Patrik Edblad's Blog, page 7

Evolutionary Mismatches: Why It’s So Hard to Achieve Your Goals

Do you have a hard time sticking with your intentions?

If so, you’re not alone.

It’s a problem that people have been struggling with throughout history.

In fact, philosophers all the way back to Ancient Greece have found this tendency puzzling.1

If we know which actions are best for us, why do we routinely act in other ways?

It’s a good question.

And today, thanks to insights from evolutionary biology, we have a much better understanding of the answer.

Evolutionary Mismatches

The human species has evolved for millions of years.

During almost all that time, our ancestors were hunters and gatherers.

It wasn’t until about 10,000 years ago that we transitioned to a mainly agricultural lifestyle.

And since then, our lives have changed dramatically.

Today, only about 0,001 percent of the world population lives a hunter-gatherer lifestyle.

The vast majority of us instead live in societies where technology is changing our everyday life at an exponential speed.

Unlike our environment, though, our bodies and brains don’t change much at all.

They’re still primarily adapted to the life that our ancestors lived.

And this creates what evolutionary biologists call evolutionary mismatches2 — ways in which our old traits don’t fit our new environment.

These evolutionary mismatches lie at the root of many of our modern-day problems.

Let’s have a look at a few examples.

Obesity

Our hunter-gatherer ancestors rarely knew when they would get their next meal.

So, in an environment where high-calorie food was scarce, it was beneficial to eat as much as possible when you could.

These days, this approach is no longer helpful.

Now that high-calorie food is readily available, large portions instead tend to lead to obesity.

Sedentary Lifestyles

As hunter-gatherers, we were constantly on the move, and that has shaped our biology.

Essential functions like the immune system, reproduction, and digestion require continual movement to work optimally.

Our modern environment constantly nudges us to be sedentary, which causes a lot of adverse health effects.

Sleep Deprivation

Throughout history, most people slept about ten hours per night.

Our sleep-wake cycles used to be guided mainly by the rising and setting of the sun.

But after the electric light was invented, people started sleeping less and less.

And today, at least 50 percent of the adult population suffers from chronic sleep deprivation.

Stress

Hunter-gatherers had one primary objective: getting food.

Once they had done that, they rested up for the next effort.

These days, the work we do is very different.

Many people have complicated tasks, demanding bosses, and constant deadlines that make it hard to rest and recover.

And that can lead to chronic stress, exhaustion, and burnout.

Technology Addictions

Our hunter-gatherer ancestors experienced very little instant gratification.

If they were to have any leisure time at all, they first had to earn it through hard work.

Today, we can get instant gratification any time we like through the Internet, social media, online casinos, and so on.

And that makes our smartphones, computers, and tablets incredibly addictive.

Evolutionary Mismatches Makes Success Difficult

If you’ve ever wondered why you struggle to achieve your goals, I hope this article has provided an insightful perspective.

The society that you’re in is vastly different from the environment you’re genetically adapted for.

That means that whenever you attempt to attain a goal, you’re in a battle with your natural predispositions.

And that makes success inherently difficult.

So, whenever you fall short of your ambitions, give yourself some compassion.

You’re not lazy, unmotivated, or weak-willed. You’re just human.

FootnotesAkrasiaEvolutionary Mismatch And What To Do About It: A Basic Tutorial

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Self-Compassion: A Science-Backed Method to Silence Your Inner Critic

In case you haven’t noticed, you have an inner voice that is talking endlessly.

And if you’re like most people, that inner voice can be incredibly mean.

It can routinely tell you things like:

“You’re so lazy.”“You’re so bad at this.”“You’re such a failure.”

It can be like having a bully inside your head who constantly harasses you.

And if left unchecked, that bully can start to really bring you down.

Self-Criticism Isn’t Helpful

We understand that heavy criticism doesn’t work when it comes to motivating other people.

But when it comes to motivating ourselves, our intuition is different.

For whatever reason, we tend to think we have to be hard on ourselves to get things done.

