The aspects of our lives that we are the least satisfied with should be used as a catalyst for change.
It’s important to create New Year’s resolutions that are really important to us and that we are absolutely ready to put in the effort to change.
Montreal, Canada (PRWEB) January 05, 2019
For many people, the start of a new year comes with a resolved intent to make changes. That’s why gym memberships tend to spike significantly right after the holidays. So why do so many resolutions lose momentum by springtime? Partly because people make resolutions in a short-lived, champagne-induced enthusiasm, but mostly because they are not ready to put in the effort to change, and that can be traced back to one crucial factor: People are less motivated to achieve goals which are not meaningful to them. The solution: Researchers from PsychTests suggest using the aspects of our lives we are least satisfied with as an impetus for change.
Analyzing data from 1,123 who took their Life Satisfaction Test, PsychTests’ researchers focused their analysis on two diverse groups: People who are completely satisfied with their life and those who are not. This brought to light life factors that have the strongest influence on happiness and contentment, which could be a good starting point for creating resolutions for 2019.
The following is a list of the sixteen factors covered in PsychTests’ study, arranged from largest to smallest differences. The larger the difference between groups, the greater influence this factor has on life satisfaction. (Note: Scores on the factors range from 0 to 100).
1) PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING: Assesses the degree to which a person is content with his or her mental health and possesses a healthy state of mind.
- Score for satisfied group: 85
- Score for dissatisfied group: 32
2) SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT: Assesses the degree to which a person is content with his or her personal, educational, and job-related achievements thus far.
- Score for satisfied group: 80
- Score for dissatisfied group: 27
3) SENSE OF PURPOSE / MEANING: Assesses the degree to which a person has a profound aspiration or goal to strive for. Meaningful goals can boost life satisfaction.
- Score for satisfied group: 45
- Score for dissatisfied group: 92
4) SATISFACTION WITH FIELD: Assesses the degree to which a person is happy with the job field he or she has chosen to pursue.
- Score for satisfied group: 79
- Score for dissatisfied group: 34
5) SATISFACTION WITH FAMILY: Assesses the degree to which a person is satisfied with his or her close relationships.
- Score for satisfied group: 83
- Score for dissatisfied group: 39
6) SENSE OF BELONGING: Assesses the degree to which a person feels connected to the people in his or her life.
- Score for satisfied group: 75
- Score for dissatisfied group: 31
7) SATISFACTION WITH WORK CONDITIONS: Assesses the degree to which a person is satisfied with his or her job environment, which comprises factors like social atmosphere, workload, salary, and morale.
- Score for satisfied group: 78
- Score for dissatisfied group: 35
8) SATISFACTION WITH FRIENDS: Assesses the degree to which a person finds joy in his or her friendships.
- Score for satisfied group: 84
- Score for dissatisfied group: 44
9) SATISFACTION WITH ROMANTIC LIFE: Assesses the degree to which a person is happy with his or her personal relationship and has found a loving partner.
- Score for satisfied group: 66
- Score for dissatisfied group: 29
10) SATISFACTION WITH BOSS: Assesses the degree to which a person is satisfied with his or her relationship with his/her boss, and thrives under this individual’s management style.
- Score for satisfied group: 77
- Score for dissatisfied group: 41
11) SATISFACTION WITH BODY IMAGE: Assesses the degree to which a person takes pride in and loves his or her appearance.
- Score for satisfied group: 69
- Score for dissatisfied group: 34
12) SENSE OF PLEASURE: Assesses the degree to which a person feels his or her life is enjoyable and actively takes steps to bring more fun into his/her life.
- Score for satisfied group: 77
- Score for dissatisfied group: 44
13) SATISFACTION WITH COLLEAGUES: Assesses the degree to which a person is satisfied with his or her work relationships and experiences a sense of camaraderie with colleagues.
- Score for satisfied group: 73
- Score for dissatisfied group: 41
14) SENSE OF FREEDOM: Assesses the degree to which a person is satisfied with his or her work relationships and experiences a sense of camaraderie with colleagues.
- Score for satisfied group: 73
- Score for dissatisfied group: 43
15) FINANCIAL HEALTH: Assesses the degree to which a person is satisfied with the state of his or her finances.
- Score for satisfied group: 59
- Score for dissatisfied group: 31
16) PHYSICAL WELL-BEING: Assesses the degree to which a person is content with his or her state of health.
- Score for satisfied group: 69
- Score for dissatisfied group: 49
“It’s easy to focus on the aspects of our lives that we are unhappy with, but it's much harder to take the necessary steps to improve them. This is why it’s important to create New Year’s resolutions that are really important to us, that will make a significant difference in our lives, and that we are absolutely ready to put in the effort to change,” explains Dr. Jerabek, president of PsychTests. “This doesn’t mean that you should aim to make extensive changes in all the areas of your life that you’re dissatisfied with; that’s too much to take on and you’ll be more likely to give up. Take a critical look at your life. Pick one or two areas that you want to improve the most and then set out a plan with concrete steps to do so. Write out each step and the resources or information you will need. Also, it helps enormously to prepare “wobble strategies” - figure out how you will identify triggers that cause you to slip back into old habits, and what will you do to prevent that from happening. Enlisting the help of friends, family, an online support group, a therapist, or a life coach is also a good way to keep yourself on track.”
“The crucial question now is how will you know that you are ready to change? The answer is that you will feel it. No matter how big the goal may seem to you, there will still be a burning desire in you to make it happen. You will be keen to get started, to do whatever you can to achieve it, and to push yourself through any obstacles which get in the way. You will not let failure deter you. If you don’t feel that drive and intensity, then it’s either not the right resolution for you or you’re just not ready to change yet. Moreover, what this study has shown us is that there are certain factors that are more likely to have a much greater impact on our happiness, factors like psychological well-being, goals to strive for, and a sense of achievement. We suggest you assess your current level of satisfaction with the various factors, and pick the one or two that you wish to work on.”
Want to assess your life satisfaction? Check out https://testyourself.psychtests.com/testid/3295
Professional users can request a free demo for this or any other assessments from ARCH Profile’s extensive battery: [http://hrtests.archprofile.com/testdrive_gen_1
To learn more about psychological testing, download this free eBook: [http://hrtests.archprofile.com/personality-tests-in-hr
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About PsychTests AIM Inc.
PsychTests AIM Inc. originally appeared on the internet scene in 1996. Since its inception, it has become a pre-eminent provider of psychological assessment products and services to human resource personnel, therapists, academics, researchers and a host of other professionals around the world. PsychTests AIM Inc. staff is comprised of a dedicated team of psychologists, test developers, researchers, statisticians, writers, and artificial intelligence experts (see ARCHProfile.com). The company’s research division, Plumeus Inc., is supported in part by Research and Development Tax Credit awarded by Industry Canada.
