Five Tips for Better Health and Wellness in the New Year

With the new year here, there is no better time than now to reflect and give thought to how we’d like to make this year different than the last. What do we want to maintain, change, and improve?

When it comes to health and wellness goals and successfully accomplishing them, studies show that only about 8% of new year resolutions actually succeed. Obviously, it takes more than a resolution to change behavior. Changing day-to-day behavior, or lifestyle, can be difficult, yet discipline and personal growth is important. Here are five tips to help you achieve this year's goals.

TIP #1: Focus on no more than three goals at a time

BJ Fogg, PhD. leads the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford University and has written a book called Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything. Dr. Fogg focuses on how behavior works with a model that doesn’t involve tricks, hacks, or willpower. He suggests focusing on no more than three goals at one time. Goals are all about prioritization and if you take on too much at once, it may seem overwhelming—and you may be setting yourself up for failure.

Personally, I have found that working on one goal at a time allows me to put all of my attention and energy into that one goal and not feel overwhelmed. Once that habit becomes routine, then I move onto my next goal.

TIP #2: Tune into the behavior of the goal, not the end result

As humans, we naturally focus on the outcome such as, how much weight do you want to lose? How much money do you want to save? How much water do you want to drink? The problem with this approach is that new goals don’t deliver new results. New lifestyles do. So, a better question to ask yourself would be: How are you going to lose weight? How are you going to save money? How are you going to drink more water? Once you tune into the behavior, define the steps necessary and then focus on the steps, you’ll see success. By incorporating tactics into our day, rather than looking ahead to an outcome, you’ll find greater satisfaction in your accomplishments. You’ll have introduced a lifestyle change so you’ll see success, maybe not as quickly in the short term, but for the long term.

TIP #3: Create a successful environment for your goals

Surrounding yourself in an environment that promotes good habits, will make it easier for you to stick to your goals. For example, if you have a goal of eating healthy, removing all of the junk or unhealthy foods from your kitchen cabinets, fridge, etc. By removing unhealthy food options and temptations, the likelihood that you will succeed improves. It is very hard to eat in a healthy way when you are constantly surrounded by unhealthy food. Set yourself up for success by tuning into your environment.

Also, if you intend to workout or get regular exercise, take your workout clothes with you to work and go straight to the gym—or set clothes out at home, so you’re reminded of your goal. Visual and preparatory cues help carry us along when our motivation fails.

TIP #4: Learn from your setbacks

I’m not a fan of the phrase “trial and error”, but believe in the power of “trial and correction”. We all occasionally face setbacks when we are working on long-term goals that require lifestyle changes. Instead of giving up when a barrier or setback occurs, use this time to reflect and learn from it. Ask yourself what worked and what didn’t while things were going well and improvise your plan to get yourself back at it.

If your setback was due to a particular event or incident, plan ahead so that you don’t give in next time. For instance, if you attended an event and overate many of the yummy hors d'oeuvres, remind yourself prior to the next event to set your eating goals before walking in the door. Having a plan in place so you don’t have to decide in the moment is a helpful strategy to avoid repeated unhelpful behaviors.

TIP #5: Utilize your support system and resources

Asking for help is so important and has shown to help keep you more accountable to your goals. Who do you have in your life that could help support you and be an accountability partner? Friends, family members and/or co-workers can make for a great support system.

If you are feeling particularly alone, without a support system, your loneliness could actually be your biggest barrier. According to a survey from Cigna Health: Loneliness is a pervasive and growing problem, particularly with Generation Z (18- to 24-year-olds) which, based on the responses, is the loneliest generation.

The research highlighted the biggest threats of lonliness: Lack of sleep, reduced activity, poor eating habits and a lack of healthy relationships. It may be best to not start challenging yourself with goal-setting until you address your need for a stronger support system.

While you’re digging into WHO could support you, dig into WHAT resources are available to you. Many employers are scrambling to find ways to engage employees and make them more connected and appreciated. Seek advice from your HR department or an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) if your company offers this.

Also, resources such as walking trails, a library or the internet for online recipes or workout videos are just a few examples of resources that could be available for you to utilize. If you have interests, join a social media group or consider becoming more social through neighborhood or community events. Never has there been a greater need for volunteers.