Skip a New Year’s Resolution and Make Jan. 2 ‘Defaults Day’ Instead
Instead of chasing resolutions, try changing the invisible defaults — from recurring payments to tech settings — that run daily life.
Illustration: Oyow for Bloomberg
Every January, gyms swell with hopeful new members. By March, early resolve gives way to scheduling conflicts and competing priorities, even as monthly fees keep adding up. Gyms around the world thank you for your resolutions — and are happy to auto-renew you throughout the year even if you don’t attend.
This year, try something different: Mark Jan. 2 as what we’ll call a “Defaults Day.” That means blocking off time to make a list of the many decisions that are made by default in your life, including subscriptions that auto-renew and your 401(k) savings rate. Change the ones you don’t like. Keep the ones you do.