From The Straits Times    |

You have been down this path before. You start the year full of zest to right the wrongs of the past year and become a better person.

Then, to the strains of Auld Lang Syne on December 31, you realise that your best self- improvement intentions have come to naught. You make a new New Year’s resolution. Repeat cycle.

ST Tips on how to stick to your 2013 New Year’s resolutions DECOR
Illustrations from The Straits Times by Miel

Dismal success rates are not surprising, says life coach Lim Han Ee, 35, adding that for resolutions to hold and produce results, there needs to be a mindset change. “It’s not all about goal-setting but also the goal-getting process.”

Final targets should be realistic, he adds, and be broken down into smaller, achievable steps. Unrealistic resolutions, coupled with a fear of failure, can cause people to make excuses not to begin or to give up midway.

Tell-tale signs that you have bitten off more than you can chew are, in his words: “Procrastination, distraction and avoidance.”

The best way to prevent yourself from slipping, he says, is to frequently evaluate your progress such that they remain achievable and to be willing to learn from failures, so long as you have given your all.

Having a person who can be trusted to egg you on when the going gets tough is also “crucial” to staying the path, experts say.

Need nudging in the right direction? Here are tips on how to start on – and hopefully, stick to – five common resolutions for the coming year.

I RESOLVE TO BEAT THE FLAB
Fitness instructor Patrick Chan, 57, says the easiest way to start keeping fit is to devote at least 30 minutes each day to brisk walking. Do it to start off the day, perhaps, or on the way home from work.
Exercise routines should involve different sports. “I have seen people get bored with coming to the gym every day,” says Mr Chan. “After a while, they just stop.”

Apps that allow you to track your progress include 5K Runner ($3.98 on the Apple App store), which whips couch potatoes into shape by helping them achieve 5km runs in eight weeks through gradually stepping up distances.

The Nike+Running app (free on the Apple App and Google Play stores) taps on GPS to track your speed and distance, and keeps track of calories burnt. Workout Trainer by Skimble (free on the Apple App and Google Play stores) customises exercises by your desired level of intensity.

Nutritionist Sheeba Majmudar, 38, advises that one can boost metabolism by eating five meals a day – breakfast, lunch and dinner with two snacks in between. Healthy snacks include wholemeal or oat biscuits, fruits and raw nuts, she adds.

The Health Promotion Board advises using smaller dishes so that the food looks abundant on your plate.

Dining at buffets should be reduced or avoided altogether, as there is a tendency to over-eat when presented with a wide array of food, it says.

The iDAT (Interactive Diet and Activity Tracker) app by the health board (free on the Apple App and Google Play stores) helps to calculate your consumed calories as opposed to calories burnt.

I RESOLVE TO KEEP MY SPENDING IN CHECK
As a guide, one’s monthly debt commitments should not exceed 35 per cent of monthly income, says a spokesman for national financial literacy programme MoneySense.

She added that year-end bonuses can ideally be used to pay off excessive debts, prioritising those with higher interest rates. When shopping, ask yourself if an item will be used often and long enough to make it worthwhile.

Go to www.moneysense.gov.sg for financial tips on topics such as budgeting, insurance and investments. A useful app is Mint.com Personal Finance (free on the Apple App and Google Play stores), which allows users to track and budget their money on the go.

I RESOLVE TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH MY FAMILY
It is crucial to spend quality time with your family to thrive, says charity Focus On The Family Singapore, which runs family life workshops.

Even as work-life balance and flexi-work arrangements are the recent talk of the town, individuals must commit to bond as a family unit. You can do so by taking regular walks around the estate or doing grocery shopping together.

One night each week can be designated for family dinners or “no-screen nights”, where electronic devices are put aside as the family engages in a fun activity together.

I RESOLVE TO FIND MR/MISS RIGHT
“Finding a partner is a big goal and deciding on such a goal might set ourselves up for failure,” says Ms Violet Lim, 32, owner of dating consultancy LunchActually.

Instead, break it down into achievable targets, such as “meeting at least 10 new interesting people of the opposite gender by December 31 next year”.

She advises a relook at dating criteria: “There is no correlation between height, and the quality of relationship that you would have.”

Mr Mark Lee, 33, and Mr Jerald Lim, 38, owners of dating consultancies Love Adventures and One Plus One respectively, say taking part in more social activities is a good start.

Mr Lim says: “Attend activities you are truly passionate about. They may not be dating events, but people with common interests get along easier with each other.”

Adds Mr Lee: “But it should not end there. People hardly organise further meet-ups these days. Flames are not instant and people can build it up by making the effort to meet more often.”

I RESOLVE TO QUIT SMOKING
Cigarette smoking is so addictive that relapses are common and it may take a smoker an average of six to seven attempts before one successfully quits, says Health Promotion Board smoking cessation expert Sultana Abdul Latiff, 56.

The best way to stay motivated, she says, is to “constantly remind yourself why you wish to quit”. These reasons may include being a good role model to your children, saving money or to improve your health.

Setting a quit date and sticking to it with no excuses, and removing cigarettes, lighters, ashtrays and other smoking-related items to avoid temptation will help set you on the way, she says.

The health board’s iQuit app (free on the Apple App and Google Play stores) will track your progress to becoming smoke-free.

This story was first published in The Straits Times on Sunday, December 30, 2012. Go to sph.straitstimes.com/archive/sunday/premium to read similar stories. Please note: You will not be able to access this section of The Straits Times website unless you are a subscriber. To subscribe to The Straits Times website, go to www.sphsubscription.com.sg/eshop.

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