Ease the Burden of New Year’s Resolutions by Setting Achievable Goals

Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, and wellness expert focused on eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior transformation.

At the start of each year, it’s common to set ambitious resolutions like cooking more often, dedicating time to creative projects, exercising regularly, or learning a new language such as Italian. But how frequently do these goals come to fruition?

Many times, these aims are too broad or lack proper planning, which only increases the pressure to make this year better than the last.

For some, setting and achieving resolutions can be tough, and for others, seemingly impossible. Grounding your goals in reality is essential. Despite challenges, you can still establish and accomplish meaningful objectives by adjusting your mindset.

Ask yourself the following as you reconsider your approach:

• What new actions can you take this year?
• How will this year differ from the last?
• Have you attempted this resolution before without success?
• Have you created a solid plan to make it achievable?
• How will you respond if you stray from your path?

Nikole Benders-Hadi, MD, Medical Director of Behavioral Health at Doctors on Demand

While you can’t control every situation, you can manage your thoughts and reactions to stress. Concentrate on what’s going well instead of what’s going wrong to cultivate a positive outlook.

Set Intentions Instead of Resolutions

Although the new year offers a chance to reset, you might still face many of the same challenges as before. Past hardships and other factors can affect your ability to maintain new habits. That’s why focusing on intentions rather than rigid resolutions is more effective.

“Many New Year’s resolutions fail right from the start because they are overwhelming, unrealistic, or too vague—like losing weight, living happier, or saving more money,” explains Kerry Mitchell Brown, PhD, MBA.

Healthy Ways to Handle Setbacks

Intentions are flexible and adaptable, evolving as your circumstances change. They can be set anytime and serve as guiding principles that provide purpose and room for growth.

Examples of intentions include “practicing mindfulness” or “contributing more to my community.”

Effective Goal-Setting Techniques

While intentions help you envision your ideal life, goals offer concrete direction. To be successful, goals must be realistic.

Kerry Mitchell Brown, PhD, MBA

Good intentions alone aren’t enough without thoughtful planning for how to achieve your goals.

Research indicates that simple, specific goals outperform complex, vague ones. For example, instead of aiming to “learn coding,” set a goal like “enroll in and complete a coding course.”

Use the SMART framework to set goals that are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

For instance, if your intention is to save more money, a SMART goal could be saving $50 weekly for six months. This goal is specific and trackable. If you miss a week, reflect on why and adjust your plan accordingly—maybe saving $25 weekly is more realistic. By the end, you’ll have reached your intention.

Dr. Mitchell Brown also suggests the BSQ method:

• Think Big.
• Act Small.
• Move Quick.

Big goals are inspiring but can feel overwhelming without smaller, manageable steps. For example, to eat healthier, start by adding one extra vegetable daily. This is simple, quick, and easy to monitor.

Tips for Setting and Reaching Your Goals

What works for one person might not work for another. Track your progress and identify strategies that motivate you—whether it’s writing weekly to-do lists or checking in with a friend daily.

Limit Your Focus

Dr. Mitchell Brown advises concentrating on one or two goals at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed and increase your chances of success.

You can break down goals into smaller tasks, but juggling too many big goals can be counterproductive. Start with one goal using a structured method, then add more as you succeed.

Find Accountability Partners

Support from friends, family, therapists, or online communities can keep you accountable and encourage you when progress stalls.

“You don’t have to go it alone,” says Dr. Mitchell Brown. “Sharing your goals publicly boosts commitment and success. Having someone to cheer you on or keep you on track is invaluable.”

Keep a Journal

Journaling supports mental health and helps track SMART goals, express gratitude, process challenges, and set intentions.

“Writing down your thoughts activates problem-solving areas in the brain,” explains Erik Vanderlip, MD, chief medical officer of ZOOM+Care. Redirect your focus to what you can control to reduce anxiety.

Learn to Say ‘No’

Psychiatrist Rashmi Parmar, MD, notes that people often say yes to please others or avoid conflict, but this drains time and energy, leaving little for personal priorities.

“Pause and listen to your rational mind before responding,” Parmar advises. This helps you make clear, logical decisions.

Disconnect from Your Phone

“Staying informed is natural, but compulsive media use can heighten anxiety,” warns Dr. Vanderlip.

Dr. Parmar recommends taking a full day away from your phone to engage with your surroundings—listen to birds, observe nature, or connect with people. This practice fosters mindfulness. If helpful, extend this habit or set regular no-phone days.

“Constant phone checking leads to mental and physical fatigue, fueling procrastination,” says Dr. Parmar.

Prepare for Surprises

Unexpected events or self-care needs shouldn’t derail your progress. Take time to reflect and reset before continuing.

“Life can interfere with goals, so be flexible, make goals enjoyable, reward achievements, and get back on track after setbacks,” advises Dr. Vanderlip. Adjust your plans as needed—swap a workout for meditation or rewrite your goals if necessary.

Final Thoughts from Verywell

Notice what distracts or drains you, such as doomscrolling, watching distressing news, certain relationships, or nonstop work without breaks. These can divert you from your intentions and increase stress.

“If anxiety impacts your daily life, consider consulting a healthcare professional for support and coping strategies,” says Dr. Vanderlip.

Ultimately, goal-setting should support your mental wellness. If it causes more stress, seek guidance on setting intentions and goals that work better for you.

Learn more about recognizing burnout symptoms and improving well-being in our Living Well and Self-Improvement sections.

Source: Taylor J, Wilson JC. Using our understanding of time to increase self-efficacy towards goal achievement. Heliyon. 2019;5(8). doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02116

By Sarah Sheppard
Sarah Sheppard is a writer, editor, ghostwriter, writing instructor, and advocate for mental health and women’s issues.

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