New Year's resolutions: Are they just smoke and mirrors?

Less than half of it is actually implemented.

Roughly half of Germans regularly make New Year's resolutions. This year, many resolved to reduce their personal stress levels, invest more in their health, consume more sparingly and sustainably, and also have more time for others.

Within the population, it was primarily young adults who wanted to change their lives. They were about three times more likely to aim to focus more on their careers, learn something new, or break with the past – whether it was finally moving out, ending a relationship, or changing jobs. They were also twice as likely to want to reduce their time on smartphones, computers, or in front of the television, consume less sugar and alcohol, or exercise more.

In contrast, good intentions were significantly lower among retirees and young seniors who are more or less at peace with their lives and hardly want any changes.

Regardless of age, the question with all New Year's resolutions is which ones are actually kept. And here, the picture for the past twelve months is rather disillusioning: of the 20 most common resolutions, only six were actually implemented by a small majority. The resolutions most successfully kept were eating less meat, reducing personal waste, decluttering, or focusing more on social relationships and career.

Significantly less successful were resolutions to live healthier, reduce stress levels, or fulfill a long-held dream. And not even one in five managed to reduce their own media consumption. Smartphones, in particular, have become indispensable in the daily lives of many, and conscious consumption requires more than just a good intention.