And that’s a big problem, not only because it can make us feel terrible but also because it makes us way less likely to achieve our goals.

It’s simply not helpful to stack insults, shame, and guilt on top of a setback.

If anything, it makes it even harder for us to bounce back.

So, if your inner voice tends to put you down, it’s important to change what you’re communicating to yourself.

Instead of criticizing yourself, you need to offer yourself compassion.

The Science of Self-Compassion

Dr. Kristin Neff is one of the world’s leading experts and researchers on self-compassion.

She defines self-compassion as1: “extending compassion to one’s self in instances of perceived inadequacy, failure, or general suffering”:

Instead of mercilessly judging and criticizing yourself for various inadequacies or shortcomings, self-compassion means you are kind and understanding when confronted with personal failings.

According to Neff’s definition, self-compassion consists of three elements:

Mindfulness — Holding your painful thoughts in mindful awareness rather than over-identifying with them.Common humanity — Seeing your fallibility as part of being human rather than as personal shortcomings.Self-kindness — Being kind and understanding to yourself rather than self-critical.

By being mindful of painful thoughts, recognizing that everyone makes mistakes, and treating yourself with kindness, you can create a more supportive inner dialogue.

And that, in turn, can have some genuinely life-changing effects.

The Benefits of Self-Compassion

Studies by Neff and other researchers have found that self-compassionate people experience a ton of benefits. Here are some examples:

Less anxiety and depression — Self-compassion reduces self-criticism, and self-criticism is a big predictor of anxiety and depression.2Increased productivity — A high level of self-compassion is associated with less procrastination and more motivation.3Greater creativity — Self-judgmental people demonstrate greater “creative originality” after practicing self-compassion exercises.4Better self-regulation — Smokers who offer themselves self-compassion are better able to cut down on their smoking.5Improved relationships — Self-compassionate people are described by their partners as more emotionally connected.6

I could go on and on with examples here, but you get the point.

Self-compassion can improve many aspects of your life.

How to Develop Self-Compassion

Here’s a simple two-step process to start changing the contents of your inner voice in a more self-compassionate direction.

Step 1: Create a Self-Compassion Mantra

This should be a statement that guides you through the three elements of self-compassion (mindfulness, common humanity, and self-kindness)7. For instance, you could say to yourself:

1. “This is a moment of suffering.”

That’s the mindfulness element. Other alternatives are:

“This is painful.”“Ouch.”“This is hard.”

2. “Suffering is part of life.”

That’s the common humanity element. Other alternatives are:

“Other people also feel like this.”“I’m not alone in this.”“Everyone feels this way sometimes.”

3. “May I be kind to myself.”

That’s the self-kindness element. Other alternatives are:

“May I give myself the support I need.”“May I accept myself just the way I am.”“May I forgive myself for this.”

These sentences are just suggestions. Use them as inspiration to create a mantra in your own words.

Step 2: Make an If-Then Plan

Once your mantra is ready, you need to start using it habitually in your everyday life.

And the best way to do that is by implementing an if-then plan, such as:

“If I have a self-critical thought, then I will mentally repeat my self-compassion mantra.”

By stating your intention clearly like this, you’ll be much more likely to actually use your mantra.

And that, of course, is where all the magic happens.

Be Your Own Best Friend

You’ll inevitably experience challenges, setbacks, and losses throughout life.

And the way you respond in those situations will determine how you think, feel, and act going forward.

Self-criticism will bring you down. Self-compassion will lift you up.

So, instead of being your own worst enemy, be your own best friend.

It will make everything in your everyday life easier and much more enjoyable.

FootnotesSelf-Compassion by Kristin NeffSelf-Compassion: What it Is, What it Does, and How it Relates to MindfulnessStart Today or the Very Last Day? The Relationships Among Self-Compassion, Motivation, and ProcrastinationDon’t Be So Hard on Yourself: Self-Compassion Facilitates Creative Originality Among Self-Judgmental IndividualsWho Benefits from Training in Self-Compassionate Self-Regulation? A Study of Smoking ReductionThe Role of Self-compassion in Romantic RelationshipsSelf-Compassion Break

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Mindfulness: A Science-Based Practice for a Happy Mind

Imagine if you read this advertisement:

Amazing Breakthrough!

