If I had to guess, I would bet that at least once in years past, come Jan. 1, you've resolved to lose weight, be more organized, spend less and save more, find a better job, or simply be a better person.

Yes, people love to make New Year's resolutions. Perhaps more than that, people love to break them.

People often give up on their resolutions after the first setback. They get frustrated that they messed up, but what most people don't realize is that messing up is part of the process. Things happen. The key is to stop beating yourself up about it and get back on track as soon as possible.

Ultimately, everyone wants to achieve their aspirations in the New Year and make a positive change in some aspect of their lives. With the current dismal state of our economy, perhaps one of the most important areas people should look to make a change this New Year is professionally.

Five tips for resolution success

1.      Eat the frog: "Mark Twain said if you eat a frog first thing in the morning that will probably be the worst thing you do all day. So, start your day by tackling an important task, especially if it is a task you aren't crazy about." 

2.      Concrastinate: "If procrastinating means putting things off, concrastinate should be doing things immediately. Work in 15 minute increments. If there is a task you don't like, set a timer and do it for 15 minutes. At the end of 15 minutes, you will be amazed at how much you've accomplished. At that point, either stop or if you have built up some momentum, keep going.

3.      Nix the multitasking: "We pride ourselves on being able to do two, three or four things at once, and that is fine if the activities are fairly simple, like stuffing envelopes while on a conference call or eating lunch while reading e-mail. But if at least one of the tasks is more complicated, like putting together a PowerPoint or writing a report, then it deserves your full attention. Set aside a period of time that you can devote to that one task. You will make fewer mistakes and get more done in less time.

4.      Buddy up: "If your resolution is to do something simple like eat lunch away from your desk or go for a walk on your break time or keep your desk clean, make a pact with a co-worker who has a similar goal. Support each other in keeping your resolutions.

5.      Plan it: "A few minutes of planning can save you hours of time. Either first thing in the morning or at the end of the day, take a few minutes to plan. It doesn't have to be a long formal process, just jot down the things you want to do that day (or the next if you do this at the end of the day).