by Jen Zobel Bieber
The
challenge: How to
do the things we avoid.
One
strategy: Consider the
Combination Approach. Pair the loathsome task with a
pleasant or neutral undertaking you do every day.
This tip came by way of a
dental hygienist who recommends flossing in the shower. She has found that
patients who consistently forget or resist flossing by the sink are more likely
to carry through with it in the comfort of a warm shower.
Over time, once the mind
forms an association, the neutral or pleasant task triggers us to remember to do
the pesky task, too.
Using the Combination
Approach, one of my clients now associates boiling water with sorting the
mail. Whenever she puts water on the stove to boil for dinner, she sorts the
mail. By the time the pasta is al dente, the junk mail has
been tossed.
Can you think of something
that you wish you could get in the habit of doing, but just can’t seem to do
with any consistency? The Combination Approach is worth a
shot. To make the strategy work even better, keep reminders of
the association close at hand. For instance, keep dental floss in the
shower by the shampoo. Keep the vitamins you resist taking next to your morning
coffee mugs. Keep the book you want to read in the
bathroom. Keep your iPad on top of the treadmill that you wished
you used more.
Another client who struggled
with starting a morning exercise routine now keeps his running shoes by the
dog’s leash. It took him a week to begin to associate taking the
dog out with fitting in his own 15-minute run around the block.
Of course, it takes initial
consistency for this strategy to work. We’re all too familiar with
experiencing two or three days of good results followed by a return to the same
old patterns. With the Combination Approach, it will
likely take several weeks of repetition for the mind to form a lasting
association and for a new, useful habit to take hold. That’s
where a personal coach (or friend, co-worker, or family member) comes in handy,
providing a means to frequently check-in, share progress, retool what isn’t
working, and celebrate success.
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Jen Zobel Bieber is a certified personal coach who
specializes in working with adults with ADD/ADHD. She helps
clients achieve long-held personal and professional goals while managing the
practical nuts & bolts of everyday. Learn more about Jen at her Hallowell Profile
or her personal site.
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