Scientists have discovered a treatment that improves your quality of life. It reduces your anxiety, rumination, and stress. And it increases your focus, memory, and immune function. On top of that, it’s all-natural and costs nothing!

Would you be interested? If so, I’ve got good news for you.

This “treatment” exists. It’s called mindfulness practice.

What is Mindfulness?

According to leading mindfulness expert Jon Kabat-Zinn1:

Mindfulness is the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally.

As you’ve surely noticed, the human mind has a natural tendency to wander off into planning, remembering, and daydreaming.

So, you can easily get caught in a trap where you’re constantly lost in thoughts about the past and the future.

Mindfulness can help you break out of that trap so you can be fully present in the here and now.

The Benefits of Mindfulness

The research on mindfulness has exploded in recent years.

As I write this, there are more than 16,000 scientific papers on the topic.

And the benefits that many of these studies have found are pretty amazing.

As I mentioned in the introduction, some of those benefits are:

Less anxiety.2Reduced rumination.3Decreased stress.4Deeper focus.5Better memory.6Increased immune function.7Improved quality of life.8

And those are just a few examples.

If you go looking, you can find scientific support for a staggering amount of mindfulness benefits.

How to Practice Mindfulness

You can practice the skill of mindfulness in two ways: formal and informal practice.

Formal Practice

This is a recurring block of time that you set aside to practice mindfulness meditation.

You can think of your formal practice as a mental gym where you prepare your mind for everyday life.

Mindfulness meditation is one of those skills that take a minute to learn but a lifetime to master.

To get started, all you have to do is:

Set an alarm in 10, 5, or even just 2 minutes.Sit in a comfortable position with your back straight.Close your eyes if that feels comfortable.Pay attention to your breath as it goes in and out.When you notice that your mind has wandered, gently return your attention to the breath.End the practice when the alarm goes off.

That’s all there is to it!

You focus on your breath, your mind inevitably wanders, and you gently bring it back.

Each time you catch your mind wandering, it’s like a “rep” in your mental gym that strengthens your mindfulness muscle.

Informal Practice

This is where “the rubber hits the road.”

It’s where you bring the skill you’re developing in your formal practice into everyday life.

You can apply mindfulness to anything you do, but in the beginning, picking just one habit for your informal practice can be helpful.

Here are some examples:

Waking up. Pay attention to your breath, thoughts, and feelings before you get out of bed.Brushing your teeth. Concentrate fully on the sensations of the brush going from one side of your mouth to the other.Eating breakfast. Pay full attention to the smell, taste, and texture of each bite of food.Doing the dishes. Feel the sensations of the warm water on your hands and watch the formation of the suds.Walking. Pay attention to the feelings of your movement and the sights in your surroundings.

Over time, you can add more habits to your informal practice and infuse more mindfulness into your everyday life.

Final Words

You live your entire life in your mind, so it makes sense to train it.

Mindfulness practice is the best way I know of to do that.

It helps you deal more skillfully with your thoughts, feelings, and sensations.

And as we’ve seen, that leads to significantly better health, well-being, and performance.

So, if you haven’t tried mindfulness practice yet, I highly encourage you to give it a go.

It might just change your life forever.

FootnotesWherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-ZinnExamining the Protective Effects of Mindfulness Training on Working Memory Capacity and Affective ExperienceEffects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction onMedical and Premedical StudentsThe Impact of Intensive Mindfulness Training on Attentional Control, Cognitive Style, and AffectThe Effect of Mindfulness-Based Therapy on Anxiety and Depression: A Meta-Analytic ReviewMeditation, Mindfulness, and Cognitive flexibilityAlterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness MeditationWhat Are the Benefits of Mindfulness? A Practice Review of Psychotherapy-Related Research

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Smile, Breathe, and Go Slowly: A Powerful Mantra for a Simpler Life

The Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh said many wise things during his life.

