New Year's Resolution Ideas: 8 Lists to Spin for 2027
Choosing a New Year's resolution can be harder than keeping one. There are too many good ideas, and picking the "right" one feels like a big decision. Here are eight themed lists with over 60 ideas for 2027. Each list has a link that opens the free New Year's resolution wheel with the ideas already loaded, so you can let chance pick for you, or edit the list first and spin your own.
How to use the lists
- Click "Spin this list" under the list that suits you.
- Remove anything you would not really do, and add your own ideas, one per line.
- Spin. If you feel a little disappointed with the result, that tells you which goal you actually wanted. Pick that one.
- Want two resolutions? Use Remove and spin to draw a second one without repeating the first.
1. Health and energy
Small daily habits beat big promises. Pick one you can do on an ordinary Tuesday.
- Walk 8,000 steps a day
- Drink a glass of water with every meal
- Go to bed at the same time each night
- Stretch for 10 minutes every morning
- Cook vegetables with dinner five days a week
- Try a new sport
- Take the stairs
- No phone in the bedroom
Spin this list on the resolution wheel.
2. Money
Pick something you can check each month.
- Save a fixed amount every payday
- Track spending for one month
- Cancel subscriptions I do not use
- Bring lunch to work three days a week
- Build a small emergency fund
- Wait 48 hours before buying non-essentials
- Sell things I no longer use
- Learn how my pension works
Spin this list on the resolution wheel.
3. Learning and skills
One skill, practised a little, goes further than five started at once.
- Learn 10 words of a new language each week
- Read 12 books
- Learn to play an instrument
- Take an online course
- Learn to cook five new dishes
- Learn basic first aid
- Practise drawing for 15 minutes a day
- Learn to touch type
Spin this list on the resolution wheel.
4. Home and order
For a calmer house without a weekend-long clear-out.
- Make the bed every morning
- Declutter one drawer a week
- Clear the kitchen sink every night
- Grow herbs on the windowsill
- Fix one small thing each month
- Donate a bag of clothes each season
- Plan meals for the week on Sunday
- Keep one surface completely clear
Spin this list on the resolution wheel.
5. Friends and family
Resolutions about people are often the ones we are gladdest to keep.
- Call a family member every week
- Write a letter or card each month
- Plan one get-together a month
- Learn the birthdays of my close friends
- Have phone-free family dinners
- Say thank you more often
- Visit someone I have not seen in a long time
- Volunteer once a month
Spin this list on the resolution wheel.
6. For kids
Simple goals children can tick off on a chart.
- Read a book every week
- Help cook dinner once a week
- Learn to ride a bike or skateboard
- Make my bed
- Try one new food each month
- Draw a picture for someone
- Learn a new card or board game
- Put my toys away before bed
Spin this list on the resolution wheel.
7. Small and easy wins
If big resolutions never last for you, start with one of these.
- Floss every night
- Eat one piece of fruit a day
- Take a photo every day
- Write down one good thing each evening
- Drink less fizzy drink
- Spend 10 minutes outside daily
- Unsubscribe from five newsletters
- Learn one new joke a week
Spin this list on the resolution wheel.
8. Fun and adventure
Not every resolution has to be work.
- Visit a place I have never been
- Try a new restaurant every month
- See a live show
- Watch the sunrise
- Go camping
- Learn a dance
- Do a puzzle every week
- Say yes to one new thing each month
Spin this list on the resolution wheel.
How to make a resolution stick
A few ideas from behaviour research make a real difference, and none of them need willpower.
- Aim for something to do, not something to stop. A 2020 study of over 1,000 people's resolutions in PLOS ONE (Oscarsson and colleagues) found that "approach" goals, such as "eat fruit every day", were kept more often than "avoidance" goals, such as "stop eating sweets".
- Decide when and where. Psychologist Peter Gollwitzer's work on "implementation intentions" shows that a plan in the form "when X happens, I will do Y" (for example "after I brush my teeth, I will floss") makes people much more likely to follow through.
- Make it small and specific. "Read 12 books" or "walk after lunch" is easier to track than "read more" or "be healthier".
- One at a time. Start with a single resolution. Add a second in February if the first is going well.
- Expect a bad week. Missing a day does not end a habit. Start again the next day instead of waiting for next January.
Other ways to decide
If you are torn between exactly two goals, flip a coin or ask the yes or no button. For a longer list of your own, use the picker wheel. And for bigger choices, our guide on how to make a decision walks through some simple methods.
FAQ
What is a good New Year's resolution?
A good resolution is specific, small enough to do on a normal day, and phrased as something to do rather than something to stop, for example "walk 8,000 steps a day" rather than "stop being lazy".
How do I choose a New Year's resolution?
Write down the ideas that appeal to you, remove any you would not really do, and spin them on a resolution wheel. If the result disappoints you, choose the one you were hoping for instead.
How many resolutions should I make?
Start with one. Adding more once the first is a habit works better than starting several at once.
Is the resolution wheel random?
Yes. It uses your browser's cryptographic random number generator, so every idea on the wheel has the same chance.