150+ New Year’s Resolution Ideas for 2024

This New Year’s resolution statistic says it all: 64% of people who set New Year’s goals give up within the first month.

Yes, you read that right: the first month!

This alarming rate reflects a common problem: It’s challenging to transform your aspirations into real-world results. 

In this article, I’ll introduce a new perspective on setting New Year’s resolutions to help you succeed next year. And we’ll cover a gazillion ideas that focus on realistic, habit-oriented resolutions rather than unattainable wishes. 

This is more than just a list of New Year’s resolutions; it’s your roadmap to a year of personal growth and lasting change.

Let’s dive in!

New method to set and achieve New Year’s resolutions

Setting good New Year’s resolutions requires an understanding of why so many people fail. And there are 3 main factors:

• Setting unrealistic outcomes
• Setting vague, nonspecific goals
• Lacking a system or solid plan to achieve your goals

Here’s a personal aspiration of myself back in the day: “I want to unlock personal freedom”. 

The problem? 

It was a poor resolution. 

Goals should provide a clear direction and an action plan.

Mine did neither.

As a result, I chased one shiny object after the next. And after every failure, I felt more lost and frustrated.

Fast-forwarding years of frustration, I finally developed self-awareness and gained clarity on what “freedom” even meant to me:

• Realistic: Find fulfilling work that I can do from anywhere in the world.
• Specific: Earn six figures from online skills related to content.
• System: Write every day on my blog and learn relevant skills that will allow me to transition into a freelance career. And keep freelancing until I can pay the bills from my blog.

The essential part here is the system that will lead to success. In my case, it’s a daily writing habit paired with the continuous development of supporting skills.

Remember, the foundation of GREAT achievement is the development of small yet consistent habits and systems. By focusing on tiny changes, you’ll build the momentum needed to unlock massive results.

Do this little exercise before setting annual resolutions

Before you set New Year’s goals for the upcoming year, take a moment to consider what you want to achieve in the big picture. 

What are your personal goals, aspirations, and dreams?

What’s on your bucket list?

Create a list of all your life goals for the next 30 minutes.

Did you do it?

Once you have this list, prioritize what you want to focus on next year. 

For example, I prioritize my dream of traveling around the world. To do so, I knew I had to learn a skill that I would get paid for from anywhere, most likely as a freelancer. In addition, I always want to maintain my social circle and exercise habits.

Once you establish your priorities, you can pick the resolutions that help you build the essential habits and systems to achieve your aspirations.

Now, it’s time to dive into the New Year’s resolution ideas for inspiration.

20 New Year’s health resolution ideas

If you’re clear about your health goals this year, focus on setting supporting New Year’s resolutions to develop good habits. If you lack a clear goal, it’s an idea to test new healthy habits each month and reflect on their impact.

1. Morning mindfulness routine: Begin each day with a 10-minute mindfulness practice to center yourself, like practicing meditation or yoga.
2. Hydration habit: Set a daily water intake goal, such as 2 liters per day, and track your daily consumption.
3. Weekly meal prepping: Dedicate one day each week to preparing healthy meals to build better eating habits.
4. Screen-time reduction: Commit to relaxing one hour before bed without screens. Instead, read, meditate, journal, or practice light yoga.
5. Eat healthier: Change one small aspect of your diet every month. For example, introduce a fruit for a more balanced diet.
6. Practice mindful eating: Eat one meal a day in a mindful manner without distractions, focusing on the flavors and textures.
7. Stress management: Commit to learning and practicing one new stress relief technique each month.
8. Regular sleep schedule: Commit to a consistent bedtime and wake-up time to regulate your sleep cycle and improve your sleep quality.
9. Weekly outdoor activity: Engage in an outdoor activity like hiking, cycling, or walking in a park at least once a week.
10. Cook your meals: Set a goal to eat home-cooked meals at least five times a week, rewarding yourself with your favorite meal on Sunday.
11. Regular yoga practice: Incorporate a brief yoga routine into your daily schedule to improve flexibility, strength, and mental clarity.
12. Keep a gratitude journal: Write 3 things you’re grateful for or something good that happened that day.
13. Healthy snacking: Replace unhealthy snacks with healthier options and practice mindful snacking to avoid overeating.
14. Alcohol moderation: Set clear limits to consume less alcohol, such as having one glass of red wine or only drinking on the weekends.
15. Practice meditation: Dedicate a few minutes each day to meditation to improve focus, reduce stress, and enhance your well-being.
16. Social activity: Combine socializing with fitness by joining or forming a weekly walking, running, or workout group.
17. Digital detox days: Implement a weekly or monthly digital detox where you disconnect from electronic devices for an entire day.
18. Improve posture: Be conscious of and work on improving your posture throughout the day, whether sitting, standing, or walking.
19. Learn healthy recipes: Challenge yourself to learn and cook a new healthy recipe each week to make healthy eating more joyful.
20. Track your nutrition: Use an app or journal to track your daily calorie and nutritional intake to become mindful of your consumption.

