Communications professor gives tips for your 2014 game plan

Having trouble keeping your new year’s resolutions? In a recent article, AZCentral tapped ASU communications professor Sarah Tracy for some tips on how to make this year different.

Tracy, who runs her own personal website, A Crystallized Blog, suggests talking to others about your plan and asking them to check in on your progress. When you let others in on your goals, it makes you feel more accountable for them.

She also suggests picking a time when your routine is in flux to implement new habits. “Habits are location- and time-based,” she says. “So, a perfect time to stop a bad habit or begin a new one is when your routine is already out of whack.”

And finally, Tracy suggests replacing bad habits with different kinds of rewards. “If 2 p.m. used to equate with a sweet treat, maybe now 2 p.m. is rewarded with a short stroll around the office or Facebook.”