Best month to make big changes revealed, Brits feel more motivated

FORGET ‘New Year, New You’ – Brits see September as the best month to make changes in their lives.

A survey of 2,000 adults found that 38 percent feel more motivated to improve their lives now, compared to other times of the year.

Getting a new job (14 percent), finding a new hobby or interest (11 percent), and moving house (seven percent) are ways people can make a fresh start in the ninth month of the year.

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When it comes to the most important changes Britons want to make this month, they prioritize well-being (41 percent), improving sleep (39 percent) and learning a new skill (25 percent) came out on top.

Also on the list were starting a diet (22 percent), practicing meditation and mindfulness (17 percent), and upgrading technology.

The research was conducted to coincide with the launch of Vodafone Xchange this month, which allows customers to get a new phone every year, with no early upgrade fees and no extra charges on their old phone plan when they trade in their old phone.

Rob Winterschladen, Consumer Director, Vodafone United Kingdomsaid: “September is a big month in the tech calendar, with major launches across the industry – but it’s not just devices that get upgraded at this time of year.

“Our research shows that over eight million Britons are actively making lifestyle changes this month, whether it’s fitness, learning a new skill or upgrading their tech.

“This reinforces the idea that people use the start of fall to refresh both their personal lives and their devices.”

Nearly half (46 percent) say technology and apps play a crucial role in personal development and making year-on-year changes, while 29 percent believe keeping up with the latest technology is essential to everyday life and personal progress.

The ‘September resolutions’ are driven by a sense of renewal after the summer (40 percent), a mindset that inspires new routines (24 percent) and the idea that, unlike January, there is less pressure at this point in the year (30 percent), making it easier to make meaningful improvements.

And regardless of which month they do it, 17 percent actively try to ‘reinvent’ themselves every year – whether that’s in September or any other month of the year.

While 15 percent actively embark on an ‘annual upgrade’ of their lifestyle at the beginning of autumn.

The survey, conducted via OnePoll, also found that 11 percent prefer to upgrade their mobile phone annually, with 42 percent of them doing so to stay up to date with new features and improvements.

Despite this, 29 percent said their phone plan does not give them the flexibility or choice to do this.

Other reasons for upgrading their device every year include wanting to have the latest models (33 percent), while a quarter (25 percent) say they see upgrading their mobile device as a form of self-improvement.

Behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings, who works at Vodafone, adds: “As the research shows, September is a perfect time to reflect on the year and set new goals, without the huge pressure that the new year can bring.

“The added pressure and stress that comes with ‘new year, new you’ resolutions often leads to a decrease in productivity. Using that post-summer energy to calmly focus on making improvements in your life can be a recipe for success for many.”

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