Start working toward your New Year’s resolutions before wrapping 2023

With less than a month left in 2023, you might already be thinking about how you’d like to improve your life in 2024.  

Do you have health or weight management goals?  Maybe you’re hoping to budget better in the new year? Or perhaps you’re working to learn a new skill.  

Whatever your 2024 goals may be, it’s best to begin working toward them as you wrap 2023, for a number of reasons.  

First, your 2024 resolutions might require items or events that you need to begin financially preparing for now.  

For instance, are you trying to become more physically fit, but don’t have access to exercise equipment?  If so, you might need to budget for joining a gym, and remember a lot of fitness facilities have holiday and year-end deals, so begin that research now. If you’re not comfortable working out around others,  invest in home exercise equipment such as weights, dumbbells, a yoga mat, or machines like a stationary bike or treadmill.  

Or, do you want to take that dream vacation next year?  Start looking up prices for your trip now and determine how you’ll need to budget to take that vacation.

In addition, starting a new routine in hopes that it becomes a habit takes time.  According to James Clear, an expert on forming habits, on average it takes a bit more than two months– or about 66 days— before a new behavior becomes automatic.  Further, depending on individuals and their goals, adjusting to a new habit can take shorter or longer than the projected two months.  For that reason, it’s important to give yourself time before 2024 begins to start working on your new routine.

Finally, starting your new year’s resolution a month in advance will allow you to truly evaluate your goals for 2024.  You’ll be able to examine if your resolutions are realistic or if they need some fine-tuning before the official start of the new year.

Imagine being in full swing, or close to it, by the time January 2024 rolls around.  While everyone else is just starting their goals, you would have had a month of hard work, determination and planning under your belt.  So, don’t wait until New Year’s Eve or Jan 1 to consider how you want to improve in 2024.  Begin the road to your resolutions today.