| Each January 1, I set off into the New Year with fresh hope that this time around — at last — I will achieve enlightenment and become someone who actually sticks to their resolutions. Usually I last a few months. At best, I make it to spring.
I'm not the only one. To understand why we're so unanimously bad at keeping resolutions, I turned to science. I wondered, for starters, why we would even attempt becoming better people in winter — a time when we all want to binge Netflix in our pajamas while eating macaroni and cheese. It turns out that there's a reason for this. It's called the "fresh-start effect." Researchers suggest that "new mental accounting periods" such as, say, the new year or the start of the school year, help act as an impetus for change.
The next obvious question then is how can we make these changes stick? Kaitlin Woolley, an associate professor at Cornell University's SC Johnson College of Business, found immediate rewards work better than delayed ones when people are making changes in their lives. I tossed out some obvious resolutions to her, like going to the gym more often, spending less money or getting more sleep. She had some novel suggestions for how to turn them into habits. When she was struggling to get into a running routine, for example, she used a low-calorie sports drink she enjoyed as a post-run incentive. When it comes to saving money, she said it makes more sense to set up automated processes to make it less painful while looking for incentives that won't stress your wallet. For those looking to get more sleep, she suggested investing in items that make bedtime more appealing like a nice eye mask, more comfortable sheets or blackout curtains. In her research into resolutions, she's also found people are more likely to stick with things they actually find enjoyable. So if you prefer to bike instead of run, pick that for cardio. "Setting a resolution that you find life-changing or important doesn't predict success," she says. In other words, no one is likely to keep doing something they simply hate. Even Woolley has had challenges sticking to resolutions, but she says applying what she's learned in her research has helped. When attempting to achieve the age-old resolution of exercising more, for example, she picks workouts she enjoys doing. She's also realistic about the fact that what she likes might change overtime. To make winter workouts tolerable, she got a treadmill and watched TV while working out. When she wanted to add more non-fiction into her mix of books (she prefers fiction), she managed to do it by listening to non-fiction audio books while doing other activities she enjoys like knitting or walking. Here's hoping these tips help you do a better job sticking with your resolutions in 2023. And if not, don't despair. You can always use a new "mental accounting period" later on to wipe the slate clean and try again. — Cynthia Koons | 
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