So we’ve all over indulged at Christmas and New Year, maybe put on a few pounds and now it’s the start of another year, we all think this will be the year we lose that weight, give up smoking or exercise more. Despite the fact that we made these resolutions last year and by February we had given up and gone back to our old habits, we always somehow think this year will be different. With more than half of people giving up on their New Years resolutions by February, maybe we could wonder what the point is. But, fear not, follow our tips to help you better achieve your goals.

Start Small

There’s no point giving yourself ridiculous targets that just won’t be achievable. Keep it small and manageable so it’s easier to keep. For example, if your goal is to exercise more, don’t think you’ll go from nothing to 7 days a week at the gym. Aim for 2 or 3 days a week to start off with. It’s more achievable and you can increase your activities as you feel you are able.

Change one thing at a time

Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to change too many things at once. It’ll feel overwhelming and you won’t feel you’re making any progress. Work toward changing one thing at a time and it’ll feel much more manageable meaning you have more chance of achieving it.

Talk about it

Not just posting on Facebook or Twitter, but join up with someone who has the same goal. Have a mate that wants to exercise more too? Try joining a running group or exercise class together – you’re more likely to stick to something and enjoy it if you’re with friends and family. It’s great encouragement for each other and will help you to stay motivated.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself

Perfection isn’t achievable. You will make mistakes and miss a few sessions here and there. The key is not to think about the few times you missed, but think about the sessions you did go to. Don’t give up because you ate that takeaway or didn’t go to the gym because you were busy. Recover from the setback and move on.

So now you know how to make those resolutions achievable, let’s take a look at some alternative resolutions you could make.

• I don’t need a New Year’s resolution. Perfection can’t be improved!
• I will use the exercise bike in the bedroom for something more than hanging my coat on. My trousers are getting wrinkled in the corner, so I’ll start hanging them there too.
• I will stop ingesting quantities of alcohol that surpass my bodies limit.
• Stop blaming the dog for farting. He’s getting a complex about it.
• Save for the future. That club opens next week so I need some cash for a good night out.
• Eat more healthily, but first eat all the junk food in the house so I don’t get tempted.
• Stop buying worthless junk on Ebay. Switch to Amazon instead, they have better deals and the delivery is quicker.
• Save money for a rainy day. That way I can stay inside and shop online rather than going outside in the cold and wet.
• Lower my bills by digging a hole in the garden to keep them in.
• Borrow things more often. Return things less frequently.
• I will cut my hair. I will grow my hair. I will be more decisive.
• Start buying lottery tickets at a luckier shop.
• I will drive more carefully by keeping an extra safe distance when driving behind police cars.
• Love myself like Kanye loves himself.
• I will change all the clocks in the house and even the car to the right time, rather than waiting for the clocks to change again like normal.
• Come up with better excuses for not doing work rather than boring my boss with the same old ones I’ve been using for years.
• Come up with a password more creative than Password.
• Join a gym. Preferably one that rewards attendance with doughnuts and milkshakes – they exist right?
• Travel more. Or at least give the appearance of travelling by speaking to everyone in a French accent to make me sound continental.
• Use the self-checkout at the supermarket just once without screaming at it about unexpected items in the bagging area.
• Buy a plant and actually keep it alive for longer than 2 weeks.
• Watch more TV. It’s very educational.
• Eat better. And by eat better I mean stop poisoning my family with my cooking and eat more takeaways.
• Turn my phone off more. Then straight back on again. What am I going to do, talk to people?!
• Find out once and for all how those random shoes find their way to the side of the road. Really, I need to know!

 

What has this got to do with The Wage Shop?

 

Working with The Wage Shop means you don’t have to worry about your Tax and National Insurance contributions – all this is taken care of, so you can relax and plan out how you are going to achieve all those resolutions!

 

Don’t forget we also offer a Payment Advance service so if you running short close to pay day, you can log in from anywhere and request your advance. Check out the website for more details or Contact Us to find out more.

 

Not registered with The Wage Shop?

 

Head over to the website to see what we can offer and how to register with us. Contact us for more information.