The Best Way to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

New Year's resolutions are usually kept for a few hours, or a few days, at best. Instances in which such a decision is respected for prolonged periods of time is rare, but scientists think they've discovered a way to help people do so successfully.

University of Leeds Institute of Psychological Science expert Mark Conner, PhD, says that resolutions, or implementation intentions, are best kept and strengthened if shared with friends, family or colleagues. Those who do so have the highest chances of success, a new study reveals.

“The involvement of a partner in planning had a sustained effect that was still noticeable after six months,” Conner explains. “It was quite clear that working together and joint planning really helped,” he adds, quoted by PsychCentral.

What is interesting about this work is that it promises to have applications in other, seemingly unrelated fields, for example in governmental and public health initiatives, boosting cooperation at the work place and so on.