But one piece of advice that he shared was particularly jam-packed with good ideas:

Smile, breathe, and go slowly.

This short statement is a powerful mantra to keep in mind.

To understand why let’s break the quote down and take a close look at each idea within it.

Smile

We all know that when we feel good, we tend to smile.

But what’s less intuitive is that this works the other way around, too.

When we smile, we tend to feel good.1

Deliberate smiling releases tension in your face, mind, body — and everyone around you.

So, as you go about your daily business, it’s a good practice to do it with a gentle smile on your lips.

Breathe

It’s surprisingly easy to fall into incorrect breathing patterns.

And suboptimal breathing negatively affects your health, energy, and well-being in many ways.2

Luckily, you can learn how to breathe optimally by following three simple rules:

Breathe through your nose.Breathe into your belly.Exhale longer than you inhale.

The more you breathe this way, the more habitual it will become.

And the better you breathe, the better your body and mind will function.

Go Slowly

We all tend to assume that more speed leads to faster results.

But in reality, more speed often just leads to unnecessary stress, more mistakes, and slower progress.

So, instead of rushing through your daily tasks, it makes sense to do them slowly.

That way, you’ll enjoy your tasks much more and probably still finish them at least as quickly.3

Smile, Breathe, and Go Slowly

If these ideas resonate with you, I encourage you to keep Thich Nhat Hanh’s wise words close at heart.

As you go about your days, continually remind yourself to:

Smile — A slight hint of a smile will release tension in yourself and others.Breathe — Through your nose, into your belly, and with a slightly extended exhale.Go Slowly — Dial back your effort, take your time, and go with the flow.

Smile, breathe, and go slowly.

If you do that, everything else will be much easier.

FootnotesInhibiting and Facilitating Conditions of the Human Smile: A Nonobtrusive Test of the Facial Feedback HypothesisThe Power of Your Breath by Anders OlssonRelax for the Same Result

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Go Slow to Go Fast: A Simple Motto to Calm Down & Achieve More

A few years ago, entrepreneur Derek Sivers lived in Santa Monica, California.

His home was right at the beach, and he could quickly get onto a lovely bike path along the ocean.

On weekday afternoons, the track was almost empty.

So, a few times a week, Derek got on his bike and finished the fifteen-mile loop as fast as possible.

And every time he did, it took him almost exactly 43 minutes.

Then one day, he decided to ride his usual path, but in a completely different way.

Instead of pushing himself to go hard, he would purposely dial back his effort by 50 percent.

And when he did, he had an epiphany.

Less Effort ≈ Same Speed

Over time, Derek had started to associate his bike rides with exhaustion.

So this time, as he was cruising along the path, it was a welcome change of pace.

Derek was barely giving it any effort at all. He was relaxed, smiling, and attentive.

Instead of rushing past his beautiful surroundings, he was taking it all in.

At one point, he saw two dolphins in the water. And at another, a pelican flew right over him.

Derek felt like he could keep this pace up forever without hardly breaking a sweat.

When he finished, Derek looked at the time and couldn’t believe his eyes.

The trip had taken him 45 minutes, as opposed to his usual 43.

Apparently, all the extra effort he usually put into his bike rides only saved him two minutes.

That meant Derek didn’t have to push so hard. He could take it easy, enjoy himself, and finish at about the same time.

And instead of exhausting himself, he could come home rejuvenated.

Make Haste Slowly

Derek’s biking story1 provides a powerful metaphor for this counterintuitive insight:

If you want to do things fast, it’s usually best to do them slowly.

The idea itself isn’t new, though. If you go down the rabbit hole, you can find advocates of slowness at least as far back as Ancient Greece.

The Roman emperors Augustus and Titus, for instance, used the motto “Festina lente,” which means “Make haste slowly.”2

And the Greek storyteller Aesop touched on the same idea in his famous fable, The Tortoise and the Hare.3

In that story, the tortoise surprisingly wins a race against the hare by crawling slowly and steadily, while the overconfident hare takes a nap before the finish line.

