Valentine’s Day just passed and you’ve already broken your New Year’s Resolutions? You’re not alone. Nearly 49% of people admitted to abandoning their resolutions by the end of February, according to a 2024 study conducted by the Harris Poll on behalf of a personal finance company.
This statistic is just one example of a larger issue: the gap between setting goals and sticking to them. A survey was conducted over the last few weeks at Guilford College with students and faculty. About 70% of respondents rated themselves a 3 or below out of 5 at sticking to beneficial habits or goals. No respondent rated themself a 5. Why?
Respondents were asked to provide excuses for refraining from activities they considered beneficial, and a common reason reported involved a lack of urgency toward goals. One student reported thoughts such as “I’ve had a long day; I can just do it tomorrow.” Many respondents also reported not finding time for goals, with one respondent citing “sports, schoolwork, clubs and other extracurriculars.”
Specifically for screen time and use of media, some respondents said they made excuses for limiting screen time by justifying its necessity for schoolwork but then getting distracted by non-academic activities. For example, one student reported justifying computer use for homework but then getting distracted. These responses highlight the dual nature of technology—as both a necessary tool and a source of distraction—making it a particularly complex factor in habit formation and goal setting.
More insight can be gathered when participants were also asked to choose a habit they considered harmful and list an excuse why they might do it anyway. Many participants cited the convenience and lack of steps between them and a habit they consider harmful. For example, one respondent talked about how social media is readily available, so the harmful habit of social comparison is hard to avoid. Another mentioned that cramming before exams is “an easy way to pass with minimal work, “ suggesting that there is such a small gap between input and output that cramming seems like an appealing option. Other excuses consisted of not prioritizing avoiding the bad habit, the difficulty of changing existing bad habits, and parental figures modeling bad habits.
Similar obstacles may explain why many struggle with New Year’s Resolutions. According to respondents’ input on why they failed past resolutions, many failed old New Year’s Resolutions because they believed the resolution was unrealistic. One respondent said they “kept thinking about how long it would take to achieve the resolution rather than the small steps I [they] can take every day.”
It should also be noted that some Guilford students may choose not to make resolutions. For example, one student said: “I never set a New Year’s Resolution. I don’t believe in those. I believe in starting goals as soon as possible and not waiting for a convenient time for a fresh start. Every day is a good day to set a new goal.”
There are many available resources to help with difficulties with habit and goal implementation. Microsoft Copilot’s free version, for example, has a limited voice chat tool available where students can talk about aspirations and use Copilot’s human-like conversational ability to come up with step-by-step plans to reach their goals. To combat distractions while working, apps like Flora or website blockers may make social media more click away. Effective to-do list options may include resources like To-do List and Asana for a more conventional organization option that includes features for prioritization and project management and more unconventional tools such as Finch to provide a more gamified to-do list experience to incentivize students.
Faculty members can improve the gap between knowledge and implementation as well. Some students indicated that stress drives their procrastination, so faculty members can designate one or two office hour sessions for group studying. Students can overcome stress by tackling topics as a group, and professors can be present to help with content or crafting study plans.
To combat a potential lack of inner drive, consider including an occasional slide in class presentations prompting students to reflect on why they chose to be in the classroom today. Encourage students to reflect on or write down their motivations for succeeding and remember them when they lose motivation, whether the goal is obtaining a credit or developing a lifelong passion.
Faculty can also consider sending out occasional surveys to ask students about their positive and negative opinions about a class without the influence of judgment or bias. Do students want more individual attention? Do they want more opportunities to connect their learning with real-life experiences? Even if a change improves one student’s experience, that can mean one more win for Guilford.