These physical health resolutions are practical and achievable, focusing on small, consistent changes that lead to significant health improvements over time.

17 Fitness New Year’s resolutions

People set typical resolutions in the fitness space that more or less follow this process: 

1. You feel hyped and motivated to finally make a real change.
2. You set big workouts and go full-steam to achieve your goals.
3. The workouts feel overwhelming and you start skipping days.
4. Motivation wears off, self-doubt kicks in, and eventually, you quit.

Here’s a better approach: Reduce the volume and intensity at first, even if you feel like you can do much more. Instead, gradually add a small element each week.

For example, start by running half a mile, 2 times per week. If you increase your total distance by 5% each week, that’s 12 miles per week at year’s end!

Keep that idea in mind for the New Year’s fitness resolutions below:

21. Daily step goal: Set a step goal to ensure daily movement and lose weight. This resolution is especially useful if you work at a desk all day, like me.
22. Go to the gym: Commit to a regular workout schedule at a local gym.
23. Cardio goals: Set and work towards specific cardio goals, like running, swimming, or biking a certain number of laps or distances.
24. Flexibility goals: Implement a daily stretching or yoga routine.
25. Strength training goals: Work towards lifting a specific weight in a chosen exercise or set of exercises.
26. Make exercise fun: Practice cool skills like the handstand.
27. Hike more often: Aim to do one nature hike per week or month.
28. Master a new exercise: Focus on mastering a specific exercise or technique, like push-ups, pull-ups, burpees, squats, or jumping rope.
29. Dance regularly: Take up dancing as a fun way to stay fit.
30. Improve balance: Practice exercises to enhance your coordination.
31. Join a sports team: Participate in a local sports league if you require social stimulation and find it a more enjoyable way of working out.
32. Walk or bike short distances: Perfect for short errands, if you live close to work, or if you need to buy your occasional groceries.
33. Participate in workout challenges: Motivated by challenges? Find a group that uses fitness challenges to maintain motivation.
34. Find a sport you enjoy: If you struggle to find a workout that you enjoy, commit to trying a different sport each month this year.
35. Incorporate active rest days: Engage in light activities like walking, stretching, mobility exercises, foam rolling, or yoga on rest days.
36. Personal trainer sessions: Invest in yourself and your health through a trainer who can offer guidance and customized routines. 
37. Try new challenges: Experiment with different classes like Zumba, spinning, or pilates to keep your workouts exciting and fun.

Explore new activities or double down on the ones that align with your goals. Whatever you choose, ensure you keep moving to stay fit and feel good!

20 New Year resolutions for work

If you’re making resolutions at work, you probably set out for something like a career change, getting a promotion, a raise, or working towards early retirement.

All great aspirations – but you also need resolutions to turn your desires into reality. What systems and habits will transform your career?

Here are a few work-related New Year’s resolution ideas:

