Richard Wiseman, author of the excellent 59 Seconds: Change Your Life in Under a Minute, compiled research on resolutions. What were the main takeaways?

• Just pick one resolution. More than that is too hard.
• Break the goal into steps. Have a plan.
• Reward yourself for progress.
• Realize you may screw up. Keep at it.

How do you break bad habits?

• The secret to breaking bad habits is to replace them with another habit.

• You can resist bad habits by avoiding the triggers that make you want to do them. Context is key.

• Here's a quick explanation of how triggers and replacing habits works, by Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit.

Any other tips?

Write your resolution down:

Writing about goals makes you happier and makes you more likely to follow through with them.