The problem with new year’s resolutions is that most people have forgotten about them by the end of February. Whilst you may have vowed to ditch the cigarettes, lose weight, exercise more, drink less or learn a new language, it may be that you have found it hard to stick to those good intentions.

Now that we are in March, you may even be thinking, “what was my resolution, again?”. And you’re not alone, New Year's resolutions tend to have a life expectancy of three to four weeks. For most people, three or four months is just totally unrealistic. Or is it? At Oxford Online Pharmacy, we want to revitalise resolutions!

Why should a resolution be made just because the number of the year happens to change? Why can’t a resolution be made at any point in the year? If you think about it, new year’s resolutions are mostly made under a lot of pressure. You may have just had a December of excess filled with food, an abundance of alcohol and plenty of parties. After all of that, you are probably going to set yourself unrealistic expectations. Especially, when it comes to your health.

Why not resolve to make a change now? Rather than reserve your resolutions for the 1st January, why not make a change in March? We’ve taken some of 2016’s top new year’s resolutions from an ITV News poll in January and looked at how you can make the most of them this month.

Do more exercise/lose weight

January is dreary. It’s no time for undertaking an intense exercise regime. The gyms are full, the weather is dreadful and almost everyone is looking to achieve the same goal...well for about 3 weeks! March is much different. The gym crowds have died down, the weather is much brighter and spring is starting to show its face. It’s a much nicer time to enjoy exercise.

Losing weight in January is never going to be a walk in the park either. Most people are still going to have cupboards full of excess Christmas food. If you’re one of the people who overestimated just how much food you would need, what are you going to do with it? You’re going to eat it, and we don’t blame you. However, now we are in March, that food is merely a distant memory. With cupboards filled with everyday food, not calorific stuff for Christmas, March is a much better time for losing weight.

Other

In the ITV News poll, the second most popular new year’s resolution for 2016 was the mysterious ‘other’. Of course, ‘other’ can be anything you want it to be. March is a much better time to make ‘other’ your resolution, as rather than thinking something up on the spot, you have had more time to think about exactly what you want ‘other’ to be.

Cut down on alcohol

Cutting down on alcohol will never be a bad thing. However, January isn’t going to be the best time to do it. Like you probably had a cupboard full of excess Christmas food, in January, you probably had cupboards full of leftover Christmas alcohol too. Now it’s March, most of those bottles will have been drunk dry, giving you a clean slate to cut down on your alcohol consumption.

Stop smoking

Of course, stopping smoking is much easier said than done. However, it is something you can change at any time. As the weather is better, we think March is a much better time to do this, there is more to see, more to do, more to distract you from the cigarettes.

Do more for charity

With running season in full swing, March is a much better time for raising money. Whether you are taking on a 10K, having a go at a half-marathon or undertaking the 26.2 miles of a marathon, there are so many opportunities for you to raise money for a charity of your choice, and improve your health at the same time. It doesn’t have to just be running either. With the start of spring comes walking challenges, cycling challenges, swimming challenges, just to name but a few.

Of course, doing more for charity doesn’t just mean donating money. If you’re looking to lend a hand, you could always think about volunteering at one of these events too.

Whilst if you are fundraising, March is a much better month for this than January. Christmas often leaves people short of cash, so they’re less likely to donate. By March, they have had more time to make up their money.

Making a change in March

If you are looking to make a change in March, at Oxford Online Pharmacy, we can be of assistance. Find out some of the ways we can assist you, by clicking the links below.