New Year, New You?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with setting yourself some New Year resolutions, but research has shown that 8 out of 10 people will have abandoned their new year goals by the second week in February. And to be honest, after the festive period, the new year can seem cold, dull, and grey, and certainly not conducive to motivation.

Whatever your resolutions for 2021, there are some simple tips and tricks that mean you do not have to rely on sheer grit and determination at a time of year when willpower is often lacking when you’re trying to build healthy habits.

Piggyback new habits off old ones

If you want to create a new healthy habit, then launch it off the back of an existing one. For example, if you struggle to remember to take a multivitamin in the morning, then use something you do every morning without thinking - making a cup of tea, or brushing your teeth - to establish an automatic action. Keep the vitamins next to the tea bags as a reminder.

Ignore perfection

Chasing perfection means you’re only setting yourself up to fail. Instead, for example, aim to eat healthily 70 per cent of the time, and build that up to 80, then 90 per cent over time, and you’ll feel amazing. Aiming for 100 per cent will pile on the pressure and cause feelings of failure for relenting and having a chocolate biscuit once in a while.

Don’t sweat slip-ups

Talking of chocolate biscuits, you can’t un-eat it once you’ve had it. But beating yourself up about a biscuit will sap your motivation with negative energy. Dust off the biscuit crumbs, and focus on your next positive step towards your goals instead. Take that step, and you can celebrate the mini-win, releasing the happy chemicals in your brain, reinforcing the positive behaviour.

Schedule your workouts

Forget the vague Sunday night notions of getting some workouts done when you have the chance. Develop a schedule for the week ahead as if they were set in stone. Once they’re written down, they’re more likely to happen.

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