The new year is here and you’ve given serious thought to the upcoming year and the resolution(s) you have made. It is now time to face the new year with the intent to adhere to the new year resolution(s) you’ve made. Unfortunately, most people are not able to sustain the commitments they have made at the beginning of the year. According to researches at the University of Scranton, only 8% of people who make new year resolutions keep them. Given that, here is a list of the top new year resolutions that are broken.
Stay Fit (Exercise More)
The number one most commonly made resolution and the most frequently broken. At the beginning of the year, gym membership increases and so do the people frequenting gyms. However, according to researches, most of the annual gym passes go idle by the end of February.
Lose Weight – Top New Year Resolutions That Are Broken
With the weight of the holidays behind us, more than 25% of people make a new year resolution to lose weight. They eat less, go onfad diets, all with the intent of losing that unwanted weight. Unfortunately,that dedication to lose weight usually falters in a few weeks and people go back to their normal eating habits.
Eat Healthier
Another praiseworthy resolution that is difficult to keep. As the old cliché says, breaking old habits is hard to do.That is especially true when trying to eat healthier in today’s age of packaged, processed and fast food options. It is so easy to lose the willpower to eat more of those veggies and fruits when there are so many delicious unhealthy options in front of you.
Quit Smoking – Top New Year Resolutions That Are Broken
If you can go cold turkey and quit smoking, it is the healthiest thing you can do for yourself and those around you. However, smoking is addictive and, like bad eating habits, very difficult to break, with only 10% of those individuals trying to knock the habit keeping this resolution for more than six months.
Quit Drinking
Like smoking, drinking can become a physical addiction that is very difficult to break. Trying to undertake this resolution by yourself can be daunting and many people are unable to do so.
Enjoy Life to the Fullest – Top New Year Resolutions That Are Broken
That means different things to different people but most experts agree that is doing what you enjoy. Unfortunately, unless your job is something you enjoy and find fulfilling, this resolution is doomed to failure. The truth is the thought of work prevails more than the ability to enjoy life to its fullest. Even on vacations, people think about their work.
Find a New Job
Whether if it’s that the work is not fulfilling or your boss is a scrooge or some other reason, over 10% of people start the new year with a resolution to a find a new job. However, most don’t succeed and stay in their current employment.
Manage Stress Better – Top New Year Resolutions That Are Broken
Perhaps the resolution that is broken the quickest because it is so difficult to measure and achieve. There are so many stressors in our lives and the ability to manage and control them is often beyond most people’s capability.
Spend Less
More than 14% of people make this resolution but, due to many factors – some outside their control, lack the discipline to adhere to this vow.
Save Money – Top New Year Resolutions That Are Broken
This often goes hand-in-hand with spending less with the belief that the extra money from being thrifty can be placed into savings. However, if that newfound frugality is achieved, often the financial surplus doesn’t make it into savings.
Spend More Time with Family and Friends
Despite the fact that for most individuals, family and friends are the most important things to them, many people focus on their own personal routines and tend to neglect this aspect of their life. At new year, more than 19% of people do make a resolution to refocus their efforts on family and friends, yet many of these well-doers fall back into their personal routines.
Get Organized – Top New Year Resolutions That Are Broken
Clutter here, clutter there. On average, people spend 1.5 hours per day for a six week period looking for things throughout the year. Despite the resolution to become more organized and learn how to do so, most people are unable to fulfill the goal of getting organized.
Learn Something New
Whether a new language, hobby, skill or whatever other personal passion, over 14% of people make this resolution. The trick here, and why people fail at this resolution, is to pick something achievable. You may want to learn how to surf but if you don’t know how to swim, well you get the idea.
Travel More – Top New Year Resolutions That Are Broken
Depending on the person, that may be visiting more local or regional destinations. Others make resolutions to see exotic locations. Whatever the travel destination, getting there requires discipline to save the money and allocate the time from a busy life to make the trip. Because of this, many times this resolution goes unchecked.
Read More
That may be a good novel, short story, biography, history or current affairs. Whatever the subject, over 12% of people make that pledge to themselves. They dutifully set aside time during the day to complete that pledge they’ve made to themselves. Sadly, it is only a matter of time before time pressures and personal routines get in the way.