Making and Breaking New Year’s Resolutions

By the beginning of January, many are ready to commit to their New Year’s resolutions – promises to break bad habits and start better ones. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people end up breaking their resolutions by the middle of February.

A psychological theory, “The Fresh Start Effect,” is partially responsible for this. This occurs when certain milestones, such as new weeks, months, and years, foster self-improvement. Resolutions are amplified in January because of the worldwide tradition.

A Blake sophomore said, “My New Year’s resolution was to be more organized with my schoolwork by reducing distractions like screen time. So far, I have done it for a few days but haven’t been able to stay as consistent as I was at the beginning of the year.” But why does the motivation diminish?

One factor is poor goal-setting. Resolutions should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). This ensures that clear steps are outlined and an exact result is reached. 

A Psychology Today article suggests that most people’s mindsets exclude fun and enjoyment in tasks. They conducted two paid studies, one in which participants either read jokes or a complex computer manual. The latter option was higher-paying. “People predicted they would persist longer on reading a dense computer manual,” because of the reward. People who read the jokes were more engaged and therefore persisted. They concluded that those “who set resolutions that are immediately rewarding, and not only in the long run, are more likely to stick to them many months later.”

Discouragement at the beginning of the year should not hinder Improvement and reflection, so celebrate the small wins and march on with your resolutions.