How can we make a success of this year's resolutions?New Year's resolutions are an ancient tradition that continues to this day
Islamabad (Pakistan Point News / Online - 03rd January, 2020) How can we make a success of this year's resolutions?New Year's resolutions are an ancient tradition that continues to this day.The Babylonians started each year with pledges to pay debts and return borrowed items.The Romans began their year by promising the two faced god, Janus, that they would behave better.In modern societies, many people still promise to make changes as the new year dawns; this desire, in many cases, is fueled by the excesses of the holiday period.
How effective are annual resolutions?A study from 1989 tracked 200 people living in Pennsylvania as they attempted to make changes based on New Year's resolutions.On average, the participants made 1.8 resolutions, most commonly, to stop smoking or lose weight. Less frequently, people pledged to improve relationships, and a surprisingly low 2.5% were hoping to control their drinking habits.An impressive 77% managed to hold to their pledges for 1 week, but the success rate dropped to 19% over 2 years.
Although that is a substantial drop out rate, it means that 1 in 5 of those participants achieved their goal.Of the 77% successful resolvers, more than half slipped at least once, and, on average, people slipped 14 times across the 2 years.A study in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology in 1988 followed the efforts of 153 New Year's resolvers who were determined to quit smoking.Successes and failures of weight loss goalsIn 2009, GlaxoSmithKline released Orlistat, which they hailed as "the first clinically proven over-the-counter weight loss aid" in Europe.
As part of their marketing push, the company also conducted an internet survey about weight loss that included questions about New Year's resolutions.Although the survey was not meant to be a scientific study, it generated a substantial pool of data with 12,410 females from six European countries responding.What increases the chances of succeeding?In the Pennsylvania study we mention above, the scientists found no link between success rate and participants' sex or age; similarly, the type of resolution did not influence how likely they were to succeed.
The researchers contacted participants by telephone after 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 2 years.During these interviews, the researchers also asked participants what techniques they used to help them keep their resolutions, and how often they implemented each one.Ending on a highSome of the results above might cast a shadow across ambitions to make a change in 2020, but they shouldn't.The authors of the study above made some overarching conclusions that should boost the confidence of any New Year's resolver:"Resolvers reported higher rates of success than nonresolvers; at 6 months, 46% of the resolvers were continuously successful compared to 4% of the nonresolvers."So, although the cards might be stacked against anyone who plans to make a New Year's resolution, simply by making that resolution, you have boosted your odds of success.
