The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Nottingham chapter.
It’s a well-known fact that whilst New Year’s Resolutions often begin well and set us up for a great year, they tend to fizzle out sooner rather than later. For myself, the end of January is usually a good indication of whether my resolutions are going to be a success or not, which has led me to create a miniature guide of how to maintain resolutions to allow your year to continue on an upward trajectory.
- Leave the pressure out of it. From my personal experience, I tend to try too hard with my resolution and as a result, my motivation levels continue to decrease, especially if they are not going the way I imagined. Instead of applying pressure on quickly achieving a resolution in your life, think of it as a mindset or lifestyle change that will not only benefit you in the short-term but also the long-term. This decreased pressure may lead you to think about adapting your resolution in a way that allows it to become more realistic or meaningful. For example, one of the most common resolutions revolves around going to the gym (evident this month in Nottingham by the packed-out Pure Gym), which eventually falls through by the time February comes around. A strict schedule which could include going an overly intense number of times a week will most likely will cause you to run out of motivation. Instead, think about a long-term goal you could gain such as mindfulness, and focus your time around that, rather than pressuring yourself to such an extent that the resolution falls through.
- Establish a routine that works for you. Routines are great at providing consistency and allowing for the creation of habits which means that it is a no-brainer to establish a routine that aligns with your resolutions. As University students, it may feel as if we have an organised routine due to our timetable, however, factors such as nights out, visiting friends in other cities, and going home at the end of the semester complicate our routines. Considering that we are at the one-month stage of the new year, it is a good time to either establish or alter your routine in a way that allows you to achieve the goals you set for yourself at the end of 2023.
- Find a different approach. Just as your routine may not be working out the best for you to achieve your resolutions, the requirements you have given yourself may not be attainable or doable to continue the resolutions for the rest of the year. Whilst it is easy to become overwhelmed and just say “There is always next year”, it is even easier to change the approach you are taking. One of the most popular resolutions, ‘Dry January’ is similar to many other resolutions because people may want to continue it further than just the first month of the year. In University, however, it is very common to get sidetracked because of the nightlife or the stress of your course. Despite this, there are ways to keep resolutions fun, as depicted by the ‘Dry January’ example. This includes investing in non-alcoholic alternatives or trying CBD-infused drinks which make drinking fun yet are likely different to anything you have tried before.
These suggestions all go hand in hand with each other, and hopefully can provide a little guidance you may be missing to keep motivated with your goals. Remember, we are only one month into 2024; there is still plenty of time to succeed in whatever resolutions you have set yourself