Between Christmas and New Year
That reflective week where Turkey has lost its appeal and new intentions begin.
There is a particular feeling in the days between Christmas and New Year.
- The decorations are still up.
- The radio is full of year in review programmes.
- New diaries for January are sitting on kitchen tables, still blank.
It is the moment when resolutions start to form.
- Be more organised.
- Get back into routines.
- Start the year properly.
We begin thinking about fresh starts, cleaner slates and getting things in order.
And yet, while many of us are already planning changes to our habits, homes and health, one area quietly escapes the resolution list.
Our finances, especially our pensions.
The Resolution Gap - Why good intentions stop short of money
Behavioural science gives us a clue.
Humans are far more likely to set resolutions around things that feel immediate, visible and within our control.
Whilst finances are clearly hugely important, and funding your retirement early has the biggest impact on how comfortable you may be later in life, pensions do not feel immediate. They are not visible in everyday life. As a result, they often do not feel fully within our control.
Researchers associated with the Behavioural Insights Team (a global research company on human behaviour) have consistently shown that when decisions feel distant or complex, people tend to defer them, even when they intend to act later.
So pensions get mentally filed under one familiar phrase.
I will sort that at some point.
This is exactly the behaviour that Pension Pulse exists to challenge.
A FAMILIAR END OF YEAR SCENARIO
Mark is 49.
Between Christmas and New Year, he makes a mental list.
- Exercise more.
- Sort the spare room.
- Do something about pensions.
He knows he has several.
He does not know how they work together, or whether they should.
Nothing feels urgent.
So nothing happens.
Opportunity is lost.
This is not avoidance.
It is human behaviour.
Why this week matters
This in between week works because it creates a psychological pause.
A chance to reflect without pressure.
A natural line between before and after.
We see it as an opportunity not to rush decisions, but to decide when you will review your position.
For many people, that simply means booking a conversation with an expert adviser in January. A moment to understand what you have, how it fits together, and whether your current arrangements still make sense.
A New Year resolution does not have to be dramatic.
Sometimes it is just choosing a date to finally take stock and take control of your future. We are here to help.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
This article is for information only and does not constitute personal financial advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. The value of investments can fall as well as rise, and you may get back less than you invest. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and UK legislation, which may change.
