The Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal

When ‘drop it’ is the best New Year’s resolution

By Alex Janin

03 Jan 2023 · 4 min read

Editor's Note

Most of us don't follow through on our New Year's resolutions. The WSJ recommends embracing this fact and coming up with some "antiresolutions" (like stop weighing yourself) instead.

Millions of people spend the final days of December coming up with ambitious tasks for the new year. In 2023, resolve to take something off your plate instead.

Physical and mental health—including eating habits, self-care, exercise and weight loss—are among the most common focuses for resolutions. But nearly two-thirds of people who set New Year’s resolutions abandon them within the first month, according to research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

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