Guided technique · Getting started · 2 min
Temptation bundle
Pairing a task you tend to avoid with something you enjoy, and allowing yourself the treat only while doing the task.
Level: Beginner · Free — no account needed to read
Pairing a task you tend to avoid with something you enjoy, and allowing yourself the treat only while doing the task.
Why it may help
The treat pulls you toward the task, so it doesn’t rely on willpower alone. It works with the fact that we value rewards now more than rewards later.
When to use it
- a task is important but dull
- you keep skipping exercise or chores
- you want to make a habit more appealing
Helps with
- Boring tasks
- Exercise you put off
How to do it
- Name a task you keep avoiding — a walk, ironing, admin.
- Name a small treat you enjoy that could happen at the same time — a podcast, music, a favourite drink.
- Promise yourself the treat only during the task, and try it today.
What the evidence says
Emerging evidence: Early or mixed research looks promising, but it is too soon to be confident. Treat it as worth trying, not proven.
- What was found
- A study found gym attendance rose when people could only listen to gripping audiobooks at the gym.
- What is uncertain
- A later, larger study found a smaller effect, so the evidence is still emerging.
- Who it may not suit
- It works less well if you allow the treat without the task — the bundle is the point.
Where this comes from: Procrastination research; Implementation intentions research.
Afterwards, ask yourself
Did the treat make the task easier to start?
Lessons behind this technique
- Temptation bundles and commitment devices — Pair a chore with something you enjoy, and make promises your future self can’t easily break. (7 min · Intermediate)
- The pull of now — Why something small right now beats something big later, and how to work with that. (6 min · Beginner)
If you need more support
- When self-help isn’t enough — Signs it is time to talk to someone, and who you can talk to.