Whether it’s hitting the gym more, drinking less, or eating healthier, a new year usually means New Year’s resolutions. While they’re pretty easy to make they’re much harder to make stick.
In a survey of 1,050 Americans ages 18 to 80, the most popular resolutions revolved around saving more money (21%), eating healthier (19%) and exercising more (17%), according to Statista, a data and business intelligence platform that conducted the survey.
But the average New Year’s resolution lasts less than four months and unfortunately for some, new goals and vows may only last weeks or days, according to a 2023 Forbes Health/OnePoll survey.
There’s even a term for a common day that people’s resolutions flame out: Quitter’s Day.
“Everyone has good intentions on Jan. 1 when they begin,” said Justin Hale, an adviser at Crucial Learning, a company that helps people become better leaders. “But their plan for how they’ll actually do that new thing and do it consistently, is very very poor.”
Here’s what you need to know about Quitter’s Day and how to avoid adding to the list of forgotten resolutions.
What is Quitter’s Day?
The second Friday in January is often referred to as Quitter’s Day, when many people will abandon their set resolutions, according to Chesapeake Health Care.
This year, Quitter’s Day falls on Friday, Jan 10.
What are the most popular New Year’s resolutions?
According to the survey by Statista of 1,050 Americans, these are the top six resolutions:
- Save more money (21%)
- Eat healthier (19%)
- Exercise more (17%)
- Lose weight (15%)
- Spend more time with family/friends (14%)
- Quit smoking (9%)
How can I keep my New Year’s resolutions going?
Hale, the adviser at Crucial Learning said his biggest piece of advice for people trying to keep their resolutions going: Keep it simple.
“People should start with one thing,” Hale said. “Pick something that is a seemingly small or simple behavior but you know that if you did it consistently it would be a point of great leverage.
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According to USA TODAY’s 10 Best, other steps to stay on track include:
- Find an accountability partner. (They can help you hit goals and be accountable.)
- Act like someone who has already met the goal. (Fake it ’till you make it. That helps it become reality.)
- Add something instead of taking something away. (Think “I want to read more books” versus “I want to stop doom-scrolling.”)
- Celebrate success. (Reward yourself when you hit a goal, like throwing a party with close friends.)
For those people who do end up “quitting” on their New Year’s resolution, Hale also has a recommendation to get themselves back on track.
“Don’t blame yourself, blame the plan,” Hale said. “I think that we can change January 10th to no longer be ‘Quitter’s Day’ but to be ‘Adapter’s Day’. January 10th is the moment when I evaluate how well I’m doing with my new habit.”
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
