Newswise — Writing thank you notes for holiday gifts, packing away the Christmas dishes and gift-wrap, taking down the tree and making a new year's resolution.
Which one of these January traditions can wait?
Cross the New Year's resolution off your to-do list for now and consider waiting until June to make a Mid Year's resolution instead, suggests Joan Lang, M.D., chair of the department of psychiatry at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and a psychiatrist.
"In January, we generally are so preoccupied with ending our holiday celebrations that we don't take the time to truly reflect on setting new goals," Dr. Lang says.
"For some of us, the beginning of the summer is a better time for introspection and thoughtful change. We are motivated to plan something new when children get a break from school, many families take vacations and we all seem to enjoy life at the more leisurely pace that summer brings."
People who turn their resolutions into reality take the time to figure out the one thing they really want to accomplish, then spell out a concrete plan of action with specific steps to achieve their goal.
"You tell yourself that you are going to reach your goal and here's how. Start mapping it out in a way that will work for you," Dr. Lang says. "It is essential to make plans, not just to have good intentions."
That kind of planning requires energy and effort, which may be difficult to conjure up in January, particularly if you feel letdown after the excitement of the holiday season.
"Your sadness and fatigue might be nothing more than your body's way of saying that it's time to relax and stop burning the candle at both ends," Dr. Lang says.
"If you had too good of a time and overindulged during the holidays, try to make room in your life for more sleep, healthier and lighter eating, drinking lots of water, walking in the fresh, brisk air or getting out for other exercise. Give some time to spirituality or meditation. The timing is better for these smaller lifestyle changes than making a full-blown resolution. Let making a Mid Year's resolution become a summer tradition for you."
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