The Minute Blog

GET THE LATEST NEWS, INFO, AND LIFE HACKS

Loans

Line of Credit

Installment Loans

Personal Finance

Starting New Year’s Resolutions Early

Dec 12, 2014 | Personal Finance

Have you ever made a New Year’s Resolution and once the New Year began your resolution flew out the window? Well—join the rest of the world. You are not alone. Making resolutions is the easy part. The hard part is keeping them.

It can be very difficult with life’s challenges. You never know how your day will unfold, let alone an entire year. Here are some tips on how to ease your New Year resolutions into the New Year early.

Write a list

Take some time to reflect on the past year and think about things you want to change or areas in which you want to improve. If you’ve had a New Year’s resolution that you haven’t been able to accomplish, that should be at the top of your list.

Practice makes perfect

Starting early on a task is the best way to eliminate procrastination. The more you put it off, the easier your bad habit solidifies into your everyday routine. Practicing good habits before your New Year deadline will make the change less extreme.

Try to do a little a day so that it doesn’t seem so overwhelming. Research shows that it takes 21 days to form a habit. Take it one day at a time and keep your eyes on the prize. Before you know it you’ll be at the finish line looking back saying, “That wasn’t so hard after all.”

Reflect

So—you’ve made your list and you put that list into practice. What could possibly be next? Well, everyone has moments when they falter. Beside each goal you want to accomplish, write down why. Look back at the list during your moments of weakness or when you feel like you’re sliding back into your old ways. It will make you remember why you started. Keep going!

The information provided is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional financial advice. You should consult a credit counseling professional concerning the information provided and what should work best in your financial situation. And any action on your part in response to the information provided is at your discretion.

Related Articles

How to Shop on Black Friday

The holidays are special moments where we get a brief break from our busy lives to spend time with our loved ones, exchange gifts and reflect on why we are so thankful. With Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner, it also means we have to endure the cold...

read more
Declutter and Profit?

Declutter and Profit?

Technology these days allows us to access information instantaneously. Before social media’s popularity took off, we were forced to wait. Searching for an answer required travelling to the library and opening up a book, or calling 411. Now, Google answers all of our...

read more
Kids: Expect the Unexpected?

Kids: Expect the Unexpected?

Having children is a huge responsibility. Not only are you responsible for making sure this little person is safe, but you are responsible for providing the bare essentials and a little more. Unfortunately, the bare necessities are expensive. Most people aren't...

read more