12 Germans' New Year's resolutions for 2020

The Germans' top resolution is to chill out. According to a national representative survey by health insurance company DAK Gesundheit, 64% said it was one of their goals for 2020. While we could have picked a photo of someone banging their head on a desk loaded with files to illustrate a really stressful situation, we thought we'd give you a good start instead, with this cute kitten.

Once again a year has gone by. You have to cram too many dinners and parties at the end of the year in a last-minute attempt to claim you haven't completely lost touch with your loved ones. But next year, you'll see each other more often, that's for sure. That's how Germans feel about it, too. It's the country's second favorite resolution: 64% have it on their list for 2020.

Greta Thunberg's school strike for climate movement definitely got the Germans thinking they should at least try to do more for the environment. Contributing to climate protection and being more environment-friendly wasn't even among their top 12 resolutions last year, but 64% of the survey participants now had it on their list for 2020.

Another worldwide classic. In Germany, 56% of the people polled said they'd get moving in 2020. While a widespread attitude towards New Year's resolutions is that most people don't stick to their program for very long, every second German in the poll (54%) said they usually hang in there for at least four months.

And some resolutions might be more fun to keep than jogging in the winter... Just picture yourself by the sea, with nothing else to do than centering yourself with those cool mindfulness exercises you read about back in 2019 on your smartphone in the crowded subway on the way to work. Yes, 53% of Germans hope to be in exactly that spot in 2020 — or at least find a little more time for themselves.

Low-sodium, low-fat, low-carb, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, organic or raw food: There are plenty of trendy labels out there, but you can also simply improve your eating habits without following a strict diet. Just keep it fresh and colorful. That's what 53% of Germans plan on doing in 2020.

Another classic resolution. While eating healthy food and working out could well lead to shedding extra pounds, 36% of the poll respondents were honest about what they ultimately wanted to achieve in 2020: slim down. Keeping a journal might help you track your weight loss: "Diet Day 1: I have removed all the bad food from the house... It was delicious."

While the Germans' reputation for being thrifty is legendary, OECD data shows that people from 12 other countries actually squirrel away more of their gross household income, including in Europe the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway. Nearly one third of the polled Germans (31%) want to live up to the stereotype and put more money aside in 2020.

There's a growing body of scientific evidence showing how the internet stimulates the same neurotransmitters as addictive drugs — especially through the micro-feedback one gets through social media. Time to put the smartphone down. That's what 27% of Germans plan to do in 2020. This trend is even stronger among young people aged 14-29: 47% of them hope to spend more time offline.

Arguments to help the 20% of Germans who want to stop zapping: You'll find more time for your family, friends and yourself, or to prepare healthy meals and work out, which is the best way to relieve stress anyway. You might save money by canceling all your pay-TV subscriptions. And if you don't compensate by watching more Youtube, you'll cover a good chunk of your New Year's goals.

Germany and beer, the old cliché. It does remain the world's fourth top beer-drinking country after the Czech Republic, Namibia and Austria, so there's something to it. Now, 15% of Germans said they want to drink less alcohol as of 2020, so we'll have to wait and see if that has any kind of impact on the country's ranking. After all, Poland isn't too far behind.

Despite the well-known health risks, nearly every fourth German smokes. Now 11% of the people polled said they were planning on (trying to) stop in 2020. Just as many had it on their list of resolutions in 2019. As studies have also found that quitting smoking is the most difficult resolution to keep, that might well end up on their list of resolutions again in 2021.