When you're trying to make a change, an intrinsic reward may not always cut it. Sure, you know that you'll boost your endorphins and strengthen your body if you go to the gym more often, but that takes time to play out and is easy to give up on if you're not seeing immediate results. I always recommend cleaning your home in bursts, bit by bit, too, so you won't get overwhelmed—but again, if you don't see fast progress, you can quickly lose motivation.
Sorry to say it, but you need to assign penalties to your goals, especially your New Year's resolutions. A resolution can't be as simple as, "I resolve to call my mom more often." You need an implementation strategy, like setting up a defined time for when you'll do that, plus a little extra motivation. Consider, then, "I resolve to call my mom three times per week or else I will send her a bouquet." It's easier to make three phone calls than spend over $80 on some flowers, and your mom would probably appreciate both, so the money-saving here should motivate you to get the calls done.
Ideas for resolution penalties
I use penalties all the time in my daily life and have for years. I've always been a calorie counter and nutrient tracker, but a few years ago, I noticed if I ate a particularly calorie-dense meal (which is fine!) I would simply stop entering in all my nutrient totals for that day (which was less fine). I like turning all the details of my health into measurable data, so the fact that this would snowball into me getting lackadaisical about meal tracking for a few days wasn't doing much to serve my overall goals. I implemented a personal penalty system that involved getting a treat, like a pudding cup or hot chocolate, at the end of every day when I entered all my foods honestly. That worked fine for me, since I am pretty good at holding my own self accountable, but it may not be enough for you. Nothing is actually stopping you from just eating the pudding cup with no preamble. Here are some other ideas:
Bet on it. There are apps out there like Forfeit that require you to put money out upfront, then prove that you're sticking to your goals. You can submit relevant materials, like proof of a workout, to stop them from holding onto your money at the end of your pre-defined timeline. It sounds intense because it is—but if you're truly struggling to stay on top of your goals, it can work.
Recall my example of the pudding cup after a day of honest nutrient tracking, too. Not getting the pudding cup is a penalty when I fail, but getting it is a reward when I do well. Play around with the system because you might be more motivated by rewards than you are punishments. I'm motivated by daily streaks on apps, for instance, which is how I've come to be on a 288-day streak on the Peloton app. Losing that streak would be like a penalty to me now, so I stick with it, but I also incorporate other little rewards into my goal-setting. Whenever I complete a perfect two weeks of workouts, for instance, I buy myself one new activewear outfit from my favorite brand. The more I think of it, the more I realize almost all of my personal goals are tied, one way or another, to a reward or penalty. I motivate myself to sell my clothes on Poshmark by strictly upholding a one-in, one-out rule and only making clothing purchases with the money I earn from getting rid of something first, for instance.
Doing it this way might seem harsh or elementary at first, but it reinforces the fact that there are consequences for every action and inaction—although, when you manufacture the consequences, they're more urgent and immediate. The long-term consequence of failing to work out consistently is poorer physical and even mental health (which might be why you've named it a New Year's resolution), but that's not immediately evident and it's harder to keep in mind on unmotivated days. Losing my Peloton streak or failing to qualify for my self-imposed rules around buying a new gym outfit are silly in comparison to decreased longevity and strength, but they're more instant, so I avoid them—and, in so doing, avoid those more serious, longer-term consequences by default.
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