The one New Year’s resolution that always fails quickest – how to stay on track in 2019

Now is the time to decide on your New Year’s resolutions – if you’re the kind of person who makes one every year without fail. While many people shun making a resolution, some see the New Year as a chance to turn their life around, with big plans for changes such as giving up alcohol or losing weight. You may have a lot of willpower for the first few weeks of January, but February is the month when many people falter. However, it all depends on what your New Year’s resolution may be and how difficult it really is to keep.

New Year, Same You? charts how long resolutions last so you can prepare for the time of year you’re most likely to lose the motivation.

And the research found those who need the biggest help to achieve their goals are smokers, with almost half of people who made the commitment in 2018 giving up by February.

Last year saw a whopping 48.4 per cent of smokers break their resolution by the first week of February.

Gym-goers are given a lot of slack for their ‘new year, new me’ outlook but just one in five new gym-goers admitted to no longer bothering by the same time.

New-found fitness addicts tend to throw in the towel by the middle of September.

Meanwhile, those who want to cut down on alcohol often face the second hardest challenge.

Most of us try to lay off the booze even after dry January but a staggering 37.6 per cent reached for the bottle after a month.

Almost a quarter didn’t even make it two weeks, with 23.1 per cent of people caving in.

Donating to charity holds the third fastest quitting rate with 33.3 per cent of people giving up by February.

And those who vow to eat healthier often face a challenge, with a healthy diet overhaul being given the fourth fastest quitting rate.

By February, 30 per cent of people ditch the new diet.

Another popular resolution is improving sleep patterns, but this saw 26.5 per cent of people ditch the change by February.

Despite the fast rates at which most people fail to adhere to their plans for change, 49.2 per cent of people made the same resolution at the start of the year before.

How can you stick to your New Year’s resolutions this year?

The best way to stick to your resolution is to start small and be realistic – think about which changes you can make that you can actually keep.

Talking about your plans with friends and family will also make things easier. Sharing your struggles with someone will mean they can help you out and encourage motivation.

Also, remember that minor setbacks are completely normal. If you eat something unhealthy in the midst of your weight loss mission, don’t let it put you behind – just get straight back on track.