How Temptation Bundling Can Help Build Healthier Habits

“Damn you Netflix, really did I conscionable watch 10 episodes of Stranger Things, I person stuff to do!”

We’ve each been there. There are nan things we cognize we SHOULD do, nan things we NEED to do, and nan things that we WANT to do.

More often than not, nan WANT wins retired complete nan NEED and SHOULD.

It’s for illustration trying to triumph a tug-of-war against a tractor pulling successful nan other direction. It’s why we struggle to get to nan gym aft a agelong time of work. It’s why we opt for Taco Bell alternatively of taking nan clip to navigator a patient meal.

Today, we’re going to springiness you a speedy life hack that tin thief you commencement leveling up your life and really get things done that request to get done!

What is Temptation Bundling?

I stake you’ve said nan following: “Before I tin watch TV, I request to exercise.” And yet, TV ends up winning complete workout almost each nan time, particularly if it’s aft a agelong miserable time astatine work.

So, alternatively of “if I do this, past I get this” What if we mixed nan 2 into 1 epic activity?

That thought is called “temptation bundling,” a word coined by Wharton Professor Katy Milkman: ultimately, you combine thing that needs to beryllium done pinch thing you want to do.

She describes nan thought successful a insubstantial entitled: “Holding The Hunger Games Hostage astatine nan Gym: An Evaluation of Temptation Bundling.” [1] The extremity is to get america to do things we request to do by combining them pinch things we want to do, removing nan “either/or” enticement and getting america to ACTUALLY do stuff:

Participants were randomly assigned to a afloat curen information pinch gym-only entree to tempting audio novels, an intermediate curen involving encouragement to restrict audiobook enjoyment to nan gym, aliases a power condition.

Initially, afloat and intermediate curen participants visited nan gym 51% and 29% much frequently.

Long communicative short: nan group successful nan study who were told they could perceive to addictive audio books only while moving retired visited nan gym 51% much frequently than those who were conscionable told they should workout more.

Here’s immoderate Nerd Fitness examples:

In emotion pinch nan show Arrow? I am, and I want Stephen Amell to beryllium my champion friend.  Don’t say, “I tin only watch Arrow aft exercising.” Change your phrasing, and effort this instead: “I tin only watch Arrow WHILE exercising.” Bring your iPad aliases Laptop to nan gym, and only watch peculiar shows while you are connected a treadmill, walking, aliases utilizing nan elliptical.

Addicted to Clash of Clans connected your phone? Only let yourself to activity connected your clan while astatine nan gym, successful betwixt sets of deadlifts. Same goes for looking astatine TikTok aliases Instagram: only while resting successful betwixt squats!

Maybe you tin only perceive to Serial or The Rewatchables while walking, doing a peculiar activity task, aliases moreover completing a chore astatine location for illustration cleaning aliases laundry. An hr section while stepping could consequence successful you racking up 3+ miles connected your walk to Mordor!

Afraid to effort cooking a new patient meal? You tin ONLY perceive to a podcast aliases euphony successful your location while you are cooking. BLAST it astatine apical measurement while having nosy making a messiness trying to cook.

Now, though this study teaches america that bundling a patient life-improvement activity pinch 1 you bask tin thief you make a change, nan boost tin oftentimes beryllium temporary.

The study went connected to opportunity that nan “allure” of nan audiobook + gym combo wore disconnected aft a fewer months, frankincense furthering nan proposal that nan champion chance for agelong word occurrence is to genuinely “enjoy nan journey.”

Long communicative short: this tin a awesome strategy to get started, and a awesome measurement to place types of workout aliases strategies that activity for you, agelong word results mightiness require leveled up strategies!

But that’s good – we’re going to beryllium utilizing it to build long word habits.

Try nan enticement bundle challenge

If you tin instrumentality it properly, enticement bundling tin some summation your clip spent doing a patient activity while besides helping you limit the unhealthy one.

Now, you mightiness beryllium saying, “Steve, doesn’t this make nan fun activity little enjoyable and nan exercise/health portion less efficient?” 

Possibly, but that’s not nan point! Sure, I would emotion it if you went to nan gym, completed a kickass workout, ate a patient meal, and past sewage 8 hours of sleep.

However, this isn’t Imagination Land, and I know the champion workout scheme is nan one you really complete. This is infinitely amended than nan cleanable workout scheme that makes you opportunity “meh, I’ll commencement tomorrow.”

So what do we do? We usage enticement bundling to get america started, and past use thrust to support america going. When we build liking ih nan activity itself, we displacement our attraction from “I’m enduring this workout” to “I can’t hold to spot really overmuch amended I americium this week.” The alteration tin go permanent.

Your turn: what’s 1 activity that you emotion to do, and 1 that you cognize you should do much of? And really are you going to instrumentality this strategy TODAY to your regular routine? Here are immoderate different accelerated occurrence examples:

• Are you studying aliases getting immoderate activity done? Get your favourite snack aliases beverage only erstwhile you are doing it.
• Try stepping extracurricular (or a cardio machine) – that’s now nan only clip you’re allowed to perceive to your favourite podcast/audiobook.
• Try pairing chores for illustration ironing, doing laundry, aliases cleaning dishes while watching your favourite tv shows aliases a caller movie you’ve been waiting for.

Your turn!

What’s 1 enticement bundle you are going to combine and commencement TODAY?

-Steve

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Photo sources: Visiting Friends, A bully Sunday to you, Rain doesn’t extremity a photographer