Making Resolutions Stick

Turning January Goals into Lifelong Habits

Most people are susceptible to ‘new starts’, and we teachers are no exceptions. We like to ‘start anew’ with each academic year, calendar year, our birthdays, and so on. It makes sense: a milestone marks a clear end of a ‘chapter’ and signals the start of a new ‘chapter’; it’s easy to reflect on what went well in the past or what didn’t (this one’s way easier for me) and to look forward with hope and energy. Psychologists call this the “fresh start effect.”

I personally love this feeling of a fresh start: I’m enthusiastic, rested, hopeful, and so optimistic. The teachers I work with all experience the same to different degrees (it depends a bit on the goal/resolution you set yourself, but that’s not the topic of this post). So we all take on a lot. “I can do it!” we think. We genuinely, with the best of intentions, DO think and believe so. It makes my heart swell at the courage and willingness we teachers show in our desire to grow! There is nothing that we can’t and won’t do for our students! We will give them more in lessons, we will support them more outside the lessons, we will learn all there is to learn about learning, we will overhaul our teaching institutions, whole systems, join organizations, attend conferences, and more! So much more! This is, of course, unsustainable. Not that WE can see that until it’s too late and we reach burnout. We can’t do it all anymore. We find that we can’t do much more than plan, deal with the most urgent and unavoidable admin tasks, and attend the projects we committed to with other people (and these sometimes with resentment). We feel like we’ve failed.

But this is not how it needs to be. Yes, the very system is rigged against us BUT we have the power to make personal changes and thrive despite the system. (And then we have the energy to fight the system, too, AND we’ve modeled how a life well lived looks like to our students. Yay us teachers who take care of ourselves!)

In this blog post, I would like to present a few practical strategies that help turn ‘goals and resolutions’ into more sustainable ‘habits.’

1. The Problem with January Resolutions

Let me repeat once again, for those in the back: wanting to change too much (study, learn, grow, be better for our students, get more clients, etc.) at once does not work. It’s like boiling water in a covered pot on maximum heat — the lid will blow off fairly quickly (if it can’t, the whole pot will explode. Not something we want for our wellbeing and health.)

The old ‘new year, new me’ mentality never works. People are creatures of habit: we’ve built habits and stuck to them because they work for us. If your teaching life is filled with rushing, conflicts, and feeling out of control, it’s because you’re teaching to (very often utterly unrealistic and soul-crushing) demands in a way that subconsciously feels like it’s saving you energy. We think it’s about setting boundaries or believing we’re not strong/smart/capable enough to handle what the world (specifically in this context, our teaching world) hands us. When a milestone arrives, you are still the same you in terms of these habits that are literally written into your body.

The result is more reinforcement: you feel like you’ve failed. As we get older, this turns into we’ve failed AGAIN. And again, and again. It lowers our sense of self-esteem and efficacy, both of which are necessary for a sense of wellbeing (and a life well lived!) Setting new year’s resolutions is a potential fast-track to anxiety, depression, feeling hopeless and helpless, or even angry, resentful, or fearful. It’s just a sucky way to exist, really.

2. Why Habits > Resolutions

Resolutions sound exciting—they’re bold declarations of what we want to achieve, right? But they rely on motivation, which is fleeting (all emotions are; this is not a failure, it’s being human). Habits, on the other hand, are the quiet, steady workhorses of change. They’re small, repeatable actions that gradually become automatic, weaving themselves into the fabric of your life. While resolutions are all about the end goal, habits focus on the process, and it’s the process that transforms us. In teaching and in life, it’s the small, consistent changes that help us build something sustainable, something we can keep going with even on the toughest of days.

3. Start Small: The Power of Tiny Changes

Starting small sometimes feels like cheating or like it’s not ‘enough.’ I know because I’ve been there. That’s a lie though; the truth is that tiny changes are sustainable, and they build momentum. When you decide to take one small step—like adding a glass of water to your morning routine or committing to five minutes of lesson planning in the evening—you’re essentially tricking your brain into accepting change without the resistance.

James Clear, in Atomic Habits, explains this beautifully. He talks about the concept of habit stacking: linking a new habit to an existing one. For example, after brushing your teeth in the morning, you could spend one minute reflecting on the main aims of your lessons for the day. It’s small, achievable, and immediately rewarding. These tiny wins add up, and before you know it, you’re living the change without even realizing it. THIS is how you build a good teaching life.

4. Focus on One Goal at a Time

Consider this next: we teachers are multitasking pros. We’re constantly juggling lesson plans, emails, student needs, and our own professional development. But when it comes to goals and resolutions, multitasking is your worst enemy. Trying to do too much at once only dilutes your energy and focus. You know what I’m talking about, right?

