Academic Medicine Open Forum

We have such good intentions… but resolutions are hard to stick with. Consider these tips as you think about framing your resolutions for 2022:

• Identify a purpose for your resolution. Why are you trying to learn a new skill, drop that bad habit, or lose weight? Having a meaningful purpose driving the change will help you stay motivated.
• Remember your SMART goals! Your resolution should be specific, measurable, achievable. Don’t be vague about your resolution.
• Be realistic. Set a goal—or, better yet, set increments of success toward that goal—that is achievable.
• Tackle only one goal, one resolution, at a time.
• Make a plan for achieving your resolution. 
• Give yourself grace and flexibility for the inevitable mistakes and slip-ups.
• Find a supporter or a community of supporters who will hold you accountable and help you along the way.
• Start when you are ready. It doesn’t have to be New Year’s Day. Maybe a Monday or a birthday or other milestone works better for you.
• Consider “habit stacking” – adding a new activity/action into an already-established habit or routine means you are more likely to achieve it. 

For more tips, check out:

“Seven steps for making your New Year’s resolutions stick,” Harvard Health Publishing

“Making your New Year’s resolution stick,” American Psychological Association

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Penny Schnarrs
Virtual Communities Program Manager
Association of American Medical Colleges
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Excellent tips, Penny! Most of my life, I've struggled with achieving resolutions, largely due to trying to do too much at once (ignoring the fourth bullet). For example, as a kid, I developed elaborate schedules with the intention of spending my summer breaks learning multiple languages, mastering musical instruments, reading classic literature, going fishing, getting lots of exercise … then ended up doing almost none of that. It was eye-opening when I was working on a project with Kevin Grigsby, and he told me about research showing (I may get the specific numbers wrong) that if you set 1–2 goals, you're likely to achieve 1–2 goals, but if you set 4–5 goals, you're likely to achieve 0. Now I try to do better about not taking too much on at once.

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Lee Crowther
Library Specialist
Association of American Medical Colleges
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-28-2021 08:00
From: Penny Schnarrs
Subject: Tip Tuesday: Setting and keeping New Year's resolutions

We have such good intentions… but resolutions are hard to stick with. Consider these tips as you think about framing your resolutions for 2022:

• Identify a purpose for your resolution. Why are you trying to learn a new skill, drop that bad habit, or lose weight? Having a meaningful purpose driving the change will help you stay motivated.
• Remember your SMART goals! Your resolution should be specific, measurable, achievable. Don't be vague about your resolution.
• Be realistic. Set a goal-or, better yet, set increments of success toward that goal-that is achievable.
• Tackle only one goal, one resolution, at a time.
• Make a plan for achieving your resolution. 
• Give yourself grace and flexibility for the inevitable mistakes and slip-ups.
• Find a supporter or a community of supporters who will hold you accountable and help you along the way.
• Start when you are ready. It doesn't have to be New Year's Day. Maybe a Monday or a birthday or other milestone works better for you.
• Consider "habit stacking" – adding a new activity/action into an already-established habit or routine means you are more likely to achieve it. 

For more tips, check out:

"Seven steps for making your New Year's resolutions stick," Harvard Health Publishing

"Making your New Year's resolution stick," American Psychological Association

------------------------------
Penny Schnarrs
Virtual Communities Program Manager
Association of American Medical Colleges
------------------------------