The moral of that story is ambiguous, but in the context of this article, one relevant interpretation is the proverbial saying, “More haste, less speed.”

Go Slow to Go Fast

More effort often just leads to unnecessary stress, more mistakes, and worse results.

So, whenever you feel compelled to go harder, try taking it easier.

Take a deep breath, put a gentle smile on your lips, and just go with the flow.

You’ll enjoy the task much more and probably finish it at least as quickly.

FootnotesRelax for the Same ResultFestina lenteThe Tortoise and the Hare

Thank you to Derek Sivers for inspiring this article.

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Physiological Sighing: A Simple Technique That Will Help You Relieve Stress Instantly

If you want to alleviate stress, you can go about it in many ways.

You can ensure that you sleep sufficiently, eat well, and move regularly.

And you can use techniques like mindfulness meditation to manage stress more skillfully.

All of those approaches are great long-term solutions. But you can’t use them to alleviate stress in real-time.

So today, I’m going to share a technique to help you do that.

And, just like last week, we’ll leverage the power of your breath.

Physiological Sighing

You have about half a billion tiny sacks in your lungs called alveoli. In these sacks, oxygen enters, and carbon dioxide leaves your bloodstream.

As you go about your day, some of your alveoli will collapse spontaneously. And when they do, the gas exchange in your lungs becomes inefficient.

The oxygen in your blood decreases, and the carbon dioxide increases. So, your body has a built-in mechanism to deal with this issue.

It’s called “physiological sighing”: a breathing pattern consisting of two inhales followed by an extended exhale.

If you’re like most people, you sigh this way about once every five minutes. And when you do, the second inhale in the breathing pattern “pops” your alveoli back open.

That way, your lungs can resume exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide more effectively.

Sigh to Calm Down

So, what does all of this have to do with stress?

Well, stress is one of the reasons that your alveoli collapse. And when they collapse, it creates a downward spiral of even more stress.

As carbon dioxide builds up in your bloodstream, you’ll feel increasingly agitated and jittery.

But you don’t have to wait for your body to sigh to break this spiral.

As you know, your breathing is both under involuntary and voluntary control. So, you can do a physiological sigh whenever you feel the need to.

That way, you can deliberately reopen your alveoli, offload carbon dioxide, and calm your body and mind.

All you have to do is apply this super-quick breathing pattern one to three times (through your nose):

Do a regular inhale.At the end of the inhale, do another short inhale.Slowly let all the air out with an extended exhale.

That’s all there is to a physiological sigh. Inhale normally, squeeze in some extra air at the top, then exhale slowly.

It only takes a few seconds, and the effects are immediate.

Try It!

Here’s a helpful stress-buster algorithm:

If I feel stressed, then I will do a physiological sigh.

Give it a try! I’m sure you’ll be happy with the results.

Footnote

Thank you to Dr. Andrew Huberman for inspiring this article with his podcast episode on Tools For Managing Stress & Anxiety.

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Optimal Breathing: 3 Simple Rules to Improve Every Aspect of Your Health

My friend Anders Olsson is one of the world’s leading experts on optimal breathing.

When I first picked up his book, The Power of Your Breath1, I was blown away.

I had no idea that most people breathe incorrectly and how problematic that is for the body.

But the more I read, the more it made sense.

If every breath you take is suboptimal, you’ll continually put extra strain on organs like your brain, heart, and muscles.

And that, in turn, negatively affects your health, energy, and well-being in many ways.

Luckily, you can relearn the way you breathe. And it’s as simple as following three basic rules.

The 3 Rules of Optimal Breathing1. Breathe Through Your Nose

Your nose is like a little factory that filters, humidifies, and conditions the air you breathe.

If you bypass that factory via your mouth, you’ll expose your lungs to much more raw, cold, and dry air containing viruses and bacteria.

You’ll also tend to “over-breathe,” which disrupts the oxygen-to-carbon dioxide levels in your body.

So, always breathe in and out through your nose — even when you’re sleeping or training.

