What New Year's resolutions are Canadians making for 2023?

Pexels

As the New Year approaches, many people will be making New Year’s resolutions, hoping to bring positive changes to their lives and habits.

According to a new survey conducted by Time2Play, an online gambling website and entertainment blog, Canadians set an average of 1.7 resolutions each year and 61.9 per cent find resolutions beneficial.

Of 1,000 people across the country involved in the survey, 29 per cent said their aim is to improve their personal fitness and nutrition in 2023. According to Time2Play, 22.3 per cent of respondents stated that they are planning to reach their financial goals by saving money, budgeting and investing.

Growing careers was the aim for 6.6 per cent of people surveyed, and 5.3 per cent planning to improve their relationships with friends, family and partners.

When it comes to travelling, 4.9 per cent of Canadians responded they will kick off the New Year with this type of goal.

Surprisingly, only 3.9 per cent of respondents are interested in learning a new skill in 2023.

Few (3.7 per cent) respondents said they aim to abandon bad habits including smoking, drinking and other vices, while just 2.9 per cent hope to work on spiritual growth. And 6.8 per cent have other resolutions in the works.

Data collected by Time2Play indicates that as many as 14.1 per cent of Canadians welcome the new year without setting resolutions at all, and for those who do, almost 70 per cent fail to stick with their resolutions.

Responding to the question, “Why do you fail to keep your New Year’s resolutions?” 48.1 per cent of respondents marked a lack of motivation as the reason, while 14.9 per cent forget about their resolutions. Losing track of their progress on their resolutions throughout the year was the reason for 12.2 per cent of the respondents.

Other answers included that respondents didn't have the time to continue with their resolutions (7.4 per cent), setting unrealistic goals (4.1 per cent) and setting too many resolutions (1.5 per cent). Time2Play's survey suggested 14.5 per cent failed to keep their resolutions for other reasons such as not setting any resolutions to begin with, health struggles getting in the way, or running into too many roadblocks.

The survey’s findings show that Canadians have spent an average on $252.12 on failed resolutions per year.

WHAT ARE THE MOST AND LEAST COMMITTED PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES?

According to the survey, Canadians are following their resolutions for an average of 4.7 months, but some are more committed than others.

Respondents from Newfoundland and Labrador stuck to their resolution for an average of six months.

Following Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitobans were second, with an average of 5.4 months sticking with their resolutions.

Coming in at Number 3 is Quebec with 5.1 months, followed by people in Alberta and Ontario with 4.8 months sticking with their resolutions tied for fourth place.

Completing the top five list, New Brunswick residents are fifth, sticking with their resolutions for an average of 4.6 months.

Saskatchewan residents said they can only stick with their resolutions for an average of 3.8 months and Nova Scotia – with 3.5 months – is the least committed province for New Year’s resolutions, according to the survey.

Due to an insufficient data, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island and Yukon were not included in the results of the survey, Time2Play said.

Reporting for this story was paid for through The Afghan Journalists in Residence Project funded by Meta.