As we get further into January, the chances are, those who’ve made New Year’s Resolutions have long given up. While the intentions and behind these resolutions are great, it can be easy to go hard on January 1st (ok maybe Jan 2nd) and make changes that aren’t sustainable.
So how do you make changes that last longer than the 4 weeks of January? Or if you’ve already given up on your resolutions, how do you get back on track?
Quality over quantity
Don’t try to overhaul your life in one go. That will just set yourself up for failure as it’s too much change at once. Start with one specific goal and break into manageable steps with realistic timelines.
Want to get healthier? While this is vague, you can break into smaller goals that feel more achievable for example:
Plan meals for 5 days of the week.
Include a minimum of 2 vegetables with dinner.
Swap full-fat products for low or reduced fat.
Go for a 30 minute walk at least 5 days a week.
These are small changes that make a big difference without going to the extreme of going to the gym 7 days a week and living on rice and chicken. When you get into a solid habit, you can add more micro-goals.
Want to read more books? The same approach applies:
Read for 1 hour a day.
When reading, leave phone in another room / out of reach.
Make a reading bucket list.
Similar to getting healthier, these are small achievable goals and steps to read more. Instead of making a hard goal like read 5 books a month, keep reading enjoyable instead of a goal that puts pressure on you.
Make a note of it
Write it down, make a vision board, tell friends or family, whatever method works best to put your resolution out into the world, do it. Once it’s out in the world, track your progress with a note on your phone, a fresh new 2025 notebook or using a habit tracking app to keep you extra honest. It’s said that if you do something for 28 days it becomes a habit, so while making notes on your progress, celebrate your 28 day achievement!
Make it part of your day
Your phone calendar is a great way to build a habit by creating regular reminders. Want to read more books? Add an hour of reading to your calendar for a time you know you won’t be disturbed. Want to stay on top of household chores? Put an hour or half hour in your calendar for every other day and see how much you can achieve. Or create a schedule so certain days are for certain chores. Want to learn a new skill or language? Same deal, carve out time in your calendar every week and the excuse of not having enough time becomes null and void.
Realise you won’t always be on it
In the words of Kris Jenner, “you’re doing amazing, sweetie”. If you miss a few workouts, or don’t practice your new skill for a week or two, that’s ok. It’s not a reason to give up or lose your motivation as sometimes life just happens and being consistent up until that point is an achievement in itself. Don’t let the small things derail your overall process and start each week with a positive mindset.
Invest in yourself
Investing in yourself takes many forms when it comes to achieving your goals. From changing your mindset to investing the time you need, there are so many ways you’re putting yourself first. To help you along your resolution journey, there are plenty of tech to help you. Here are some examples of physical things you can invest in to help you:
Goal to exercise more? To help get your moving more, a smartwatch or fitness tracker is a great investment. From giving you detailed health stats and helping you understand your wellbeing to simply reminding you to move, they are a great investment.
Goal to read more? A Kindle is an excellent purchase if you want to read more as the battery lasts for months, it’s lightweight for travel and it’s much easier to get cosy on the couch for a reading session. It also holds thousands of books without taking up space in your home.
Goal to eat healthier? Dare we say it, but an air fryer and / or a slow cooker are game changers for either quick and easy cooking or set and forgot or batch cooking dinners.
Want to get the tech to help your goals? Check out our suggestions below or browse on Currys.ie to find the tech to help you!
