New Years Resolutions 2024

New years resolutions!

Happy new year!  (give me a break, it’s still January!)  How did you go with your New Year resolutions?

It’s a bit weird that  I would still be talking about NY resolutions on at the end of January, right?

Well, that’s because nearly 25% of people give up or fail by Jan 7 and 50% of people have given up or failed by the end of January.  Only 9% of people actually complete what they said they would do.

There are many reasons that this would occur, a few of which we will explore in a minute.

But have you ever wondered why we are obsessed with NY resolutions in the first place?

TV and online news seem to be flooded with advice and articles every new year.  The number of email newsletters I have received focusing on resolutions is staggering.  It seems that it is a sense of “New Year, new me”.  But is that really good idea to be trying to change your life on January 1st??

I don’t think so.

For me Christmas and New Year is a time I get to have some time off, get away from work for a few weeks and have a break.  That usually means travel away from home, going different places doing different things.  In other words, many distractions and no routine.  So, for me, New Resolutions are bound to fail, because it is the small things done everyday that result in the biggest changes.

Mistakes

So what are the biggest mistakes I see people make when setting NY resolutions, or when making plans to set healthy goals?

1. Too many resolutions or Goals! Let’s face it, change is hard.  When we set multiple goals, we multiply the difficulty and make it even harder to succeed and easier to fail.  Wouldn’t it be far better to succeed at 1 goal than fail at several?
2. Failing to have a plan. You’ve probably heard the old Winston Churchill quote that “failing to plan is planning to fail”.  Most of us put more effort into planning what we are doing on a long week end than planning to succeed at our NY resolutions.  If you want it to be a success, there is a question you have to ask: “What needs to happen to make it happen?”  Break this down into small actionable steps and just start doing the first step.
3. Mistake 3 is having a Plan and but not Planning for roadblocks. The chance of getting through an entire year and not encountering obstacles is extremely unlikely.  Research tells us if we plan for failure, we are much more likely to overcome those and reset course for what we are aiming for.
4. Not having a big enough why behind it. What’s the purpose of this goal??  Many resolutions are focused on the self, but if you can make it about doing it for someone else, the chances of success increase.

5 Simple Goals

Maybe another one to add to that list is that many people think they have to make drastic changes to improve health.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  You are more likely to achieve simple goals.  Here’s 5 that you can start with and build the habit of healthy habits;

1. Sit less and move more.  Sitting not only increases your risk of stiffness, pain and weakness in your back and neck but also increases your risk of premature death.  Set a timer to remind you to get up from the desk regularly or set up a sit/stand desk.  Plan breaks when on a long car journey.
2. Increase your sleep. Bragging about how little sleep you get is like riding your mountain bike without air in the tyres-it’s a bumpy ride that could end badly at any moment.  Focusing on minimum 7 hours sleep and preferably 8 will allow you to perform better and recover from stress and injuries.
3. Research shows that new hobbies improve your sense of wellbeing. Something you enjoy and has you learning something new can reduce stress.
4. Reduce the sugary drinks. Not only are they related to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and tooth cavities, but also have a big impact on your inflammation levels.  Higher inflammation means more aches and pains. And you will experience worse pain if you get an injury.
5. Fifth and final one for today is schedule your holidays or even just time off work to rejuvenate. Even a short break can increase your sense of wellbeing.  When you get back from a break – plan your next one so you’ve always got something to look forward to as well!

Choose ONE from the list here (or one that is important to you) and get started on it today.  Don’t fall into the trap we discussed above of having too many resolutions or goals.  Getting 1 simple thing actually done will not only have an impact on your health but will also build confidence and momentum so you can tackle something bigger down the track and have a chance of succeeding.

New Years Resolutions to help back Pain, Neck Pain and Headaches

So what about some specific things to help with back pain, neck pain and headaches.  Doing any of the things above will help.  But to help back and neck more specifically:

1. Sit less and move more. Yep I said it again, it’s that important.   Greatly increased wear and tear on your back results if you sit all day.  Getting off the chair reduces the pressure in the lumbar disc by 20-40% and reduces risk of pain and degeneration.  Track your sitting time (I think you’ll be surprised!) and aim to sit less than 6 hours per day.
2. Watch your posture especially when you have to sit. Maintaining a neutral lumbar spine is crucial to reduce pressure in the discs of the lower back.  Fatigue in the neck and shoulders and headaches is diminished also.  Aim to use lumbar support and avoid slouching when at the desk, in the car or on the couch.
3. Learn proper lifting technique. Hinge the hips and avoid a rounded low back when lifting and bending is crucial to avoiding injury.  Practice the technique so you can do it on automatic pilot when the “pressure is on” and you have to lift something in a hurry.  Intentional practice for 3 minutes a day will make it a habit when you really need it.
4. Improve core strength. One of the foundations of support for your spine is core strength.    You can prevent a lot of injury and aggravation by having good control of your core.  Aim for 2 minutes per day.   Click here for the Plank  and Side plank

OK so there are some great things you can do to get your back and neck healthier for 2024.  But to get the results, you gotta take action.  Don’t wait for New Years to make a resolution-just do it now.  Start some action, any action that will move you towards your goal.  We often don’t act because we can’t do it properly.  At first you suck at any new skill or activity, then with a little practice you suck less, then you get good at it.  You have to be ok with sucking to start with.

Which brings me to the real issue here.  It’s not about New Year Resolutions, but creating habits that you help you achieve what you desire or need.  Waiting to start when things are perfect, means it will never happen.  Pick something, start today!