New Year’s resolutions – doomed to failure?

One week in to the New Year and New Year’s resolutions have already begun to be broken. The repercussions of a failed resolution may be more than just a couple of extra pounds.

According to research conducted by psychologist Richard Wiseman at the University of Hertfordshire, 78% of New Year’s resolutions are doomed to failure.

Out of a sample of 700, people who made New Year’s resolutions ranging from losing weight to giving up smoking, getting a qualification or starting a better relationship failed at the self-improvement they were attempting in the New Year. Why is this failure rate so high?

Dr Dione Mifsud, Head of the Department of Psychology at the University of Malta said that the reasons people decide on a New Year’s resolution have a huge bearing on whether they will be followed through or dropped before the end of the month.

 “If New Year’s resolutions are made ritualistically, like eating a turkey at Christmas time, then its no wonder that they fail. Without a real thought process into understanding why you want to make the resolution and how your life is going to change the chances of success are small. If you make a resolution at the time of the festivities you are likely to break it once the partying is over, before the month has ended.”

Mifsud warned of the psychological implications that result from breaking a resolution. It may not be only that extra bit of weight that you managed to lose a couple of weeks after Christmas that comes back but may be much more consequential.

“If a person has put a lot of thought into a New Year’s resolution and is adamant to keep it, in the event that this fails then there are repercussions on how that person feels about promises made to themselves.

“In turn this affects self-esteem, self-confidence and a feeling of inability to commit and may end up putting that person further away from their goals than when they originally started.

“A pattern of breaking promises is one that is difficult to break and has repercussions on personality.”

However Mifsud did not write off New Year’s resolutions completely saying that if enough thought process and commitment goes into making the resolution in the first place then at least some of them are likely to succeed. He did warn resolution makers to be aware of the repercussions of breaking a resolution as the inability to commit to one’s self may be the result of deeper personality issues that may require further attention.

The New Year brings with it the determination to re-think lifestyles and try to re-create one’s self for the better. So why at the New Year?

Mifsud said there is a natural tendency mark the end of a term with a resolution to be better.

“Out with the old and in with the new, people tend to try and make themselves better when starting afresh. Another time of year when people tend to make decisions to change their lifestyle is birthdays. When a child blows out the candles on a birthday cake their wish is usually for the latest toys or games but with adults it’s more likely to be a pledge to make themselves better in the next year.” 

Diet remains the number one resolution with people promising themselves to lose weight. Mifsud said this is a natural choice of resolution due to the overindulgence that takes place during the Christmas festivities.

Along with reduction in food intake many people embark on detox diets, purchasing tablets and drinks that are said to flush out toxins. Dr Andrew Wadge of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK said this is a redundant procedure as the body has its own built in detox system and all the help the liver needs to detox is enough water, exercise and rest. His recommendations for a healthier New Year include drinking more water, taking gentle exercise, eating home-cooked food rather than fast food and getting enough sleep. 

New Year’s resolutions – How to keep them

1.      Don’t make too many resolutions. Choose one and stick to it.

2.      Avoid recycling old resolutions. It will only set you up for disappointment

3.      Don’t run with the crowd. Choose a resolution that is both specific and realistic for you.

4.      Break your goal down into a series of steps with rewards that come at the achievement of each step. Running once a week is better than not running at all, though it far from the overall goal of exercising every day.

5.      Tell your family and friends about your resolutions thus increasing the fear of failure and eliciting support.

6.      Keep a journal to keep track of your progress.

7.      Expect to fall back into old habits from time to time, but any failure as a temporary set back rather than giving up altogether.