The New Year is often viewed as a time for fresh starts, a time for people to reflect on their past year’s behavior and promise to make positive lifestyle changes. These tips from the American Psychological Association can help you set realistic goals now and throughout the year, to work toward healthy lifestyle change one step at a time.
Set small goals
Vow to make one small change at a time so you’re not overwhelmed.
Want to exercise more? Start with two or three days a week, then increase the frequency.
Want to eat healthier? Cook one or two healthier meals a week, then add a healthy snack.
Focus on changing one bad habit at a time
It takes an average of two months before a new behavior sticks, according to research. Behaviors, good and bad, develop over time. Rather than trying to change everything at once, work on changing one thing at time.
Track your progress
Tracking your progress is one simple way to see how close you are to accomplishing your goals. To help, you can use a goal tracker worksheet.
Write out your goal and a few action steps you need to do to accomplish it. As you complete each step, check it off on your tracker so you can see the progress. Don’t be afraid to jot down any setbacks you have, too.
Share your journey with others
You’re not alone. Find others who have set similar goals to share your successes—and your failures—with. It’s OK to make a mistake, but a strong support system can help you keep going.
More information is available on the American Psychological Association website.