A while ago I ran a session on how to use Behavioural Science to change behaviour. As part of that I got the attendees to send me life-challenges that they would like to overcome. Below are the consolidation of those challenges, with some nice explanations of what psychology is happening, and how you can hack that psychology to overcome that challenge.
Challenge One: Going to the gym, more. Or any other positive behaviour, like reading books or learning languages.
Willpower: if you think about willpower as a muscle, then throughout the day it gets worked and therefore gets weaker. So, saying you will go to the gym, when you don’t want to, at the end of the day – decreases the chance your willpower muscle is strong enough. This is why you are much more likely to workout in the morning. Same goes for all the other things you would like to do, but put off.
Choice reduction: Linked to the above, the more choices you make, the more worn down your ability to make good choices. If you decrease the amount of choice – e.g. on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning before work regardless you go to the gym, then you aren’t having to make a choice – it is just what you do
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Interestingly, a few studies have shown if you go to the gym on a Monday, you are much more likely to continue through the rest of the week.
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This is also why Barak Obama, as president, only wore two types of suits, and ate the same for breakfast and lunch each day - reducing the choices he needed to make on the menial things, and leaving him to make the important presidential choices he needed to.
Temptation Bundling: This is where you pair doing something nice, with something you don’t want to do. So – you are only allowed to watch your favourite Netflix series, whilst you are at the gym, for example. For me - I like going to the gym, but I hate working on my weaknesses. So I bundle a workout that has lots of movements I like, with at least one movement I hate.
Accountability: There are a number of studies that say public accountability helps commitment. So, tell someone(s) you are going to the gym. (You could of course also use Stickk - a website where you pay your friends if you don't stick to your goal).
- If you go with a friend, who is waiting for you, it also makes you much more accountable. And if you like them, it also counts as temptation bundling!
Challenge Two: Resisting temptation / bad foods
See Willpower and Choice reduction above
Fat Friends: There is a really nice study showing that having fat friends makes you more likely to eat more food. Obesity is actually contagious. So, ditch your fat friends (I'm not saying that - it's the Science that says it...). And align yourself with those with eating behaviours you want to mimic.
Power of NOW: Your ‘now’ self needs a reward for their good behaviour. So, rather than eat biscuits from the cupboard – give yourself 5 minutes of playing a game on your phone, or looking at pictures of kittens (both of which give a lovely serotonin flood).
Understanding your triggers: Part of it is being mindful of what is triggering System 1 to behave like that. So tiredness makes you eat more, and worse, for example – so knowing that means you can have biscuit alternatives ready for later in the day. Also, if you have a Pavlovian reaction to seeing the cookie jar – then work to change that association (e.g. get rid of the cookie jar completely! Or at least hide it).
A few mini-tips there. Would be interesting to hear what other 'challenges' you guys have - and I can start applying to behavioural science to them.
Oh - and thanks for reading. I'm very appreciative of your attention, time and feedback.