Renew that gym membership.
Land a new job.
Less screen time.
Read more books
Sound familiar?
For many, the start of a new year brings a fresh start and a renewed sense of hope.
It also brings a checklist for milestones and cut-throat comparisons.
What can science tell us about the success rate of new year's resolutions? And how can you make those goals stick?
Women and Gen Z more likely to set new year's resolutions
A survey of 1,013 respondents nationwide by Finder found that women (74 per cent) are slightly more likely than men (70 per cent) to set goals for the new year.
It also found 91 per cent of Gen Z and 87 per cent of millennials have set themselves resolutions.
Meanwhile, just 52 per cent of baby boomers have.
What are the most common resolutions?
To no one's surprise: saving money.
Research from Compare the Market found that more than a third of Australians (42.6 per cent) say they will stash away more cash in the new year.
“This year has proven difficult for many people across the country who have been blindsided by repeated interest rate rises, soaring energy costs, pain at the petrol bowser and ballooning inflation,” Compare the Market's Chris Ford says.
“Wages aren’t keeping up and we can expect to feel the pain well into 2023," he said.
Here's a snapshot of the comparator's latest survey:
- Go on a holiday: 22.2 per cent
- Be more environmentally conscious: 15 per cent
- Get a new job: 12.6 per cent
- Buying a new home: 9.3 per cent
- Purchasing a new car: 6.2 per cent
- Finding love: 6 per cent
- Getting a pet: 3.5 per cent
New year's resolutions would be fine 'if people did them well'
We think about what goals and milestones we want to achieve.
We write them down inside a newly purchased journal.
We close it up.
And we go back to doing exactly the same things.
For this reason, Townsville performance psychology expert Dr Jo Lukins isn't "the biggest fan of new year's resolutions".
"If you've managed to stick to your new year's resolutions — well done. You're in the minority," Dr Lukins told ABC News.
"More than half of new year's resolutions fail to be completed.
What we find is that people think about their resolutions, but they don't actually create a plan and realistic steps to achieving them," she said.
"It's also a social obligation that so many people feel the need to follow."
Before making a new year's resolution, 'audit yourself'
"Lets go with the example of: 'I'm going to improve my physical fitness next year'", Dr Lukins says.
"Before you even set yourself a goal, you need to consider why you're not currently working towards it."
Dr Lukins calls this "auditing yourself".
"Do you finish work late? Is transport to the nearest gym an issue for you? Do you face financial barriers that make it difficult to join a gym?"
Ask yourself what are the reasons you're not working out.
Dr Lukins says it's all about understanding what — or who — is getting in your way of achieving your goals.
There's nothing magical about January 1
The key to achieving your new year's resolutions is to not "get sucked into the magic of January 1", according to professor of psychiatry at Monash University Jayashri Kulkarni.
"It's important to pick a date that suits your individual goals and situation," Professor Kulkarni told ABC News.
"For some, that could still be January 1. But for others, they might need to plan well in advance and choose a month later in the year."
Professor Kulkarni says when people set themselves unattainable goals too quickly into the new year, they find themselves enveloped in self-doubt.
"Failure to reach these milestones can lead to feeling unfulfilled and wallowing in negative self messages," she said.
"All this does is set people up to opt out of trying again."
Two to three months of planning and support from loved ones will set you on the right path
So, we know that there's nothing magical about the 1st of January.
It's just a date.
If you really want to kick a habit or make a lifestyle change, then your best bet is to make a good plan.
Both Professor Kulkarni and Dr Lukins say one that's realistic — meaning it's tailored to your unique situation, and made up of steps that are small, but doable.
"If you're thinking about starting your new year's resolutions now, then you're already too late," Professor Kulkarni says.
"You need a good two to three months of planning alone. As well as garnered support from friends and family."
