Try these new tactics for old New Year’s resolutions

New Year’s resolutions are notorious for their short-lived success.

How many times over the years have many of us tried to work on these goals?

• Lose weight
• Exercise
• Eat a healthier diet
• Get out of debt
• Get organized
• Stop smoking/drinking alcohol

Research on the success rate for New Year’s resolutions is imprecise, but two studies show that about a third of resolutions don’t survive the first month. Other studies show that, on average, only 8% of people keep their resolutions.

Maybe we’ve been going about this all wrong. Maybe New Year’s resolutions are hard to keep because:

• Our goals are often unrealistic.
• We set too many goals for ourselves at once.
• We try to go cold turkey when trying to kick our bad habits.
• We don’t realize that new habits take time to develop.
• We view January 1 as our one and only start date.

This year can be different. Here are a few new ways to think about old resolutions that can help us achieve them this year.

Start really, really small — and focused.

Instead of saying you’re going to lose 50 pounds by the end of the year, start by making the commitment to be more active today than you were yesterday. Start with a walk around your block — or even just down your street and back. The next day, add a few steps until this new habit of yours becomes second nature. Or, count calories for one meal. As you get the hang of it, count them for more meals.

It also helps to focus on building one new good habit at a time. When we make several resolutions that will require considerable work (losing weight, quitting smoking, etc.), it can be easy to become overwhelmed at the work ahead of us rather than just focusing on small changes we can make every day.

Be consistent.

One of the reasons why our resolutions are so short-lived is that we underestimate how long it takes to kick a bad habit or adopt a new one. Research shows it takes, on average, about 66 days before a new habit becomes automatic. Missing a day or two isn’t usually enough to throw you off track. But it pays to be as consistent as you can.

Most of us have started weight loss or exercise programs. When we miss a day or more for whatever reason, it seems like it’s harder to restart than it was to start in the first place. A walking or weight-loss buddy can help you with consistency.

Forgive yourself.

You will experience setbacks — we all do. When they happen to you, don’t spend valuable time and energy dwelling on them. Pick yourself up by the bootstraps and get back to the plan you’ve mapped out for yourself for incremental, steady success.

Celebrate small wins.

When you complete that first walk, tell yourself congrats. Once you’ve been at it a few weeks, maybe it’s time to reward yourself with a new pair of walking shoes.

Try to keep the reward in line with the accomplishment, though. For example, if you’re having success losing a few pounds, too many food treats could make your goal harder to achieve.

Remember your reasons.

Whatever your resolution, it’s important for you to remember why you’re doing it.

If it helps, make a list to refer to daily:

• Resolution: Lose weight.

• Reasons: To improve/resolve health issues; to possibly reduce the need for some medications; to have more energy/feel better.

• Resolution: Declutter and get organized.

• Reasons: To feel better about my home - and so I can find things!

Think of every day as January 1.

Instead of looking at your resolutions as an annual ritual with a low success rate, think of every day as January 1. Every day is an opportunity to begin anew on the goals you have for your healthier, fitter, more organized you.