Ask anyone who’s ever made a New Year’s resolution — they’re hard to keep. Setting ambitious goals at the outset of the year can feel empowering until you have to get down to the business of working to maintain them.
If some of your resolutions are health-based, it may be harder to abide by them when you don’t see immediate results or reach your goals as quickly as you thought you would.
Whether you’re vowing to incorporate more exercise into your week, walk a certain number of steps each day, or eat more vegetables, Eden Health’s clinical experts shared how you can set yourself up for success when it comes to sticking to your 2022 health goals:
“Instead of making resolutions, identify smaller goals across a short time frame to reinforce good habits. Instead of saying something like ‘I plan to lose 20 pounds this year’ or ‘I plan to get healthy this year’, start with ‘I plan to go meatless once a week for the next month’ or ‘I plan to take a 30-minute walk three times a week for the next month’. Those smaller goals can be impactful and reinforcing. A shorter time frame lets you celebrate and feel good about what you’ve achieved sooner rather than waiting a whole year, which reinforces good habits. And if you don’t achieve it, it’s not a big deal, you can make a new goal for the next month that’s more doable for you.” — Dr. Anish Mehta, Director of Care Transformation
“Resolutions can be so rigid. Changing our perspective on our approach to what we would intend to do rather than making it resolute gives us more opportunity to be compassionate with ourselves as we work towards these goals.” — Dr. Rachelle Scott, Director of Psychiatry
“Schedule all of your annual appointments at once and immediately put them into your calendar. Or, find a primary care provider for the first time who can help you work toward your goals.” — Emma Andrews-McCoy, Member Support Manager
“Don’t get discouraged. Just because you didn’t nail your resolution in the first week, keep at it. Also, be kind to yourself — we are all facing social isolation, stress, anxiety, and isolation at all-time highs given the expansion of the pandemic. Self-care is important.” — Dr. Heather Towery, VP Clinical Strategy & Enterprise Partnerships
Eden health is a direct-to-employer medical provider. We offer a new, collaborative approach to employee health. Want to learn more about how we keep your employees healthy and productive? Contact us today to request a demo.
This blog is intended to be informational in nature. The information and other content provided in this blog, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment.
If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to your Care Team or other healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog or in any linked materials.
