The tradition of New Year resolutions is believed to date back 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonians, who are also credited with being the first to celebrate the New Year. However, in those days the celebrations took place on the first new moon after the spring equinox and the most popular resolution was to return the piece of farm equipment borrowed from your neighbour. It was the Romans who moved the new year to January, aptly naming the first month of the year after Janus, a god with two faces, one on the front of his head looking forward to the new year and one behind, looking back at the old. The early Christians also believed that the new year should be spent reflecting on past mistakes and resolving to improve oneself. One thing that hasn't changed about resolutions over the years, is that, for most of is, making them is the easy part. According to surveys, only one in five of us is likely to keep a resolution the whole year, 22 per cent will keep them for between three and six months, while a weak-willed one in 10 will not last a month. One of the biggest mistakes people make - and one that usually sets them up for failure - is to aim too high, setting unrealistic goals. According to experts, the secret of keeping resolutions is to aim low. If you want to lose weight, for example, start with a goal of just a kilogram. If you want to organise your life, start with one small area first such as a clearing out the wardrobe heaving with unworn clothes or a pile of papers on your desk. And finally, get support. Tell your family, friends and colleagues that you've given up smoking or are trying to lose weight so they can help, such as by avoiding situations where they unknowingly put temptation in your path by offering you a cigarette or buying you chocolates.
