of course, it’s not always this easy, but if you make a pact to only keep healthy food in your room, you’ll find yourself reaching for some veggies or an energy bar when you’re craving a midnight snack, rather than candy or chocolate. Similarly, if you’re trying to spend less time on Facebook or another website, download apps like SelfControl that let you block websites for a certain amount of time.
4. Cut yourself some slack
Sure, it’s important to stick with your plan, but one off day isn’t the end of the world. Don’t let one little slip up convince you that you might as well just give up now. Instead of feeling guilty, think of it as a reward for all your hard work so far, and then get back to work!