The new year is here and it’s everyone’s favorite time of year to dream about what’s to come. Whether you like to call them goals, resolutions, or projects for the coming year, they all have the same thing at heart: growth and development in our lives. Many of us make these resolutions concerning our physical and/or mental health, financial well-being, and professional development. Research shows, however, that many of us abandon these resolutions within the first two months of the year. Before spring has even sprung, we have given up on growth, and slipped back into old habits. Luckily, Marissa A. Sharif, assistant professor of marketing at Wharton, has some insights on how to hold yourself accountable.
Sharif’s research centers around the idea of “emergency reserves”. This is the idea that you may not be able to achieve your goals every single day, week, or month of the coming year due to extenuating circumstances. Simply put, budget in some “cheat days”. For example, if you set a goal to lose 20 pounds, one action steps may be to workout 6 times each week. This is all well and good until a work project comes up and derails all good intentions. All too often this type of unforeseen circumstance results in people abandoning these goals entirely. Instead, says Sharif, factoring in some emergency reserves allows one to keep eyes on the prize while still juggling the demands of life. Instead of a rigid “6 workouts per week” approach, try a flexible “6 workouts per week with 2 emergency reserves”. Then, if a work project or a common cold pop up, no one has to feel guilty about not sticking to their plan.
There is a balance that must be struck, however, when factoring in emergency reserves. Self-control is just as important in maintaining a commitment to goals. Going back to the example of 6 workouts per week, knowing that only 2 of them can be compromised can be a good wakeup call about time management. Say a work project or illness does crop up, it’s great to use a cheat day. If, however, you just didn’t get enough sleep and don’t feel like hitting the gym, maybe it’s not the best time to use your cheat day. Instead, take a good long walk to get your heart rate up, and think about how to do better tomorrow. Check out the full article here for more information on how cutting yourself some slack can make you better in the long run.