How to stick to your 2024 New Year’s Resolution with Habit Tracking

As we welcome in another new year, many of us are looking to commit to a few resolutions to better ourselves in 2024.

A new year can act as a powerful tool for renewed motivation and optimism, propelling us towards positive transformations that promise a happier and more fulfilled version of ourselves.

Unfortunately, around a quarter of those who make New Year’s resolutions will give up on them within the first week, with only around 9% of people actually succeeding with their resolutions during the year.

This leads us to an important question; how can you beat the odds and make a lasting change?

"You do not rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems." Atomic Habits, James Clear

One of the easiest ways to make New Year’s resolutions stick is habit tracking.

Habit tracking, like many other self-improvement strategies, requires a consistent and active approach. However, the beauty of this method is in its simplicity.

What Is Habit Tracking?

Habit tracking is the process of systematically and repeatedly logging or recording behaviours to track consistency in the hope of making these activities new “habits”.

habit /ˈhæb.ɪt/ (noun) : something that you do often and regularly, sometimes without knowing that you are doing it or actively thinking about doing it.

In many cases habit tracking involves ticking a box or colouring a circle on a habit calendar or journal when a task is completed. It has many of the same satisfying psychological benefits as using a checked to-do list.

The aim of habit tracking is to become aware of patterns and strive for positive improvements through consistency. Many find motivation in wanting to maintain a chain of successes and seeing the visual representation of these successes written out in a simple way.

Habit tracking can be used in both personal and professional settings to record habits and make impactful changes.

What Are The Benefits Of Habit Tracking?

Habit tracking has a number of benefits that extend beyond its simplicity.

Awareness and Reflection

The act of recording daily habits can help with reflection and self-discovery. As James Clear explores in Atomic Habits, awareness is the first step towards change.

The act of marking each habit on a habit calendar becomes more than a routine; it transforms into a deliberate exploration of why you do what you do.

Accountability

Accountability can be very important for developing new habits. The knowledge that there is a physical record of commitment to change can be a motivating factor in success.

Documenting setbacks as well as progress can be an important part of this.

Pattern Recognition

Habit tracking highlights the power of patterns within our behaviours. Regularly documenting our habits allows us to better identify recurring trends and connections, offering valuable insights into what influences our actions and behaviours. Recognizing these patterns helps us to make informed adjustments to better stick to New Year’s resolutions.

You might notice, for example, that you don’t exercise on days when you don’t go to work. This might prompt a change in routine to allow you to better fit your new habit into your day.

Small Changes, Big Results

In the beginning, the action of tracking habits requires proactive thought, but as it becomes more familiar, there is more room for reflection and building on or stacking more new habits.

Small, seemingly insignificant changes can have a cumulative impact that extends far beyond the initial smaller action. Tracking habits acts as a foundation for long-term change based on new, learned behaviours.

Begin with smaller habits and build on them. Habit tracking is about focusing on specific actions that contribute to larger goals.

Why Are Visible Cues Important?

Visual cues are absolutely vital for sticking to your New Year’s resolution.

These cues act as environmental reminders to consciously remember the habits you are aiming to build. Over time, as these habits form, these environmental triggers become less important, because the behaviours are then embedded into the subconscious.

Habit calendars are daily, visual reminders of the goals you have outlined and can be a vital cue that helps to form a habit.

Create your own personalised Clay Habit Calendar

How To Stick To New Year’s Resolutions

Set Realistic Goals

The first step towards success is setting realistic goals. Goal-setting should be ambitious but never impossible.

Habits should be small lifestyle changes, not huge transformations. This not only fosters a sense of short-term accomplishment but also paves the way for sustained progress and long-term change.

Persevere

Fulfilling a resolution is very rarely smooth sailing. Whether facing setbacks, temptations, or unforeseen obstacles, the ability to persevere is critical.

Habit trackers can serve as an important reminder of why you set the resolution in the first place and wanting to continue your streak of successes can help to overcome setbacks.

Find Tracking Methods That Work For You

There are a number of habit tracking methods to try for your New Year’s resolution. It’s important to find what works best for you. Whether it's habit tracking apps, journals, personalised calendars, or a combination of methods, the goal is to create a system that aligns with your preferences to help you best see your resolution through.

Clay Habit Calendar

The Clay Habit Calendar is the perfect option for those who need consistent, visual reminders to help stay on track but find that they forget about new apps and other digital options.

With a calendar, habit tracking can become a seamless part of your daily life.

Personalise your Clay Habit Calendar to best suit your own tracking. Choose your design, set your goals, and tailor it to align with your unique resolutions.

Build new habits and stick to your 2024 New Year’s Resolution