2. Breathe Into Your Belly

Each time you breathe in and out, your blood exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide in your lungs.

This gas exchange is most efficient in the lower parts of your lungs.

So, every breath you take — again, through your nose — should go deep into your belly.

3. Exhale Longer Than You Inhale

Interestingly, the way you breathe affects the activation of your nervous system.

If you inhale longer than you exhale, your body will tend to wind up. Conversely, if you exhale longer than you inhale, your body will tend to calm down.

So, always try to breathe out more slowly than you breathe in — especially when you feel stressed.

Let’s Practice!

Take a moment right now and repeat the following breathing pattern a few times:

Inhale through your nose deep into your belly.Exhale through your nose slowly and thoroughly.

That’s it! Now you know what optimal breathing feels like.

The more you breathe this way, the more habitual it will become. And the better you breathe, the better your body and mind will function.

FootnoteThe Power of Your Breath by Anders Olsson

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Smiling: A Surprisingly Simple Way to Boost Your Mood

Thich Nhat Hanh was a Buddhist monk, mindfulness teacher, and peace activist.

He was also a prolific author, and in his writing, he often emphasized the importance of smiling.

Here’s an example from his book Peace is Every Step1:

Mona Lisa’s smile is light, just a hint of a smile. Yet even a smile like that is enough to relax all the muscles in our face, to banish all worries and fatigue. A tiny bud of a smile on our lips nourishes awareness and calms us miraculously. It returns to us the peace we thought we had lost.

Interestingly, there’s plenty of research that supports this idea. Smiling can indeed influence our emotions in a positive way.

The Science of Smiling

In a clever study conducted in the 80s2, researchers had their participants hold a pen in their mouths in one of two ways:

Group 1 held a pen between their lips, resulting in a frown.Group 2 held a pen between their teeth, resulting in a smile.

They then did a series of tasks before the researchers asked them to rate a cartoon.

It turned out that the “smiling” group found the cartoon significantly funnier than the “frowning” group did.

This supported the researcher’s hypothesis that “people’s facial activity influences their affective responses.”

And subsequent research has provided more support for this idea. For instance, studies have found that smiling can:

Relieve stress3Boost your mood4Strengthen your immune system5Reduce pain6Make you more attractive7Extend your life8

Plus, smiling is contagious9. So, when you smile, you help others experience the same benefits as you. How amazing is that?

Joy Creates Smiles & Smiles Creates Joy

The following quote by Thich Nhat Hanh beautifully summarizes the essence of this article:

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.

So, as you go about your days, do it with a “tiny bud of a smile” on your lips.

It will release tension in your face, your mind, your body — and in everyone around you.

FootnotesPeace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat HanhInhibiting and Facilitating Conditions of the Human Smile: A Nonobtrusive Test of the Facial Feedback HypothesisGrin and Bear It: The Influence of Manipulated Facial Expression on the Stress ResponseYour Face and Moves Seem Happier When I SmileSmile — It’s in Your Blood!Smile (or Grimace) Through the Pain? The Effects of Experimentally Manipulated Facial Expressions on Needle-Injection ResponsesFacial Attractiveness: Evolutionary Based ResearchSmile Intensity in Photographs Predicts LongevityFashioning the Face: Sensorimotor Simulation Contributes to Facial Expression Recognition

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Get Excited!: A Simple Technique to Immediately Stop Feeling Nervous

Bruce Springsteen signed for Columbia Records in 1972. Since then, he has played about 2,600 live concerts1.
But despite his vast experience, he can still feel his nerves kick into high gear before every show2:

Just before I go on stage, my heart beats a little faster . . . my hands sweat a little . . . my legs go numb as if I’m getting pins and needles . . . and then I get a tight feeling in the pit of my stomach that starts to spin round and round . . .

It doesn’t sound very pleasant, does it? Still, Springsteen doesn’t try to calm down. Instead, he welcomes these bodily sensations:

When I get all those feelings, I know I’m excited, pumped up, and ready to go onstage.

