Resolutions reloaded!

This New Year, pull up your socks and complete your resolutions in style

With the year-end festivities, we all go through a ritual of splurging, hogging and more, following which, there’s sure to be a guilt trip involved, come New Year’s Day.

As we change the calendar to 2016, we also decide with added resolve to change our lifestyles and habits – been there, done that.

But what if this time, you are very serious about losing weight and being disciplined about it? Is that even possible, one may ask. There are various ways to ensure you work on the goals right away:

Get SMART!: First up, use the SMART goal method. The acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time bound. Take a pen and paper; and check if your goal meets these criteria. This certainly works!

Something you love: It’s is proved. Anything that has the "should" prefix has an automatic way of getting filtered out of the mind and shoved into a corner. Be kind to yourself, get creative with usage of words and make the goal something that sounds positive.

For example, instead of "lose weight", say "get fit". Better yet, add one activity you will enjoy for every activity that seems like a chore. For example, at the end of my daily exercise, I will watch the sunset because I enjoy it.

Limit the list: It is best to make two or three resolutions at most – the ones you intend to keep. That way, you end up focussing efforts on the goals you truly value. There, doesn’t that sound do-able now?

Be specific: In order to be effective, it is important that resolutions and goals should be well-defined to the detail. That evasive "Exercise more" will not cut it. Instead, "Work out at the gym every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5:30 pm" is better.

Use the 10-minute rule: Often we feel overwhelmed before we even begin. Just dedicate at least 10 minutes to each task, starting with those that take the least amount of time. You will find that sending an email and doing a few sets of crunches don’t take long at all.

Break it up: If it is a large project, breaking it down into tiny steps helps make it seem less daunting. For example, if it is a home-related project. Categorise as – bedrooms in January, living room in February and so on.

Create visual reminders: Sticky notes in conspicuous places help a great deal! But when sticky notes and lists fail to catch your attention, get creative with imagination. For instance, if you wish to start a habit of washing the dishes soon after eating, before a meal, place the dishwashing liquid right at the edge of the sink where you’re sure to see it.

Treat yourself: Working out just seems more appealing with the cute pair of new sneakers.

Tell someone who will encourage: Having emotional support can really make you stick to your goal. Those gentle nudges and reminders from a partner, parent or child helps you share your goals – complete with the sorrows and victories related to it.

State your goals: Declare them to friends you meet every day. This will keep you socially accountable. Whether it’s on a social network or personally in class, they can remind you.

Celebrate the little victories: You deserve to reward yourself. Head out on a shopping spree if you managed to save some money this month… but just make sure not to splurge.

New Year's resolution doesn't have to be a distant dream; all it takes is usually some dedication and being specific about it. As Coldplay says, "If you never try, you’ll never know."