Managing finances better, eating healthier and moving more topped Americans’ New Year’s resolutions list for 2020, according to a recent survey by Ipsos for Urban Plates, a San-Diego-based restaurant chain. In 2020, it seems Americans are intent on tightening their belts (literally) when it comes to the important things in life—money, food and exercise.

The beginning of a new year and a new decade inspire many of us to pledge to live better and behave admirably. So why is it that most of our good intentions fall by the wayside before we even make it through January? In fact, some of us are so frustrated by our failure to keep resolutions that we vow to just stop making them. For those of you discouraged by resolutions, here’s a simple roadmap to making and keeping those New Year’s promises.

Keep It Real: Jen A. Miller, writes for The New York Times, “Your goals should be smart—and SMART. That’s an acronym coined in the journal Management Review in 1981 for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. It may work for management, but it can also work in setting your resolutions, too.”

Have a Plan: It’s one thing to say you’re going to lose weight in 2020 but if you don’t quantify how you will achieve that goal, your resolution is guaranteed to fail. Something as simple as joining a weight loss program for 3 months or limiting your dinners out to once a week can make all the difference. Sometimes, all we really need is a new ritual and a way to measure our successes or failures.

Write it Down: Sir Richard Branson offered this advice: “If you are wondering how to stick to your resolution, I have one simple tip: write it down. The simple act of writing down your resolution will make it far more likely to stick. If you let other people know, that can help too. But ultimately your resolution is for you—a positive change you are determined to make.”

mkane@jobson.com