Press releases
Cozi's New Year Resolution Reality Index Reveals One-Third of Americans Will Break Their Resolutions by February
Popular Family Organization Company Takes the Pulse of Today's Busy, but 'Optimistic' Families
SEATTLE — January 8, 2008 — Cozi (http://www.cozi.com), a software innovator that helps busy families manage, coordinate, and enjoy their over-scheduled lives, today released the results of its "New Year Resolution Reality Index"—an online poll of American families which revealed their real-life intentions (and confessions) for 2008. The survey, consisting of 1,187 Cozi members with families of children 17 years and younger, found that while a majority, 66 percent, had an optimistic outlook for the New Year, 34 percent will either not make or expect to break their resolutions within a month. The themes for those who were planning to make resolutions centered around making fewer and more attainable goals.
When asked what resolution makes it on the list year after year, but is hardest to stick to, over half said it was going to the gym. Second on the list, at nearly 40 percent, was to stick to a budget. Although a "clean household" topped the family resolution wish list, 37 percent hoped for more time to spend on family-focused activities, including family meals, game nights and vacations.
"One of the best ways to stick to New Year's resolutions is to plan ahead. For example, to gain more time with your family, try actually 'scheduling' family time and outings," said Mikita Burton with the National Association of Professional Organizers. "Keeping an updated, shared family calendar like the one offered by Cozi, can keep the whole family organized and on track year-round."
To help stick to personal and family goals long-term in the New Year, Burton also suggests some simple organizing tips:
- Setting house-cleaning duties for each family member on the calendar each week to ensure that a range of tasks are consistently done
- Keeping a running/weekly grocery or shopping list online to ensure that you stay on budget instead of going to the store unprepared
- Blocking out time on your calendar in advance for the gym or exercising; you can even send email or text message reminders to yourself to keep up your motivation
Offering a jump-start on the New Year, Cozi's free software and web service provides an organizational system that includes a centralized family calendar, customized shopping lists, quick messaging tools and other easy-to-access features that help families coordinate and share with each other:
- Cozi Calendar—This year, manage family members' schedules easily and coordinate between everyone's activities, appointments, school and work events with a shared color–coded family calendar.
- Cozi Shopping Lists—Keep track of the items your family needs to purchase and tasks that need someone's attention without sticky notes or scraps of paper. And never get stuck at the grocery store without your shopping list again; call the Cozi toll-free number (1-888-808-Cozi) and have your lists read to you or sent directly to your phone via text message.
- Cozi Messages—An easy way to send quick updates and reminders to the family, individually or everyone at once, send a Cozi message right from Cozi to their mobile phone or email account.
- Cozi Outlook Toolbar—Cozi syncs with Outlook. At the office, you can see your family appointments in Outlook. No more missed family events and no more double calendar entries.
- Cozi Collage Screensaver—Enjoy all those family photos with automatically generated collages created with the digital photos on your computer—no work needed on your part!
- Cozi On-the-Go—Since busy families are on the go, Cozi is too. Access Cozi from home or work, get lists, schedules and messages from any mobile phone and even sync the Cozi Calendar with your PDA via Outlook.
