New Years Resolutions - An Engineering Approach

Hugh Pickens writes "Four out of five people who make New Year's resolutions will eventually break them and a third won't even make it to the end of January says the NY Times. But experts say the real problem is that people make the wrong resolutions. The typical resolution often reflects a general desire. To engineer better behavior, it is more productive to focus on a specific goal. '"Many clients make broad resolutions, but I advise them to focus the goals so that they are not overwhelmed," says Lisa R. Young. "Small and tangible one-day-at-a-time goals work best."' Here are some resolutions that experts say can work: To lose weight, resolve to split an entree with your dining partner when dining out. To improve your fitness, wear a pedometer and monitor your daily activity. To improve family life, resolve to play with your kids at least one extra day a week. To improve your marriage, find a new activity you and your spouse both enjoy such as taking a pottery class. On a lighter note: What was Steve Jobs' New Year's Resolution?"

Comments

Steve Job's New Years resolution

[elrous0]

The same resolution he makes every year, Pinky. TRY TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD!

Re:Steve Job's New Years resolution

[ScrewMaster]

No, no, you need to update that for the Google generation:

"What are we resolving to do this year, Brin?"

"Same thing we always do, Larry ... try and take over the world!"

Steve Jobs' New Year's Resolution

[niceone]

I'm guessing 2560 x 1600.

To lose weight, resolve to split an entree with your dining partner when dining out.

Loose weight and look cheap at the same time, woohoo!

Re:Steve Jobs' New Year's Resolution

[Anonymous Coward]

I resolve to teach slashdotters how to spell "lose".

Re:Steve Jobs' New Year's Resolution

[rhizome]

I resolve to teach slashdotters how to spell "lose".

People probably won't pay much attention until you start spelling "loose" properly.

Obligatory Engineering Pun

[rbrander]

OK, my New Year's Resolution is 1920x1200.

I swear, no more fiddling around with 4:3 aspect ratios of the past. The CRT hits the junk pile in 2004, replaced by LCD, so help me.

Obviously not written with Slashdot in mind

[Anonymous Coward]

To improve marriage, people here need need to get a date first. That invovles getting a shave and getting rid of the ponytail. And getting rid of the same t-shirt that has been worn the last 40 days.

No. slashdot is not going to give up on this by the end of January. They are gonna give up by the end of next week.

Re:Obviously not written with Slashdot in mind

[calebt3]

And getting rid of the same t-shirt that has been worn the last 40 days. Pfft. Amateur.

myminicity

[Anonymous Coward]

Kill anyone I meet who has a myminicity account.

Re:Talk to to a woman

[yndrd1984]

talk to a woman this year

Speak for yourself - I call my mom every week!

Oh, you meant a ... woman woman ... sorry.

This works -

[frankenheinz]

I always resolve to not start smoking crack. (So far I'm batting 1000.)

Re:My new year's resolution is not to make one

[It'sYerMam]

A better one is resolving not to keep a new years resolution.

I'm telling you, realistic sexbots = world peace

[Quiet_Desperation]

--- Resolve to have more and better sex than last year.

That gets expensive. Does't matter if it's a S.O. or prostitutes, either.

--- Resolve to earn more for less work than last year.

Not sure I can optimize that one any further without my bosses catching on.

--- Resolve to find something new that makes you laugh.

I just turn on the news every evening. There's new hilarity every day. And it's an election year!

Helps to be a misanthrope, I guess.

--- Resolve to cross more things off your "Before I Die..." list.

But I can't get Jennifer Connelly to return my calls, much less agree to what's on my list.

--- Resolve to spend less time around people you don't like.

Well now I'd have to leave the planet. I'm a skeptic, but I do follow major UFO sightings with interest. No real luck yet.