Skip to main content

10 New Year's resolutions and how to make them work

So this article from  ABS-CBNnews.com Posted at 01/01/2014 8:41 AM | Updated as of 01/01/2014 8:41 AM has been an inspiration for me, not on my New Year's Resolution but on how to come up with specific action plans. This I can use on my next Team Building session.


MANILA – It’s that time again when people start making resolutions for the New Year. But how many of these are maintained and fulfilled?

Here are ten of the most common New Year’s resolutions and how you can make them work.

Resolution #1: I will lose weight.

How to make it work: Be more specific. How much weight do you want to lose? What is your time frame for reaching these goals? The more specific you are, the more likely you will be able to reach them. More importantly, make sure that you have a specific diet plan to fulfill this resolution. Here’s an example: “I will only eat half a cup of rice per meal and more vegetables.” The next thing you know, you are already two sizes smaller.
Click here for some safe weight loss tips.

Resolution #2: I will go to the gym.

How to make it work: Feeling guilty during the holiday binge, some people tend to sign up for gym memberships only to end up wasting them. If you have never stepped foot in a gym for the past six months, chances are it won’t change this coming year. There are plenty of ways to exercise outside the gym, from trying a sport to following fitness videos. If you don’t have time for both, you can start with this resolution: “I will take the stairs at work or when I’m out and about.” That will definitely burn some calories.
Click here for some exercise tips to kick start your day.

Resolution #3: I will save more money

How to make it work: It’s easy to say this at the start of the year, but not when you are faced with a beautiful pair of shoes, or while you are hanging out at your favorite coffee shop. Skip the items you don’t need and watch your savings grow. Here’s a resolution that you can make: “I will drink coffee at home instead of buying that expensive latte.”
Read finance guru Suze Orman’s take on “latte expenses”here.

Resolution #4: I will never be late again.

How to make it work: This resolution requires breaking a habit by replacing it with another one. Make concrete steps -- sync your watches and clocks to follow the Philippine standard time. Sleep early. Set your alarm an hour earlier than you intend to wake up, and make this resolution: “I will stop hitting the snooze button.”

Resolution #5: I will keep my house clean and organized.

How to make it work: If you have always been disorganized, chances are you will have a hard time fulfilling this resolution. Start small by telling yourself: “I will organize my closet this Saturday.” Continue by cleaning other parts of your room until you finish the entire house.

Resolution #6: I will stop smoking.

How to make it work: Going cold turkey is not the most effective way for most people who want to stop smoking. Take baby steps instead – if you usually smoke two packs of cigarettes a day, reduce it by half. Here’s an example: “I will only smoke one pack of cigarettes a day.” After a few weeks, take it a step further by cutting the number of cigarettes you smoke daily to half a pack. The next thing you know, you won’t even miss it.

Resolution #7: I will spend less time on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

How to make it work: This is another tricky resolution to make, especially if you already have the habit of checking your social media pages throughout the day. Try this resolution instead: “I will not check my Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts when I’m outside the house, unless it’s really important.” If this is too much for you, start with keeping your phone during meals. Less screen time will help you cultivate and maintain relationships with the people around you.

Resolution #8: I will be more concerned about the environment.

How to make it work: You don’t have to be a vegetarian to express your concern for Mother Earth. All you need is to change a few habits, from turning off lights and appliances that are not in use to using recycled items. Here’s another example to help you get started: “I will bring my own water bottle to work or school.”
Click here for more eco-friendly tips.

Resolution #9: I will start dating other people.

How to make it work: You cannot just decide to go out and date the first person you meet. It is not only dangerous – it will also make you look desperate. Make this resolution instead: “I will go out and make an effort to meet new people.” Making yourself more “visible” will boost your chances of finding a long-term partner. If it doesn’t work out, you still end up having more friends.

Resolution #10: I will spend more time with my family.

How to make it work: This may be hard for career-oriented people to fulfill. Free up some time to spend with your family by making this concrete resolution: “I will have dinner at home with my family every Sunday.” This will lessen the chances of you working overtime or accidentally scheduling a night out with friends.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Fear and Forgiveness

It's my parent's 30th anniversary and our Brian's christening on Saturday where in spite busy schedule preparing everything for the visitors, i still think of Jacob.  I packed Beef Tapa and Pancit for him and even thinking of bringing him Salad for dessert.  We didn't have a good conversation after hours of waiting for him then he finally said we're not meeting up because he's not in the mood and he wants to stay at home and watch Initial D.  Then all of my insecurities and paranoia came out. I started thinking, just like what happened with Jeff, very similar indeed. He started confirming why he's sticking with me. He reminded me to stop counting the days and enjoy that we're together. I think his way of showing me that he likes me is seeing me everyday for dinner. Though i heard him said, "ano bang napapala ko pag pumupunta ko sayo? Kahit pagod ako nagpupunta pa din ako. Dapat maapreciate mo yun." I am not sure what that means but i just w...

The Mid-Year Crisis

I call it Mid-Year Crisis. And literally, this happens in the middle of the year. Have you been here: Anxious about the status of your career Panicky about your financial status which is directly correlated to your, uhuh, Career Forced to get married in the next two years because you're not getting any younger Fretting over time lost where you feel you've been completely unproductive yet you feel so tired and restless Pushing the panic button because at this month, you haven't really achieved anything from the goals you have listed at the start of this year Felt so alone and no one cares to listen because (a) You're too embarrassed to tell any of your friends (b) You know from past experiences that your friends won't care (c) They are also experiencing the same crisis Bring down the curtain and wind up that it is really hard to be successful in this life and it's just so hard to achieve your dreams so you better look for an alternative, Uhhmm, letting yourse...