DDG (Data Decisions Group) and The Monday Campaigns, a public health initiative, conducted a nationally representative survey of 1010 adults, which included questions about their New Year’s resolutions, how they’re planning to keep them, and their outlook for 2022.
The survey showed that upon reflecting on the pandemic and their health over the past year, 62 percent of Americans said they are expecting to enjoy better health in 2022, with 89 percent planning to continue new habits developed during the pandemic.
Specifically, the top habits Americans resolve to practice in the new year are to:
- Spend more time with family—51 percent
- Maintain an exercise routine like running, cycling or swimming—48 percent
- Continue stress management practices—43 percent
Still, 53 percent of respondents said that staying on track is the top challenge to keeping health-related New Year’s resolutions. The survey showed that of those who make resolutions, 18 percent fall off in January and, by July, 41 percent have given up on their top resolutions. The survey showed that the most common reasons for relapsing are an inability to stay on track, dealing with the COVID pandemic, lack of discipline, and not seeing results quickly enough.
When asked what respondents will do to maintain their health resolutions: 86 percent said that refreshing their goal every Monday would help them maintain their healthy resolutions. In addition:
- Almost 40 percent said that they view Monday as a fresh start. Respondents selected Monday as the day that they are most likely to start an exercise routine, eat healthier, start a diet, schedule a doctor’s appointment, and reduce stress.
- 83 percent replied that if they start the week off healthy, it helps them maintain a focus on their health for the rest of the week
- 82 percent agreed that Monday is a good day to get back on track after indulging on the weekend.
These survey results further support The Monday Campaigns’ research conducted with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health about the “Monday fresh start or reset.”
The paper concluded that the key to health behavior change is to create healthy habits that can be sustained over time.
A growing body of evidence suggests that healthy thinking and behavior are synchronized to the week, with Monday being the day people are most “open to buy” health. Using this “Monday effect” can be a powerful leverage point in public health promotions to help people stay on track with their health goals.
To help Americans stay healthy throughout this coming year, The Monday Campaigns is offering a new, digital Healthy Monday Check Up Tool. It takes self-reported information from a user, and suggests activities to help them commit and recommit to their health every week. With it, they can start turning intentions into actions. The tool encourages users to “check up” every Monday to reinforce habits and actions that may help reduce the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other preventable chronic health conditions. It’s available
here.
The Monday Campaigns is a public health initiative associated with leading health institutions that seeks to reduce the incidence of preventable diseases by dedicating every Monday to health. Research shows that healthy thinking and behavior are synchronized with the week, with Monday being the day people are most open to positive changes. The Monday Campaigns offers free evidence-based health promotions that leverage this Monday “fresh start” mindset and weekly cue to provide sustainable motivation that can help create life-long healthy habits. Learn more at: www.mondaycampaigns.org 
