Happy New Year’s!

Private Home Health Care wishes you and your loved ones a happy, healthy, and safe new year! I think everyone can agree that they are ready to leave 2020 behind and look forward to new beginnings in 2021! New Year’s resolutions are great to have, but not always the easiest to stick with.

The new year often feels like a fresh start and a great opportunity to change bad habits and establish new routines that will help you grow psychologically, emotionally, socially, physically, or intellectually. Of course, resolutions are much easier to make than to keep, and by the end of March, many of us have abandoned our resolve and settled back into our old patterns.

In one study, only around 12% of people who make New Year’s resolutions felt that they were successful in achieving their goals. Some of the most common resolutions include losing weight, sticking to a healthier diet, exercising regularly, making better financial choices, quitting smoking, and spending more time with family.

While many people feel that they don’t necessarily achieve their resolution goals, there is some good news! Those who set New Year’s resolutions are 10 times more likely to actually change their behavior than people who don’t make these yearly goals

Here are some tips for how to keep your New Year’s resolutions:

1. Set a clear, measurable goal – Some days you’ll feel as though you’re reaching your goals, but other days you won’t–and an intangible, vague goal will cause you to feel lost.

2. Identify clear action steps – You can’t lose weight or get out of debt without actions steps that will help you get there. Create a plan that includes objectives that will create change.

3. Set yourself up for success – Your motivation will start to fluctuate at some point. To prepare yourself for that dip in motivation, set yourself up for success well in advance. Make bad habits inconvenient and good habits convenient.

4. Plan for obstacles – Think about the obstacles you’re likely to encounter in the first weeks after establishing your resolution. Consider how you’ll navigate these challenges, and develop a plan. Planning ahead for the probable challenges can help you feel equipped to handle the unexpected obstacles that crop up along the way as well.

5. Start when you’re ready – Your New Year’s resolution does not have to start January 1st – nothing is set in stone! Start working on your goal when you’re ready. That’s not to say you need to wait until you feel fully confident before starting (that may never happen). But make sure you’re committed to the goal, and you’ve thought through what you’ll need to do and how you’re going to do it.

6. Track your progress – You need to know if you’re headed in the right direction. So it’s important to find a way to track your progress. Use an app or a calendar to check off the days you work on your goal. Or create a chart, spreadsheet, or graph that helps you visualize your progress.

7. Learn from your mistakes – Mistakes are part of the process. But too often people think one mistake means they’re destined to fail. When you make a mistake–like you skip the gym for a week, or you make a ridiculous impulse purchase you can’t return–learn from your misstep.