Most of us start the new year with grand ambitions to change our life for the better – only to abandon our well-intentioned resolutions within a few weeks.
According to a YouGov poll from 2024, 17% of Brits cast aside their new year’s resolutions – which are dominated by health and financial goals – within a month, while just 11% of us manage to keep them up for a whole year. Strava dubbed the second Tuesday of January “Quitter’s Day”, said Tech Radar, following an analysis of its data that found a sharp drop in activity on that date.
It takes 66 days on average to reliably form a new habit like drinking a glass of water in the morning or eating a piece of fruit, according to a 2009 study by University College London researchers. Consistent daily repetition is the most important factor in making the habit part of a lasting routine.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
It can be hard to stick to a resolution when the “initial excitement of a ‘new year, new me’ wears off,” Colin Camerer, a behavioural economist at the California Institute of Technology, told Scientific American. Creating a “specific plan” and “having some type of accountability” (like check-ins with a friend or family member) can help encourage people to continue.
Crucially, “people are more inclined to keep a resolution that they are interested in doing, rather than one that they simply believe they should do”. Instead of delaying gratification of a reward, it is much more effective to treat yourself during the task – for example, listening to a favourite podcast while at the gym.
Micro-resolutions “could be the key to making lasting change”, said Stylist. Swap scarily ambitious challenges for “smaller and more achievable” goals that are easier to integrate into your everyday life.
This allows you to “build momentum over time without feeling overwhelmed”, said life coach Karen Whybrow. Gradually, these incremental steps “accumulate into significant change, much like planting seeds that grow and thrive”. And if you miss a day? Be kind to yourself and don’t let it stop you. “Progress, not perfection, is the goal.”
Here are some micro-resolutions to try in 2026. The results might surprise you.
Cook something new
It’s easy to fall into a rigid routine of “go-to meals”, especially when we have busy lives, said Good Housekeeping. But this means “missing out” on a variety of delicious – and healthy – foods. Consider setting aside “one meal every week” to experiment with a new ingredient or dish. “You might be pleasantly surprised to find another dinner-time staple for your household.”
Get outside
The lack of sunshine at this time of year “can get really frustrating”, said London’s The Standard. So, when it is sunny, make sure you take a short walk outside – even if only for five minutes. “You’ll notice a difference right away.”
Take the stairs
Instead of aiming to run a marathon or beginning a strict new gym routine, “take 10 minutes to run up the stairs in your office or home” or some steps in a nearby park, said Good Housekeeping. Walking up and down stairs at a regular pace can make women feel more energised than ingesting 50 milligrams of caffeine, according to a study published in the journal Physiology & Behaviour.
Give a compliment
Whether to a stranger, friend or colleague, try offering compliments – “it might just make someone’s day”, said The Standard, and it will boost your mood, too. And if you work from home most of the time and hardly see anyone? Look in the mirror and give yourself a compliment.
Start a journal
Taking a few minutes each day to write a journal is a “powerful practice” that can improve your self-awareness and “bring clarity to your life”, said The Times of India. It’s a great way to reduce stress and regulate your emotions.
Read a book
Reading just a few pages of a book is a worthwhile addition to your day. As well as enhancing your memory and concentration, said The Times of India, numerous studies have shown that reading “beats stress, promotes relaxation and improves sleep”.
