It's no secret that for most people, New Year is a time for new beginnings. The tradition predates modern civilisation; in fact, the Babylonians were the first to make (and break) New Year's resolutions. According to data from the Statistic Brain Research Institute, 45 per cent of respondents made New Year's resolutions in 2017. However, the University of Scranton also found that only eight per cent were able to achieve their goals. The reason, say experts, is that most people associate resolutions with lengthy bucket lists or extreme transformations. And while ambitious change is a noble aspiration, it may also intimidate you into not taking action at all.

Instead, focus on small, attainable goals that will result in incremental changes through the year. Experts explain how you can get started: