Break Large Goals into Smaller, More Attainable Pieces

Taking a big resolution—for example, cutting out all sugar—and breaking it down into a smaller goal each day—eating one less thing with added sugar, or one food that's low in sugar today—makes it more likely that you'll meet that daily goal and stick with your overall resolution.

"It's all about having small wins," Heiss says. "The way our biology works is that we get a hit of feel-good dopamine when we have these small wins and it conditions our brain to keep going. We get 'addicted' to those small wins and they can add up to meeting our big goals."

If you've vowed to exercise five days a week, commit to an attainable goal, like walking for just 15 minutes per day. This is what works for me; I'm pretty good at riding my stationary bike regularly, but there are definitely days when I really don't feel like it and I just say, Okay, I'm getting on for 15 minutes—and I almost always end up riding for way longer.

On the organization front, my bedroom and closet really needed decluttering and a total reorganization but every time I thought about doing the whole thing in a weekend, I just walked away. But one afternoon I cleaned out the boxes and shoes under my bed, and it inspired me to tackle my closet a few weeks later.

"It's much less stressful to think, 'I'll eat a little less sugar,' 'I'll drink a little less,' 'I'll exercise a little more,' 'I'll organize this small space,'" Heiss says. Setting (and completing) smaller goals not only prevents you from becoming overwhelmed or burning out, but it will also help you achieve your larger resolution over time.

Allow Yourself to Get Back on Track

So what if you don't meet your goal that day or break your resolution? "So be it. Acknowledge that it happened, then have a keyword," Heiss suggests. "Mine is 'next.' I can’t change what’s in the past but I can look forward to what’s next. I get to do this again. How can I change my behavior tomorrow so I get back to those small wins?"

Having smaller goals makes it easier to get back on track, so you're more likely to accomplish the larger mission. "If we frame things in all-or-nothing terms. we're setting ourselves up to think 'I'm a failure if I break this habit or streak,' and then we give up," Heiss says. "Making lasting change is all about small paths forward, continual change."

Each time you clean out that junk drawer or organize a pantry shelf, your cortisol and stress levels will go down because you're achieving your goal—and you're more likely to continue meeting that goal in the long run.