38. Enhance professional skills: Take a monthly course or workshop to develop high-income skills.
39. Network more: Identify and attend industry events or join and engage in professional groups to expand your network.
40. Seek a mentor: Find a mentor within your industry for guidance.
41. Read industry literature: Commit to reading books, journals, or articles related to your profession every week.
42. Share what you learn: Start a professional blog, social media page, or portfolio to share your knowledge and showcase your work.
43. Organize your workspace: Create a more productive work environment by organizing your space every day or week.
44. Learn a new software or tool: Stay up to date on technology by learning about AI and other cutting-edge tools in your field.
45. Enhance public speaking skills: Practice speaking by joining groups like Toastmasters, work opportunities, or setting up a gig yourself.
46. Improve teamwork skills: Work on being a better team player through collaboration and communication, and gather weekly feedback.
47. Enhance creativity: Engage in a weekly practice that engages your creative skills or sparks creative thinking.
48. Improve time management: Try a new time management technique each month to see which ones work best for you.
49. Improve written communication: Learn how to write with clarity and improve your effectiveness through daily writing practice.
50. Take on a challenging project: Keep pursuing opportunities every week and once you do, proactively act and follow up on this project.
51. Develop leadership skills: You can practice leadership daily in big (eg. leading projects) and small (eg. complimenting colleagues) ways.
52. Improve problem-solving abilities: Engage in weekly exercises to develop your analytical and problem-solving skills.
53. Seek feedback: Create a structured survey and regularly ask your colleagues and supervisors for constructive feedback.
54. Improve presentations: Work on making your presentations more engaging and effective by testing something new every week.
55. Prioritize health at work: Ensure you take regular breaks and focus on proper ergonomics.
56. Set a daily priority list: Create a list of your most important daily goals, and tackle the most important one during the early hours.
57. Improve work-life balance: Set clear boundaries between work time and personal time, and aim to follow them daily.

These resolutions are habits and systems that aim to foster professional growth, boost productivity, and help you maintain an optimal work-life balance.

20 Business New Year’s resolutions

In the business world, annual resolutions often fail due to setting overly ambitious objectives without a clear plan of action. 

Instead, focus on implementing systems that foster growth and increase your value and productivity. Whether you do it through side hustles, freelancing, or a small business, ensure it aligns with your goals and dreams.

Here are some New Year’s business resolution ideas:

58. Idea generation: Develop brainstorming systems and habits to generate new ideas regularly.
59. Market research: Develop habits and routines to stay informed about market changes and customer needs to identify breakthrough ideas.
60. Develop a business plan: Create or refine your long-term business or side hustle plan, including systems and habits to achieve it.
61. Develop new skills: Keep learning new skills so you can at least implement the basics or hire the best person for the job.
62. Launch a product or service: Expand your offerings or create your first product or service that fills a gap in the market.
63. Develop a feedback system: Find ways to collect and review customer feedback to improve content, products, and services.
64. Create a content strategy: Plan and create content to engage customers, become a thought leader, or simply share what you learn.
65. Implement performance reviews: Create habits and systems to raise self-accountability and accountability within your team.
66. Adopt a project management tool: Decate time to implement software to streamline tasks and team collaboration.
67. Review the financial aspect: Develop a system and habits to collect quick insights into the financial health of your business.
68. Regular competitor analysis: Stay on top of market trends and competitor strategies to learn and generate ideas of your own.
69. Improve internal communication: Identify and implement systems and tools to reduce meetings and improve communication effectiveness.
70. Rally behind a purpose: Identify a cause related to your business and interweave daily or weekly practices to make a broader impact.
71. Expand your website: Identify small ways to keep expanding and improving your website every single month this year.
72. Social media marketing: Plan, create, and schedule regular social media posts and engagement to expand your reach.
73. Systemize client onboarding: Streamline the process for new clients by developing onboarding materials and useful resources.
74. Network with other entrepreneurs: Regularly connect with other business owners and join support groups for collaboration and growth.
75. Enhance your brand: Create a strong brand identity and develop a consistent marketing strategy to increase your reach.
76. Track and analyze performance: Identify and regularly review the most important metrics to find opportunities and areas for improvement.
77. Implement clarity days: Disconnect from people and technology for strategic thinking and planning once a quarter or year.

These resolutions focus on implementing new habits, systems, and routines that stack up value in yourself and your business.

15 New Year financial goals

Do you have a system for your finances? You’re an oddball if you do. After all, most people find the topic boring – and neglect it.

And that’s unfortunate because a few good financial habits can reduce stress and lead to financial freedom. And isn’t that something we all desire?

