Rana Al-Falaki explains how to nail your new year resolutions this January with a sustainable approach to habit formation.
January arrives with the same promise every year: ‘This time I’ll do things differently.’
Gyms fill up, courses get booked, planners get purchased. Yet despite the good intentions, many people abandon their new year habits before the end of January. Dentistry is no exception. In fact, the nature of the profession makes sustainable change even harder.
Research consistently shows that most people struggle to sustain new habits. Around 80% of new year resolutions fail by mid-February, with 43% being abandoned before the end of January. Only 9% of people actually stick to their resolutions, largely because motivation alone isn’t enough.
It takes, on average, 66 days to form a new habit, which means the short-lived January energy rarely carries people far enough. Add in the fact that the biggest barrier reported is simply ‘not having time’ (45%), and it’s clear why dental professionals, whose days are already compressed and mentally demanding, find sustainable habit change so challenging.
Sign in to continue reading
Free access to our premium content:
- Clinical content
- In-depth analysis
- Features, reports, videos and more
By joining, you’re helping to support independent, quality journalism that keeps dental professionals informed and empowered – and allowing us to keep delivering the insights you value most.
