Help Employees Set Sustainable New Year's Intentions
Happy New Year!
If your employees are like the majority of Americans this time of year, they have just set New Year’s resolutions. And many of these intentions are centered on their health and wellness – whether it be a goal of theirs to eat a vegetable at every meal, exercise three times per week, or lose 10 pounds by June.
According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, only 46% of people who made New Year’s resolutions were successful in keeping those resolutions. This means that more than half of those in the study who set a goal for the new year did not meet nor keep their goal!
You’ve heard similar, disheartening stats before – setting and sticking with new health and wellness goals can be daunting for many. And challenging.
If your employees (or clients, members, etc.) are aiming to make 2023 a healthier year than 2022 – whether by supporting their immune system, eating more nutritious foods or moving more, for example – then here is how you can help them adhere to their 2023 intentions:
First, encourage them to make a list of the goals they want to work toward. Research shows that those who write down their goals (and share them with others) are more successful in achieving them vs. the person who hastily makes a goal and doesn’t commit it to paper (or other preferred note-taking method!)
SMART goals are ones that are much more likely to stick – goals should be:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound
People are much more likely to stick to a goal that reads “eat a vegetable with every meal” or “try one new vegetable per week” than one that states “eat more vegetables.” Why? The first two options are SMART – they’re specific, they include a timeframe and more. The “eat more vegetables” goal leaves you wondering: how many? When? How will I know when I’ve achieved this goal? Encourage your employees and members to craft SMART goals for increased likelihood of achieving one’s goals.
Research shows that people who want to set intentions should start now and start simply. By this, we mean keeping goals realistic. For example, if someone has a goal of “completing a 5K run,” it should realistically be set for the Spring or Summer – you wouldn’t set it for next week, right? The same is true of many health goals.
And for a new habit to last, that new habit should be in practice for approximately 65 days, according to a study in the European Journal of Social Psychology. Practice, practice, practice. For a goal to stick, the body and brain need time to adapt – and adopt the new behavior.
Your employees/clients are motivated to modify behaviors and lifestyle choices for the better at this time of year. They want to prevent short-term and chronic disease – everything from the flu to RSV to heart disease and cancer. And together we can encourage them to do it! My health and wellness programming will help them make small, sustainable, lasting steps toward improving their health. Offer the 12 week 12 Fixes to Healthy Group Challenge in your organization to provide them with tools to modify their lifestyle and to sustain positive changes for life.
Groups are forming now! Contact me to learn more about programming and how to get started. Let’s help your business, organization or group feel amazing about the changes and success they’re about to undergo.
Are you a dietitian interested in leading 12 Fixes to Healthy programs?
