Implementation Intentions
We've all been there: you want to do something; you know you should do something; but for some reason, when the time comes you don't do it. Think resolutions, think eating more healthily, think making permanent changes to how you approach your day - how many times have you meant to do something but didn't?
The problem isn't usually setting the goal - we usually have a pretty good idea what we want to achieve - the problem comes when the time comes to actually do it. Life gets in the way, the timing just isn't right, or we plain old forget. We either never get started or we are quickly derailed. This is where an Implementation Intention comes in: it forces you to specify when, where and how you will perform a goal-directed behaviour and ties that behaviour to a cue you will likely encounter. This cue then triggers the desired behaviour. Implementation Intentions have been shown to demonstrably result in higher successful goal attainment, including across areas such as physical health (e.g. I want to exercise more frequently) and emotional regulation (e.g. I won't get angry next time someone annoys me).
The basic premise of an Implementation Intention is an IF/THEN statement: IF [specific situation occurs], THEN [desired behaviour]. This is the sort of thinking that turns a goal into a habit.
By tying this to goals, much higher levels of attainment are possible. Instead of setting yourself a goal such as "I will do more exercise", you form an Implementation Intention such as "if I get home from work at 7pm, then I will immediately go for a run". Alternatively "I will stay on top of my accounts" becomes "if [or when] I finish my weekly team meeting on Monday, then I will spend 30 minutes looking back over the last week's billing numbers". A final example might be "I will read more" becomes "if it's 10pm and I'm at home, then I will turn off all my electronics and read for an hour before bed".
Implementation Intentions can help you change your overall behaviour (i.e. develop new habits that help you meet your goals) as well as deal with your daily tasks - simply by tying a desired behaviour to a real cue in your life.
It can be fairly straightforward to set up (just construct those if/then statement) but if you need a little help getting started, we have developed a handy daily Implementation Intentions Google doc for you to fill out and use as much as you want, directed at both long-term goals and daily tasks. Just click the button below to view it. Feel free to make a copy, use it and share the love.
The problem isn't usually setting the goal - we usually have a pretty good idea what we want to achieve - the problem comes when the time comes to actually do it. Life gets in the way, the timing just isn't right, or we plain old forget. We either never get started or we are quickly derailed. This is where an Implementation Intention comes in: it forces you to specify when, where and how you will perform a goal-directed behaviour and ties that behaviour to a cue you will likely encounter. This cue then triggers the desired behaviour. Implementation Intentions have been shown to demonstrably result in higher successful goal attainment, including across areas such as physical health (e.g. I want to exercise more frequently) and emotional regulation (e.g. I won't get angry next time someone annoys me).
The basic premise of an Implementation Intention is an IF/THEN statement: IF [specific situation occurs], THEN [desired behaviour]. This is the sort of thinking that turns a goal into a habit.
By tying this to goals, much higher levels of attainment are possible. Instead of setting yourself a goal such as "I will do more exercise", you form an Implementation Intention such as "if I get home from work at 7pm, then I will immediately go for a run". Alternatively "I will stay on top of my accounts" becomes "if [or when] I finish my weekly team meeting on Monday, then I will spend 30 minutes looking back over the last week's billing numbers". A final example might be "I will read more" becomes "if it's 10pm and I'm at home, then I will turn off all my electronics and read for an hour before bed".
Implementation Intentions can help you change your overall behaviour (i.e. develop new habits that help you meet your goals) as well as deal with your daily tasks - simply by tying a desired behaviour to a real cue in your life.
It can be fairly straightforward to set up (just construct those if/then statement) but if you need a little help getting started, we have developed a handy daily Implementation Intentions Google doc for you to fill out and use as much as you want, directed at both long-term goals and daily tasks. Just click the button below to view it. Feel free to make a copy, use it and share the love.