Newswise — NEW YORK -- DDG (Data Decisions Group) and the Monday Campaigns, a public health initiative, conducted research that showed that 20% of people that make New Year’s resolutions fall off in January and by July, 43% have given up on some of their top resolutions.  The survey showed that the most common reasons for relapsing are an inability to stay on track, lack of support and not seeing results quickly enough.

Staying on track is particularly challenging for health-related goals, which represent 85% of all New Year’s resolutions made.  The top health resolutions in 2019 were eating healthier, exercising regularly, losing weight and managing stress.

People surveyed responded favorably to the idea of a “Monday Resolution”— with 73% of those who made a resolution in 2019 saying that recommitting every Monday would help them stay on track. Some of the strategies cited as most helpful were doing something simple to start off each week, being prepared to re-start every Monday if they slip-up, and receiving motivational messages.

Why Monday?

Research conducted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows that Monday has a strong cultural significance as the first day of the week which can influence people’s mood and health behaviors. Studies published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and JAMA Internal Medicine showed that health and smoking-related internet searches peak on Monday, indicating a predisposition towards healthy actions.

The DDG Research found this Monday spike across a range of behaviors:  Respondents indicated they’re more likely to start diets, exercise regimens and quit smoking on Monday than any other day.  The survey also showed that 72% of respondents agreed that Monday was a good day to get back on track after indulging on the weekend, while nearly 65% agreed that feeling positive on Monday motivates them to engage in healthy activities.

 

The Monday Campaigns, a public health initiative associated with Johns Hopkins, Columbia and Syracuse universities, provides resources to help individuals and organizations leverage the Monday “fresh start” mindset and weekly cue to sustain healthy behaviors, including staying active, managing stress, quitting smoking and reducing meat consumption.   The campaign offers individuals, businesses, universities, hospitals, and municipalities creative materials, case studies, ready-to-scale programs and weekly messaging that ranges from infographics to recipes to tips and hacks. 

For more about the Healthy Monday Reset, go to www.mondaycampaigns.org/.

 

 

Journal Link: American Journal of Preventive Medicine