Lifestyle Holidays & Occasions The Case Against New Year's Resolutions By Jane Asher Jane Asher Jane Asher is a New York-based writer, editor, and social media manager covering all things beauty, fashion, and celebrity. She was previously the Assistant Social Media Editor at InStyle. InStyle's editorial guidelines Updated on December 7, 2017 @ 02:15PM Pin Share Tweet Email Photo: Getty Images I'm not much of a New Year's resolutions type of gal. Maybe it's because in the past, any resolution I've made, I've let slip through the cracks come January 5. Or maybe because I don't really see January 1 as a time for new beginnings. To me, January is a reminder that the winter isn't even close to being over, days are still way too short, and the sun is only out for eight hours a day. January, to me, is honestly more about hiding under the covers than trying to get myself to the gym through the cold, visit a museum, or explore a holiday market. As far as resolutions go, mine usually fall under a few categories: Working out more, venturing outside of my apartment for more than just work, calling home more often, and shopping less. But why do I have to use New Year's as an excuse to start doing any of these things? Plus, do you know how crowded the gym is post-December 31? I'd rather wait until February 1 when most of the resolutioners have given up and gone back to bed. VIDEO: 5 Sparkly Clothing Pieces for $50 and Under for New Year's Eve Meanwhile, getting out of the house? When it's less than 20 degrees out, why put myself through that misery just because? You know the perfect activity for a cold Saturday in January? Vegging out on the couch with your favorite romcom and a bowl of matzoh ball soup. That activity usually feels pretty great—unless I've set a mental intention of not doing that. Winter is truly the perfect excuse to be lazy, despite what your life coach might say. We create these arbitrary rules for ourselves because we think that, in the long run, they will make us happier. But often, all they do is pour on the guilt. So why not skip the charade and do what actually makes you happy, like, in that moment? When the cabin fever sets in, I'll venture outside to a museum or brunch, but there's no need to pack my weekends with activities when what my heart truly wants is to stay in. The Best & Worst Holidays of the Year: InStyle Editors Battle It Out So grab your fuzziest blanket, your bae, and your Apple TV remote, and let's just embrace what January really is: the laziest month of the year.