Use the If, When, Then Model to Reprogram Yourself and Develop Better Habits
If you’ve ever written software, you know that if-then statements are the building blocks of any program. The same logic can work for you. By using simple if-then or when-then constructs, you can change your own habits.
As the advice site Barking Up the Wrong Tree explains, our habits are often based on simple clues or triggers . When you get home, then take off your coat and hang it up. When you sit down at your desk, you (hopefully) start working. If someone posts you on Facebook, then you are distracted for half an hour. To change these habits, write your own “if-then” or “once” statements in advance:
Before it’s time to do something, make a clear statement of purpose that includes a place or time when something needs to be done and what you need to do. Just use the magic words “If / When” and “Then.”
- When I first sit down at my desk in the morning, I begin the report I have to write.
- If my uncle starts another political argument, I’ll hide in the bathroom.
If that helps, write down your “programs” or post them near where you want to record them. Changing your environment is a powerful way to influence your habits , so adding a note to pre-written programs can give you the boost you need. Even if you are not plastering your home or office on stickers, just write down what you are going to do and it will help you remember to do it next time.
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