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DO you have trouble keeping your resolutions? Does your determination to get fit or write that novel wane after just a few weeks of effort?
Have no fear, help is at hand from a team of psychologists who have spent the past year analysing the ingredients of the best-kept resolutions. Last week they published their tips on how to make resolutions that will last.
For men, the secret of success lies in setting specific goals and focusing on the rewards you will get if you achieve them; for women, the best way to keep a resolution is to tell the world about it.
Richard Wiseman, of the University of Hertfordshire, led the team that tracked more than 3,000 people attempting to achieve a range of things including losing weight, heading to the gym, or quitting smoking. The participants were randomly placed into one of several groups.
At the start of the project, 52 per cent of the participants were confident of success but Mr Wiseman found that only 12 per cent actually achieved their goals.
Men were 22 per cent more likely to succeed when they set goals for themselves, such as losing a pound a week rather than losing weight in general.
In addition, men tended to succeed when they focused on rewards, such as losing weight to become more attractive to the opposite sex.
Women were more successful at keeping their resolutions when they told family and friends about their plans. They also responded better to encouragement not to give up if they reverted to old habits temporarily - such as treating a chocolate binge as a setback rather than failure. Telling others increased women's chance of keeping resolutions by 10 per cent.
"Men may be more likely to adopt a macho attitude and have unrealistic expectations, and so simple goal setting helps them achieve more," said Mr Wiseman.
"Likewise, women might be reluctant to tell others about their resolutions, and so benefit more from the social support provided by friends and family once they have made their goals public."
He said that women could write down their resolutions on a big piece of paper, sign it and place it somewhere prominent at home. Family and friends could even provide helpful nudges throughout the year.
The researchers found that the resolutions most likely to succeed were: enjoy life more, which 32 per cent of people stuck to; improve your fitness (29 per cent); lose weight (28 per cent); be more organised (27 per cent); quit or cut down smoking (24 per cent). Mr Wiseman's team is now starting another year-long experiment to study New Year's resolutions.
To take part go to newyearscience.co.uk
