The fresh start effect is a psychological phenomenon in which people are more motivated to pursue goals following temporal landmarks — dates that mark a new beginning. Identified by Hengchen Dai, Katherine Milkman and Jason Riis (2014).
The research showed that people were significantly more likely to search for 'diet' on Google, visit the gym, and commit to savings goals at: the start of a new week, the start of a new month, after a birthday, and at the start of a new year. These 'temporal landmarks' create a psychological sense of a clean slate — separating the current self from the past self.
The fresh start effect suggests that goal-setting is most effective when timed around meaningful transitions. If you missed the New Year, your birthday is equally powerful. The start of a new job, a new term or a new month can all serve as fresh starts. The key insight: use the landmark to start, then build systems that sustain beyond the initial motivation.