New year, same me.

New year's resolutions often include self-improvement goals, such as going to the gym starting a new hobby, but how many people actually succeed at these goals? 

Gym memberships can increase by up to 40% in January compared to December, but up to 50% of people quit within the first 6 months, despite the fact going to the gym is beneficial for almost everyone, with 78% saying that it improves their mental health and wellbeing, and 75% saying it improves their overall confidence. There can be many reasons for this high dropout rate, but the most common ones are unrealistic expectations, so when results don’t come quickly enough, people give up, as well as a lack of motivation after the New year which, again, causes people to quit. 

In addition, the running app Strava states that 43% of people fail their running goals by the 19th of January, or what they call “quitters' day”. To prevent falling into the statistic of failure, goals should be achievable and enjoyable, such as 30 minutes a day of exercise that is fun, rather than trying to exercise for hours each day, as this will cause burnout and a fall in motivation. In addition, tracking your progress can be a very beneficial way to see improvement which will incentivize you to continue with your resolution.  

Hobbies such as reading cause an increase in the number of sign-ups to book apps on January 1st, with many users setting reading goals, the most common being 10-12 a year. To help with meeting this goal, setting up a reading routine of 10-20 minutes a day is essential, as well as switching formats from a physical to an audiobook while commuting or doing chores, which helps to improve investment in the book. 

So, although setting resolutions is a great way to achieve goals, to actually succeed in completing them, they should always be achievable and enjoyable. 

People holding christmas lights | Free Photo

 Charlotte Adderley