Tips for sticking to New Year's resolutions
January 2, 2015 10:28 AM
Overview:
Sticking to New Years resolution can be tough, but Cathy Kenworthy, CEO of outcomes-based wellness provider Interactive Health, has a few tips to help you keep up with your goals and make wellness a year-round focus. [Image: Fotolia]
3 factors of behavior
Three factors affect behavior, says Kenworthy, citing scientist B.J. Foggs model, which says motivation, ability and trigger must happen at the same time for a behavior to form. New Years applies to all three, Kenworthy says, as people are motivated to change, they have more time to think about change and the tradition of resolutions serve as a trigger. [Image: Fotolia]
Small goals
Start out with small goals, Kenworthy says. If exercise is the goal, start by working out five minutes a day and slowly increase the time, she says, dont try to do 45 minutes a day from the get-go. Floss just one tooth, dont try to floss all of your teeth, Kenworthy says. [Image: Fotolia]
Employers can help
Employers are in a great position to help their employees keep their goals smaller and more manageable at first, Kenworthy says. People dont say, I want to triple my sales overnight, she says. They take big goals and break them down into pieces and parts. [Image: Fotolia]
Ongoing coaching is crucial
Ongoing coaching is critical to help people achieve their goal, Kenworthy says. Texting is a great example of how the small, daily reminders can be very instructive and very transformative, she says. [Image: Fotolia]
