11 New Year’s resolutions for your mental health, and how to make them stick

A new year can feel like a fresh start, and looking after your mental health is one of the best resolutions you can make. The trouble is that most resolutions fade by February.

Here are eleven realistic resolutions for your mental health, and, more importantly, what research shows about making them stick.

How to make resolutions that last

Choose “do more” over “stop doing”

In a large experiment with more than 1,000 people, those who set approach goals (doing something, like “go for a walk at lunch”) were more successful a year later than those who set avoidance goals (stopping something, like “stop snacking”): about 59% compared with 47%.

Make an if-then plan

An implementation intention links a specific situation to a specific action: “If it’s 7am and I’ve made my coffee, then I’ll do two minutes of slow breathing.” A review of 94 studies found these if-then plans had a medium-to-large effect on actually reaching goals.

Start tiny

Make it so small you can’t really say no: one minute, one page, one glass of water. You can always do more once the habit is in place.

Expect it to take a while

In a study following people building a new daily habit, it took a median of 66 days for it to feel automatic, with a huge range from 18 to 254 days. Missing a single day didn’t make much difference. So if you slip, just pick it up again tomorrow.

Track it, kindly

A simple tick on a calendar or a streak in an app helps you see progress. Pair it with self-compassion: a missed day is information, not failure.

11 resolutions for your mental health

1. Practise one calming skill every day

Two minutes of slow breathing (in for 4, out for 6), every day, makes it far easier to use when anxiety hits. If-then plan: “If I sit down at my desk, then I take ten slow breaths first.”

2. Protect your sleep

Choose a regular wake-up time and keep it, even at weekends. It’s one of the most powerful ways to improve sleep and mood. Our post on how to sleep with anxiety has more.

3. Move a little more

You don’t need a gym membership. A daily 10-minute walk counts. Physical activity has good evidence for easing anxiety and low mood.

4. Check in with yourself daily

Ten seconds a day, noting your mood and what affected it, helps you spot patterns and catch early warning signs.

5. Spend time outdoors

People who spend at least two hours a week in nature tend to report better health and wellbeing. Spread it across the week however suits you.

6. Make one real connection a week

Call a friend, meet someone for coffee or join a class. Connection is one of the strongest protectors of mental health.

7. Rethink your relationship with your phone

Rather than “use my phone less” (an avoidance goal), try “charge my phone outside the bedroom” or “read for ten minutes before bed”.

8. Drink less alcohol

Alcohol disrupts sleep and often leaves you more anxious the next day. Try alcohol-free days or a smaller limit, and notice how you feel.

9. Do one small brave thing a month

If anxiety has made your world smaller, choose one thing you’ve been avoiding and take a small step towards it each month.

10. Be kinder to yourself

When something goes wrong, ask: “What would I say to a friend?” Then say that to yourself.

11. Get support if you need it

If anxiety or low mood has been hanging around, make this the year you talk to a doctor or therapist. You don’t need to be in crisis to deserve help.

If January is hard

The new year isn’t joyful for everyone. Short days, money worries after the holidays, loneliness and pressure to “be better” can all weigh heavily. If you’re struggling, you don’t need a resolution. You need support. Talk to someone you trust or a doctor, and if you’re thinking about ending your life, call or text 988 (US) now.

Frequently asked questions

What’s a good New Year’s resolution for mental health?

Something small, specific and positive, like “two minutes of slow breathing every morning” or “a 10-minute walk at lunch”. Pair it with an if-then plan so you know exactly when you’ll do it.

Why do New Year’s resolutions fail?

Often because they’re too big, too vague or framed as stopping something. Research suggests approach goals, if-then plans and starting small all improve the odds.

How long does it take to form a habit?

In one study, the median was 66 days, but it ranged from 18 to 254 days depending on the person and the habit. Missing an occasional day didn’t make much difference.

What if I break my resolution?

Pick it up again the next day. One slip doesn’t undo your progress. Look at what got in the way and adjust the plan, perhaps making it smaller.

How Breatheasy can help

Breatheasy is built for small daily habits. Ten-second check-ins, one-minute breathing exercises and gentle daily steps help you keep your resolutions, and a kind streak with a free rest day each week means one missed day never wipes out your progress. When anxiety spikes, tap “I’m feeling anxious” and Luma walks you through it. Breatheasy is coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Sources

• A large-scale experiment on New Year’s resolutions: approach-oriented goals are more successful than avoidance-oriented goals, Oscarsson and others, PLoS One, 2020
• Implementation intentions and goal achievement: a meta-analysis of effects and processes, Gollwitzer and Sheeran, Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2006
• How are habits formed: modelling habit formation in the real world, Lally and others, European Journal of Social Psychology, 2010
• Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing, White and others, Scientific Reports, 2019
• 5 steps to mental wellbeing, NHS