Implement a few of these financial goals if you do:

78. Automate savings: Immediately put money in your savings account or set up automatic transfers on each payday to save money.
79. Track daily expenses: Use an app to monitor your spending habits.
80. Create a budget: Develop and stick to a weekly or monthly budget.
81. Practice frugality: Reduce spending by 2% each month this year.
82. Pay bills on time: Set reminders or auto-pay to avoid late fees.
83. Build an emergency fund: Add 5% of your income to this fund.
84. Invest in retirement: Add 3% of your income to a retirement fund.
85. Start a side hustle: Generate additional income to earn more money every month.
86. Conduct a financial review: Have regular check-ins with yourself to review your budget and financial status, say weekly or monthly.
87. Rebalance your investments: Invest a portion of your income each month and adjust your portfolio to match your diversification strategy.
88. Reduce expenses: Audit your expenses, cancel unused subscriptions, and cut down on non-essentials (eg. eating out).
89. Pay off credit card debt: Implement a plan to reduce your debts. For example, allocate 5% of your salary to pay your debts
90. Budget for fun stuff: Make budgeting enjoyable by allocating a small portion of your income to fun activities or guilt-free purchases.
91. Learn about finances: Educate yourself about investment options, read books about finances, and implement the ideas you learn.
92. Invest in yourself: Allocate funds for personal and professional development, like goal-setting software, education, and health-improvement purchases.

These ideas aim to help you develop habits and systems that encourage responsible spending, saving, and investing to improve your financial health and stability – and even unlock financial freedom.

20 Relationship New Year’s resolutions

Not many people set relationship resolutions. Yet, your social life plays a huge role in overall fulfillment, well-being, and even opportunities for success.

So why not develop a few routines to nurture your relationships?

Here are some New Year’s resolution ideas for your social life:

93. Meet new people: Create systems and routines to put yourself in places to meet new people, whether that’s offline or online. 
94. Establish a weekly date night: Pick a specific night each week for a date, whether it’s a night out or a special time at home.
95. Daily gratitude practice: Take a moment each day to express gratitude and appreciation towards your loved ones. You can also use one of the best gratitude journals.
96. Monthly check-ins: Have a dedicated time to connect with your partner, family, or friends to nurture your relationships.
97. Weekly acts of kindness: Commit to doing a small, thoughtful act for your partner, friend, or even a stranger each week.
98. Engage in shared hobbies: Find a new hobby that you can do together with loved ones to deepen your relationships.
99. Exercise together: Choose a physical activity to do together with your partner or friend, promoting health and teamwork.
100. Cook and eat together: Make meal preparation and dining a regular shared activity to build several good habits at once.
101. Develop a shared financial plan: Discuss and manage finances together with your partner.
102. Practice active listening: Adopt active listening techniques to understand where others come from before speaking your mind.
103. Volunteer together: Engage in community service or charity work as a couple or together with friends and family.
104. Create a compliments jar: Write down compliments for each other or with your friends, and read them aloud every week or month.
105. Set relationship goals together: Develop a shared vision, set short-term and long-term goals, and work towards them.
106. Develop a shared morning routine or evening routine: Start or end each day with a routine both you and your partner enjoy.
107. Learn together: Take a course together with a friend.
108. Plan surprises: Regularly surprise your partner or friends with a thoughtful gift or take them on a sporadic date.
109. Share daily highs and lows: Talk about the best and most challenging parts of your day with your partner or a friend.
110. Support other people’s goals: Actively offer support and encourage others to strive after their personal and professional goals.
111. Improve intimacy: Discuss, experiment, and work on enhancing the emotional and physical intimacy in your relationship.
112. Forgive and let go: Build forgiveness habits and routines to let go of small grievances and move forward on a positive note.

These New Year’s resolutions are designed to help you create routines to improve your communication skills and strengthen your relationships.

20 New Year’s resolutions for personal development

Shift your focus from setting broad personal development goals to focusing on specific habits, routines, and systems. By focusing on small yet consistent changes, you can radically change your personal life over the course of a year. 

