Stick With Your New Year's Resolutions With These 7 Tips

We've all heard it. Start exercising more, eat better, quit smoking, learn a skill, limit technology, and other New Year's resolutions are discussed thoroughly this time of year. But keeping those goals in mind can be quite difficult

Forbes offers up a list of seven tips that will help you achieve your 2017 goals with the help of Psychologist Dr. Paul Marciano.

Let's take a look at what the list entails and see if the tips help you become a better you in the new year.

Make your goals specific

Marciano says employing the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) system works best to reach your goal.

Measure progress

Measuring progress keeps you in tune with improvement, regression, and plateauing, which in turn helps you adjust your plan to achieve you goal.

Be patient

For some people, goals can be achieved faster than others. If someone else loses 5 lbs before you, don't fret. Patience is key to making real changes.

Share your goals with friends and family

Forbes says an "accountability partner" can help keep you on track. Social support is also a major factor in keeping your end game in sight.

Schedule it

Treating your resolutions like doctor appointment is a great way to ensure they get done, Forbes says.

Something is better than nothing

“Any effort towards your goal is better than no effort," Marciano tells Forbes.

Get up, when you slip up

If you make a mistake or cheat on your plan, Forbes says to admit it and refocus on your goal.

Image via Paul Wilkinson, Flickr Commons