New Year: Let's Talk About Resolutions!

It's that time of the year again: you can barely find a parking spot at the gym or a corner to spread your yoga mat in a studio, the produce section at the grocery store is suddenly the busiest place in town, and everyone has a (sometimes manic) glitter of determination in their eyes. If you are one of the people who make New Year resolutions (nothing wrong with that!),  research actually says that you have an 8% chance to stick to it. Yes. Eight Per Cent. Sorry to be a downer, but I am also quite unhappy with the fact that in healthcare up to 70% of change initiatives fail! And for the amount of opportunities for improvement, this is discouraging.

Why do we fail to change? Just like in self-improvement, workplace improvement fails from the very same reasons: competing priorities, the daily whirlwind of activity that makes it difficult to keep on our plan, and choosing far too many goals to reach. But beware! There is that 8% of people who succeed, just like those 25% of change initiatives that prove there is hope! I am clinging on to this rope of hope (ha!) and wonder what can we do to succeed?

1. Make it specific. Instead of saying what your wish is, state the path you are taking. Instead of "I want to lose 10 pounds this year" say "I will not eat chips/chocolate/take out and I will exercise 3 times a week this month". Or instead of "I will be happier at work", you can say "I will make a positive comment to a co-worker every week".

2. Make it public. This will make you more determined to keep your promises and more accountable. Example: go on, post it on Facebook! (i.e. "This month I will NOT eat sugar!"). Or you can post it on your locker door ("I will smile to every patient today!"), in the staff lounge ("I will say thank you to one co-worker today"). Some might roll their eyes, but hey, we want to be part of those 8%, right?

3. Don't stop believing! You took the first step, you have a goal. Why stop? Take it one day at a time and listen to your inner voice (unless that voice tells you to have cake). Willpower is like a muscle, it needs to be trained (there is research behind this too!). If you believe you can do it, you're half way (or more) there!

And even if that parking lot is full or the storage room is messy again, remember why you are here. That, by itself, will keep you going on, and on, and on...