How to make yourself perform New Year's resolutions
Motivation / / December 19, 2019
According to a survey conducted by the YouGov, 63% in 2015, people have decided to start a new life. Lose weightBecome more sports, eat healthy food - this is the most common New Year's resolutions. Another 12% would finally achieve the perfect balance between work and personal life. How many of them are really able to fulfill the promise - is unknown. But if we start from experience, that all of us can begin to panic.
The survey showed that 32% of respondents have ceased to perform their own New Year's resolutions by the end of January. And only 10% boast that they have never violated the oath given by them.
What separates it from the victorious minority failed the majority? Maybe it's willpower? And if we can use the achievements of psychology to help themselves perform these New Year's Eve the curse?
In the tradition of New Year's resolutions to give a long story. Babylonians returned borrowed items and trying to pay off their debts before the new year. The Romans made a vow to God Janus. The potential for non-compliance data vows, as we see, accumulated over the centuries.
Benjamin Gardner (Benjamin Gardner), an expert in behavioral change at King's College London, said that the main reason for violations of their New Year's resolutions is unrealistic:
If you do not do any sports exercises, and New Year's Eve vows to go to the gym five times a week for half an hour, chances are you are not even going to begin to do so.
Another reason is that people are often not willing to change. Psychologists have recently suggested that people need the opportunity and the ability to motivation to begin to change yourself. Often people do not fulfill New Year's resolutions at very reasonable reasons. For example, due to lack of motivation.
How to choose a reasonable promise of a New Year
Ask yourself, what would you like to change in yourself first, if not the pressure from there or the opinions of others? This is important because research showed that: you will be able to change their own behavior when you are motivated by internal rather than external forces.
This confirms an interesting experiment. In 1996, 128 people who are obese, have taken part in the weight loss program. Those who like to change their weight for the sake of health, regularly attended the sessions, lost more and more kilos and managed to keep the result. But those who took part in the program on the advice of friends or relatives, quickly lost the motivation.
Okay, now you give New Year's resolutions with the right motivation.
Are you able to perform New Year's vow?
Many people think willpower trait. So you are either born with it or you do not know. But recent psychological studies suggest that it is not so simple.
Roy Baumeister (Roy Baumeister), professor at the University of Florida, said:
Willpower is like a muscle, it increases and decreases the number, and if you exercise, it becomes stronger.
Research conducted Baumeister, it has become a classic example. Scientist divided the volunteers into two groups. First asked participants to eat a serving of chocolate chip cookies. The second group had to resist the sweets and instead eat a plate of radishes. After that study participants to solve complex problems of geometry. Those who ate the cookies, much longer looking for an answer than those who ate radishes. Apparently, the power of the will is a resource that we can save or spend.
Subsequent testing also showed that people are much more difficult to control themselves when previously they have taken some difficult decisions, as well as low blood sugar.
Roy Baumeister often reflects on the political scandals in this way: "I often think of politicians who are drug addicts or use prostitutes. I do not condone it, but I can imagine that when the whole day to make decisions willpower slowly consumed and destroyed, and in the end these people suddenly find themselves in a compromising situation. "
Nevertheless, Professor points out that simpler solutions are also suck out of us willpower. For example, the opposition desire to eat a little more of this beautiful chocolate cake. Or hike in the shower, when you most want to sit under the covers and never come out from under it. All of this is draining our strength of will.
If your promises more like a long list of New Year's Eve, you will most likely fail. It is worth to spend your willpower on one thing. Start with the most simple and then proceed to the complicated and complex measures.
Baumeister alleges that willpower will grow in proportion as you make plans. Many studies have shown that when subjects were given small assignments and regular self-control, they will force increases in two weeks.
John Tierney (John Tierney), Baumeister officer and author of works on the training of willpower, suggests to adopt a few rules that will help to pump the ability to self-control:
- Create a list of goals. Select one of them. First, follow it, and only then start for the rest of the New Year's resolutions.
- Formulate a promise is very clear, clear and simple. Then you will appreciate how close to victory. If you want more exercise, then, for example, promise to visit the gym at least three times a week.
- Find someone who will help monitor progress. Ask a friend to monitor your progress and hard to fine for failure to comply with the promises. For example, if you miss a session in the gym, you will have to pay 500 rubles. Or donate their own wacky invention on Kickstarter - it would be more effective.
Okay, now you know how to control the power of the will.
Is it enough one of willpower?
Even if you are very strong and strong-willed person, and other obstacles can arise in your way. You should check whether you have the ability to change their behavior, and if one is you can not see - to understand what prevents implement his plan.
Gollvitser Peter (Peter Gollwitzer), professor of psychology at New York University, says: the presence of purpose and nature is not enough to achieve the desired result. For example, if you want to train yourself to buy a coffee on the way to work, then you it is likely to succeed. But as soon as you get up in front of a difficult task, perhaps, you will fail.
According to the scientist, you should be clear, not only goalsBut the way to achieve them. You should know about when, where and how you will carry out planned.
You need to think about possible problems in the ways and means of solving them.
For example, in the new year you want to write a novel. You need to consider how to implement the New Year's resolutions. For example, you might decide to write a few pages every time your spouse goes to work or to the gym. But also you need to consider in advance what to do if at this very moment to call a friend and would call for a walk or to have dinner. Gollvitser calls this planning "if - then": If X happens, then follow Y.
People who use this type of planning, two to three times more likely to reach their goals. This applies to all spheres of life: from weight loss to a desire to travel more.
One of the reasons that this planning scheme so effective is that it saves mental and physical energy. Once you have decided what you will do in the first, second and third cases, if you switch to autopilot mode and generates the habit.
Of course, habits are often the reason why people are generally given New Year's resolutions. Habits allow us to do some things without thinking, this adaptive response. But bad habits - it's a real problem, as difficult to get rid of them: they are separate from the motivation. For example, the oft-repeated promise to eat healthy foods. One of the reasons that it is difficult to achieve, is that we form the habit of eating bad food already in the New Year. According to tradition, a few days in a row we will run to the fridge and eat up what's left after a rich table.
Can I change my habits?
Habits formed by repeating the same behavior in response to the same stimulus.
To form a new habit, you need about 66 days.
Some behaviors turn into a habit is easier than others. For example, train yourself to drink a glass of water after breakfast a lot easier than doing 50 squat in a day. This suggests that you should try and choose a small change in behavior, to accustom themselves to them, and only then move on towards a common goal.
To overcome a bad habit, you need to get rid of temptation. Then you do not have to connect the willpower to not go to the wrong behavior.
For example, Molly Crockett (Molly Crockett) from Oxford said that the most winning strategy is to play in advance. If you think through in advance the possible temptations and to remove them from your life, then the reasons to break the promise to be much smaller.
Studies show that when you calculate the action in advance, your brain activates the stake, which is responsible for self-control. This works even better than willpower. "If you're trying to lose weight, it is best to completely withdraw from the purchase and harmful fatty foods. This is much easier than to sit, look at the high-calorie food and hope that you will be able to resist the temptation "- said Molly Crockett.
When it comes to New Year's resolutions, remember: it is better to define the task clear and simple framework of behavior. Cultivate them in turn, forming good habits, and then reach the goal.
So experts say. But it turns out there to realize it in themselves? Gollvitser smiles and says:
I'd say yes. When I decide to give yourself a New Year's resolutions, I smile, because I know now I need to work out a plan for the implementation of the promised. And then I start to think about the obstacles. In most cases, I understand that I do not need to do what I had just met promise.
Sometimes there is a very good reason not to lose weight, do not go in for sports, do not become richer, or more sociable. Perhaps - if you try to be completely honest with yourself - you really do not need.