New Year’s Resolutions Not So Popular For 2017, Survey Says

SAINT LEO, FL — Making New Year’s resolutions only to break them a few short days later is a frustrating cycle that some people repeat annually. It seems, however, that most people aren't even planning to take the plunge as 2017 fast approaches.

According to a new study released by the Saint Leo University Polling Institute, only just over a quarter of adults say they plan on making resolutions for 2017. The online poll surveyed 1,001 adults in the United States between Nov. 27 and Nov. 30. Only 27.2 percent said they intended to make resolutions at all. The rest said they were skipping the tradition this year.

Pollsters asked those who intended to make resolutions what their plans were. The results showed a diversity of goals for the coming year:

• 61.8 percent said they wanted to lose weight in the coming year
• 57.4 percent said they wanted to save more money
• 34.2 percent said they wanted to travel more
• 32.4 percent said they intended to exercise more

Researchers noted that few people seemed interested in developing healthier habits. Only about 12.9 percent said they intended to join a gym. About 8.1 percent said they planned to drink less in the coming year.

Family and community did seem to rank high on the priority list. About 27 percent said they planned to spend more time with relatives while 23.9 percent intend to volunteer more. About 20.2 percent are resolving to find new jobs in 2017, Saint Leo pollsters reported.

For those who do intend to make resolutions, Saint Leo’s Dr. Scott Hamilton, an assistant professor of psychology, said that smaller resolutions are often better. He also suggested that not becoming preoccupied on the end goal right at the start can be important.

“So the adage of just a little better each day, or a little less each day,” is a sound approach, Hamilton said. He also suggested using the “buddy system” to help resolutions stick by bringing a friend or relative into the loop.

“Don’t go it alone with the self-work,” Hamilton said. “Help yourself on the resolve for the personal development by engaging and co-encouraging somebody else with theirs—very frequently, consistently, warmly, and genuinely.”

To find out more about the Saint Leo University Polling Institute, visit its website.

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