So try the other thing, the opposite of what your intuition is telling you: pick one goal. Just one. Choose the goal that will have the biggest positive impact on your life and teaching. Is it setting better boundaries? Building a healthier morning routine? Streamlining lesson planning? Whatever it is, commit to that goal and pour your energy into it. Once that habit becomes second nature, move on to the next one.

5. The Role of Systems in Success

You know, goals alone won’t get you where you want to be, no matter how SMART you make them. Systems will. A goal is the destination, but the system is the vehicle that takes you there. Without a good vehicle, you’re going nowhere fast.

Let me give you an example. If your goal is to eat healthier, you need a system to support it—like meal prepping on Sundays or keeping a stash of healthy snacks in your bag. If your goal is to stay on top of lesson planning, block out a specific time each week to do it. If your goal is to manage your time better, use the pomodoro method. Systems create structure, and structure creates consistency. I personally try to structure my days as much as possible - it's the only way I can be creative and spontaneuous with my work.

The beauty of systems is that they make success feel almost automatic. You don’t have to rely on sheer willpower every single day because the system does the heavy lifting for you.

6. Tracking Progress: Motivation in Numbers

Do you know what’s incredibly motivating? Seeing progress. It doesn’t matter how small that progress is—every step forward is a step closer to where you want to be. That’s why tracking your progress is so powerful. One of the teacher's I've worked with started with adding crosses to her daily calendar to mark each day she walked into her classroom calm as opposed to anxious and internally with room for the students' needs instead of focused on her lesson plan (which she also had.) Those were the 'resolutions' she made for three months.It worked for her: she kept up the streak and she told me she'd learned and changed a lot about her teaching on the way, too, as a 'side product' of the one goal she set herself.

You can do this in a way that works for you. Use a simple journal to write down your daily wins, or download a habit-tracking app to see those satisfying streaks. The act of tracking itself reinforces your commitment and gives you a tangible reminder of how far you’ve come. And when you slip up—and you will, because life happens—it’s easier to get back on track because you can see the bigger picture.

7. Accountability and Support

Going it alone is tough, and that’s where accountability comes in. When you share your goals with someone else—a friend, a colleague, a mentor—you’re far more likely to stick with them. Why? Because now someone else is cheering you on (or giving you a gentle nudge when you need it).

You don’t have to make this a big deal. A quick “Hey, can you check in with me next week about this?” works wonders. Or you could join a group of like-minded people—whether it’s a teaching network, an online forum, your colleagues in the teachers’ room, or even your Facebook feed—to share updates, celebrate wins, and stay inspired. Knowing you’re not alone in your journey makes SO much of a difference!

You can join my Facebook group for camaraderie and support at a more low-key, less intense level. If you're ready to work hard on making your teaching life the best it can be, you my LiveWell TeachWell group program where you'll have plenty of accountability and support (no, I don't actually bully people, lol, that doesn't work. I just... encourage you. Hard but gently. :)

8. Adjusting as You Go

And now for the part that is the hardest to accept and plan for: flexibility. No matter how well you plan, life is going to throw a few curveballs. Your schedule will change, your priorities will shift, and you’ll have days (or weeks) where nothing goes according to plan. I promise that’s normal, to be expected, and can be calmly—even joyfully—dealt with.

All you’ve got to do is to give yourself permission to adjust. If a system isn’t working, tweak it. If a goal feels overwhelming, break it down even further. Check in with yourself regularly—maybe once a week or once a month—and ask, “What’s working? What’s not? What can I change to make this easier?” Adjusting doesn’t mean you’ve failed; it means you’re human. (And remember that we teachers ARE human, just like our students and clients and the admin staff!)

9. Long-Term Perspective: Making It a Lifestyle

The biggest mistake we make with resolutions is treating them like sprints. Real change is a marathon. (I’ve gotten into running lately, can you tell?) It’s about creating a lifestyle that supports your goals, not just reaching them temporarily.

This requires a shift in mindset. Instead of thinking, “I have to exercise,” think, “I get to move my body and feel good.” Instead of aiming for perfection, aim for consistency. Progress, not perfection, is what creates lasting change!

And remember: small, steady improvements compound over time. Even if it doesn’t feel like much now, those tiny steps are building a foundation for a healthier, happier, more balanced you.

Final Thoughts

I've seen this in my own teaching life and I've seen it with the teachers I work wtih: goals into habits isn’t about waiting for the perfect moment or the next big milestone. It’s about starting small, staying consistent, and giving yourself grace along the way. Every day is a fresh start, a chance to move a little closer to the life you want to live. Annie Dillard (an author, not a teacher but it applies!) said, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” Does it make you think about your teaching life?

So here’s my challenge to you: pick one small change. Start today, and stick with it for a week. Just one week. See how it feels. You don’t have to do it all at once, but you do have to start. Your future self—and your students—will thank you for it.

Categories: : teacher wellbeing, habits, teaching habits, ELT, teaching systems