Here’s a list of personal development New Year’s resolution ideas:

113. Read daily: Set aside 20-30 minutes every day for reading.
114. Set learning goals: Learn something new each week.
115. Revisit your learnings: Write about what you learn each week.
116. Start journaling: Reflect on your day, emotions, and goals.
117. Set weekly goals: Combine weekly goals with daily tasks.
118. Affirm the positive: Start your day with positive self-statements.
119. Practice hobbies: Dedicate time each week for your hobbies.
120. Engage in regular self-reflection: Dedicate time each day or week to assess your progress, challenges, and areas for growth.
121. Learn a new language: Practice at least a few minutes each day.
122. Volunteer: Regularly contribute to a cause or community.
123. Declutter: Organize your space at the end of each day.
124. Practice problem-solving: Sit down and challenge yourself to come up with solutions for current problems you’re facing.
125. Face your fears: Challenge yourself to engage with your fears daily.
126. Travel to new places: Go on a road trip to places you’ve never been.
127. Develop new skills: Identify and focus on developing new skills for health, work, or just for fun like playing an instrument.
128. Enhance creativity: Engage in activities and build habits that boost creative thinking and creative self-expression.
129. Establish a morning routine: Create a structured start to your day that energizes and motivates you.
130. Create a bedtime routine: Have a bedtime routine that helps you unwind, learn new skills, and spend time doing your hobbies.
131. Get outside your comfort zone: Join public speaking groups or improv classes to get outside your comfort zone.
132. Keep experimenting: Dedicate time every week or month to experiment with new hobbies, learn new skills, and do novel activities.

These New Year’s resolutions can help you develop habits to foster continuous self-improvement, enhance your well-being, and make your life more exciting.

25 Stop-doing New Year’s resolutions

While I recommend focusing on positive, future-oriented New Year’s resolutions, you might benefit or gain inspiration from this stop-doing list.

133. Stop procrastinating: Set specific deadlines and stick to them.
134. Stop overspending: Create a budget and track your expenses.
135. Stop skipping meals: Eat regular, balanced meals for better health.
136. Stop neglecting sleep: Commit to a regular sleep schedule.
137. Stop using plastic unnecessarily: Aim to use reusable items.
138. Stop negative self-talk: Practice mindfulness and self-compassion.
139. Stop ignoring mental health: Take time for self-care.
140. Stop smoking: Seek support and resources to quit smoking.
141. Stop overcommitting: Have realistic expectations and say no.
142. Stop being inactive: Incorporate short bursts of physical activity.
143. Stop unhealthy eating: Replace junk with healthier alternatives.
144. Stop holding grudges: Practice forgiveness and let go of the past.
145. Stop being disorganized: Organize your living and working spaces.
146. Stop wasting food: Plan meals to reduce food waste.
147. Stop impulse buying: Wait 24 hours before making purchases.
148. Stop drinking sugary drinks: Choose water or teas instead.
149. Cut down on sugar in general: Work on reducing sugar intake by cooking your own meals and healthier dessert options.
150. Stop excessive alcohol consumption: Drink only in moderation.
151. Stop being sedentary: Ensure you move around during the day.
152. Stop relying on convenience foods: Cook more at home.
153. Stop ignoring personal relationships: Make time for close people.
154. Stop postponing decisions: Take decisive action fast.
155. Stop avoiding new experiences: Embrace opportunities.
156. Stop comparing yourself to others: Only compare yourself with yourself.
157. Stop excessive screen time: Watch less TV and swap other devices for more calming or more productive activities.

If any of these stop-doing ideas resonate with you, I recommend you transform them into a positive New Year’s resolution too. That said, if a negative statement triggers you to take action, by all means, go for it!

What’s next?

We covered a new approach for setting New Year’s resolutions, focusing on realistic, habit-oriented goals and systems to create lasting change. And in that light, we also covered a gazillion New Year’s resolution ideas. 

Key takeaways:

• Set bold dreams and aspirations – but back them up with sustainable resolutions to develop the systems and habits for success.
• If you have life goals, use this list as inspiration to think about systems and simple habits to ensure you achieve your goals.
• If you lack goals, use the New Year goals as inspiration to experiment this year. For example, explore a new resolution idea each month. 

Further resources:

• Best books for setting and achieving your goals this year
• Goals on Track: The goal-setting and tracking software I’ve been using throughout 2023. Here you can read my Goals on Track review.
• Course: Goal-Setting Mastery: 10X Your Results in 12 Months

Challenge: Pick one New Year’s resolution from the list and break it down into a weekly or daily goal. Track your progress for the next 30 days and notice the changes.

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