Springsteen perceives his intense pre-show emotions as a good sign, and that turns them into a powerful energy source.

Calming Down vs. Getting Excited

Most people assume that the best way to deal with nervousness is to try to calm down.

But research shows that Springsteen’s approach is way more effective.

A study by researcher Alison Wood Brooks3 illustrates this point particularly well.

She brought her study participants into her lab and gave them an assignment that most people find incredibly stressful.

They were all going to have to give impromptu speeches to a group of strangers.

But before they did, the participants were split into two groups:

Group 1 got to tell themselves, “I am calm.”Group 2 got to tell themselves, “I am excited.”

When the groups went on to give their speeches, the “excited” group significantly outperformed the “calm” group.

And when you think about it, that makes perfect sense.

It’s virtually impossible to immediately switch from a stressed state to a calm state.

If anything, trying to calm down will only make you increasingly stressed about how stressed you are.

So, it’s much more effective to reframe these bodily sensations as excitement.

That way, you can welcome intense emotions and use them to your advantage.

Get Excited!

You can’t avoid getting nervous. But you can choose how you perceive your nervousness.

And the way that you perceive it largely determines if you feel anxious or enthusiastic.

So, the next time you feel nervous, don’t try to get rid of the feeling. Instead, see it as a sign that you’re ready for the task at hand.

Tell yourself, “I’m excited!” and use the energy in your body as fuel to perform at your very best.

FootnotesIs This Bruce Springsteen’s Single Greatest Live Moment?Everything is Figureoutable by Marie ForleoGet Excited: Reappraising Pre-Performance Anxiety as Excitement

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Temptation Bundling: A Powerful Strategy to Help You Boost Your Willpower

Katy Milkman is a behavioral scientist and professor at the Wharton School.

A few years ago, she struggled to hit the gym as often as she’d like.

So, in an attempt to change her exercise behavior, she came up with a clever strategy.

She committed to listening to her favorite audiobook novels only at the gym.

And this simple strategy worked exceptionally well.

Within a few weeks, Milkman regularly showed up at the gym five days a week.

The Conception of “Temptation Bundling”

Milkman gave her strategy the name “temptation bundling” and defined it as:

Pairing a pleasurable indulgence with a behavior that provides delayed rewards.

Then she conducted a research study1 to put temptation bundling to the test.

With the help of her colleagues, she recruited 226 participants for a 10-week study and divided them into three groups:

Group 1 was the control group, and they received gift cards for participating.Group 2 got free audio novels uploaded to their personal iPod and were told only to listen to them while exercising.Group 3 got to loan an iPod with audio novels, which they could access only at the gym.

And the temptation bundling turned out to have a significant effect on the gym attendance of the groups.

After the 10 weeks, compared to the control group:

Group 2 had visited the gym 29% more often.Group 3 had visited the gym 51% more often.

So, making a commitment to listen to the audio novels only at the gym had worked well.

And having access to the audio novels only at the gym had worked even better.

How to Use Temptation Bundling

If you want to create a temptation bundle, you can use this simple formula:

I will only [tempting behavior] while I [desired behavior].

Let’s have a look at some temptation bundle examples for inspiration:

I will only listen to my favorite podcast while I prep meals on Sundays.I will only drink my favorite coffee while I work on my report.I will only get a pedicure while I answer overdue emails.I will only listen to my favorite playlist while I clean the kitchen.I will only watch my favorite show while I fold the laundry.

As you can see, there are many ways you can use temptation bundling to your advantage.

All you have to do is reflect on what you want to do and what you should do.

And whenever the two seem compatible, try bundling them together.

If the bundle works, you can boost your willpower and change your behavior dramatically.

Final Words

The beauty of temptation bundling is that it allows you to enjoy short-term benefits today and still reap the long-term benefits tomorrow.

So, if this strategy resonates with you, I encourage you to try it.

It will increase your chances of accomplishing your goals — and you’ll have a lot more fun in the process.

FootnoteHolding the Hunger Games Hostage at the Gym: An Evaluation of Temptation Bundling

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