Top New Year’s Resolutions

For most of us, a new year signifies new hopes and dreams, a chance for new beginnings, and an opportunity to better ourselves and lead a more fulfilling and satisfying life. Research shows that about 45% of Americans make New Year's resolutions every year, therefore, it is definitely a popular tradition among people of all ages.

While there are many skeptics among us who believe that resolutions are meant to be broken, there are others who consistently draw up their list during the year. Let’s take a look at the top resolutions across different categories!

Top Resolutions We Make Every New Year

Health

We know that health is wealth. However, very often, we ignore that little voice that tells us to wake up early in the morning to go for a run , join a gym, or simply, fight the temptation to dig into one of those calorie-filled burgers! Here are some of the top New Year's health-related resolutions most men and women make.

1. Exercise more often
2. Lose weight
3. Sleep more (try and average 8 hours’ sleep every day)
4. Eat right, eat healthy
5. Give up drinking/smoking

Finance

Money is an important asset to most parents as it allows them to provide better educational opportunities for their children. However, without some sort of guidelines or constraints, it is easy to loosen those purse strings and lose track of your expenditure. In fact, many people do not have a fixed savings amount every month! People spend the end of the year to assess their financial status and decide on their prospects. Here’s a sample of finance-related New Year's resolutions.

1. Spend less, save more
2. Commit to a fixed savings amount every month
3. Learn more about safe and lucrative investment plans and invest money accordingly
4. Create an emergency fund so that rainy days are taken care of

Men

There are some resolutions that are typically made by men. In fact, some of these are ones that men should ideally make. After all, everyone’s hoping to see some positive changes in their lives in the New Year. Here are the top resolutions that men make.

1. Learn a new practical DIY skill
2. Evaluate career progress and aim to achieve a healthy work-life balance
3. Be more organized
4. Devote time to a hobby (instead of spending all free time in front of the idiot box)

Women

Just as it is with men, there are some common problems that women encounter. The New Year is a time for women to decide on what changes they need to make to their lifestyle in order to lead a happier and more rewarding life. Here are the resolutions that make it to the top of the list for most women.

1. Avoid taking too much stress
2. Make time for yourself
3. Complete the list of chores on your To Do checklist
4. Get a complete health checkup and remain focused on leading a healthy life

Personal

There are other important resolutions that do not fall under the above categories and are focused more on personal enrichment. They are aimed at improving the quality of life.

1. Learn a new skill
2. Spend less time on social networking sites and more time on catching up face-to-face with loved ones
3. Volunteer and make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate
4. Take a trip/plan a vacation

Resolutions vary and are spread across many other areas. From drinking less coffee to spending more time with the kids, the list is endless! While the list of New Year's resolutions mentioned above is certainly not exhaustive, they are certainly popular.

Quick Tip: Make bite-sized, specific goals. The clearer and more focused your goals are, the more likely you are to keep it. Instead of saying “I will make it a point to exercise every day”, say “I will exercise every weekday morning for 30 minutes.” Do not set unrealistic goals and also keep an open mind and remain flexible.

Here’s to seeing a New Year with more people who can successfully manage and commit to their resolutions throughout the year.

All the best!