New Year's Resolution noun.: a promise to do something differently in the new year

Who started new year's resolutions?
The origin of making New Year's resolutions rests with the Babylonians, who reportedly made promises to the gods in hopes they'd earn good favour in the coming year. They often resolved to get out of debt. The Romans began each year by making promises to the god Janus, for whom the month of January is named

Approximately 40% of UK adults will make a New Year's resolution this year. Resolutions include spending more time with loved ones, sorting out finances and being more eco-friendly.

Success rates of those who make a New Year's resolution:
• Week 1     75% of people are still hanging in there
• Week 2     71%.
• Month 1    64%.
• 6 months   46% are still successful in keeping their New Year's Resolution

Reasons given for failure:
• 35% I set unrealistic goals.
• 33% I didn't track my progress.
• 23% I forgot I made a resolution.
• 10% I made too many resolutions.

Need inspiration? Here's our Top New Year's Resolution ideas

• Manage money better.
• Eat better & Drink more Water
• Learn something new.
• Enjoy life more.

Manage Money Better A New Year's resolution that will help you the most in the long run

• Take control of your finances by evaluating where you are right now. Create a simple budget that works for you and review any debts you may have.
Make a plan for how you'll stick to it and re-examine your budget on a regular basis
• Use comparison websites to compare quotes and reduce your spending by searching for discounts and using vouchers/coupons where available
• Cancel unnecessary subscriptions. You may have some you have never even used!
• Save on your weekly shop by meal planning

Eat Better & Drink more Water

• Weekly meal prepping and planning. Spending more time in the kitchen isn't always easy, but meal prepping can save you time and money during the week.
• Stop asking yourself if you have the time to cook - and rather focus on the kinds of recipes you can do
• Cook something new each week - Everyone wants to eat healthier in the new year, but you should also try to eat more diverse foods. After all, variety is the spice of life. This year, choose an easy dinner recipe you've never tried before at least once a week.
• Drink more water You know you need to hydrate - but it's especially important when you get only six hours of sleep (or less!). You're more likely to be dehydrated the day after a disrupted night of sleep, because a hormone that regulates your body's water conservation is released during later stages of sleep. So down some extra water on those days if you can - and remember that too much water can be tricky for your gut, too.

Learn something new Exercise your brain!

• Read more books... Being part of a local library means you don't need to spend a penny to read the latest blockbuster and you can also access free computer facilities or try a new music album or film.
• Join a local club - learn a new skill and increase your social circle.
• Explore new hobbies at home. Grow some herbs or veggies to lower your weekly shopping bill. Get out Grandmas old knitting needles and make a blanket for the local hospital or animal shelter.
• Become a plant parent - The presence of indoor plants can lower human stress levels, actively caring for plants can calm the autonomic nervous system and lower blood pressure.

Enjoy life more. This one's obvious; we all like to have fun and enjoy ourselves. ...

• Commit to a healthier sleep routine so you are as bright as a button and ready to start your day

• Plan a holiday or short break. Research has found that even thinking about an upcoming trip can boost happiness for weeks. The pandemic brought a lot of uncertainty about travelling abroad for some so instead, you might take a UK camping trip, visit the next town over in your caravan, or explore some National Parks with a hiking club. 

• Make time for cuddling. When we cuddle our bodies release "feel good" hormones. Once the hormones are released, we experience feelings of happiness, relaxation and lower levels of depression.

• Chill out! Start working on letting go of any anger. Constantly feeling angry can induce headaches, anxiety, digestion problems and high blood pressure, among other drawbacks. Say goodbye to toxic people and get the closure you need to grow.

• Give yourself AND others more compliments.

• Put your phone down. 83% of people claim to have lost track of how long they have spent on their devices... Time which can be better spent with loved ones or self-care.

• Play upbeat music - Blasting out your favourite song can help to reduce pain and lower stress levels.

• Make time for Self-care

• This one should be a priority! Do something nice for yourself once a week. It could be enjoying a long soak in the bath or treating yourself to a manicure.

• Do whatever feels fun. Life is short. Live it!