XP TRACKERTemptation bundling builder
Temptation bundling means you only allow yourself something you enjoy while you do something you keep putting off: the gripping audiobook only at the gym, the good coffee only during paperwork. Tick what you enjoy and what you avoid, and the builder pairs them into rules that fit together.
Your bundles
Where the idea comes from
Katherine Milkman, Julia Minson and Kevin Volpp coined the term in a 2014 study. They gave gym members audiobooks they wanted to hear, and one group could only listen to them at the gym. That group went to the gym more often than the control group. The effect was largest in the first weeks and faded after a holiday break, which tells you two useful things: it works, and it needs a refresh now and then.
The trick works because it changes how the task feels in the moment. "Go to the gym" stays a chore. "Find out what happens in chapter 12" is something you want, and the gym is the only place you can do it.
How the builder pairs things
Not every want fits every task. You can't watch a show while you read a textbook, and a phone call is hard at the gym. The builder only pairs things you can do at the same moment:
| Want | Fits with |
|---|---|
| Podcast or audiobook | gym, walking, cleaning, laundry, dishes, cooking, stretching |
| Playlist | gym, cleaning, dishes, cooking, paperwork, walking |
| An episode of a show | folding laundry, stretching, the exercise bike or treadmill, light paperwork |
| Favourite coffee, or a favourite café | paperwork, studying, job applications |
| A long call with a friend | walking, dishes, cleaning, cooking, laundry |
It gives each task one want, spreading your wants across tasks so one podcast isn't carrying everything. Anything you type yourself pairs with everything, because you know best what you can do at once.
Tips
- Pick a want you really look forward to. A podcast you feel lukewarm about won't pull you off the sofa. Save the series you'd binge.
- Make the rule easy to keep. A gym-only playlist on your phone, a coffee you only keep at your desk.
- Refresh it. When a bundle stops pulling, swap the want. A new season, a new author, a new café.
- Keep the task small enough. A bundle helps you start. If the task is still too big, cut it down first; how to gamify chores has ideas.
Limits
A bundle makes starting easier. It won't make a task you don't want at all into one you do. Some wants, like snacks or extra screen time, can turn into habits of their own, so choose ones you're happy to have more of. For rewards that come after the task, try the reward menu builder.
Your next step: choose one bundle and use it for the next time you do that task, today or tomorrow.
Questions people ask
What is temptation bundling?
A way to make a dreaded task more appealing by tying it to something you enjoy, and allowing the enjoyable thing only during the task. Katherine Milkman, Julia Minson and Kevin Volpp tested it in a 2014 study with audiobooks that people could only listen to at the gym.
What are some temptation bundling examples?
Listening to a favourite podcast only while doing the dishes. Watching one episode of a show only while folding laundry or on the exercise bike. Having your favourite coffee only while doing bills and emails. Calling a friend for a long chat only while walking.
Does temptation bundling work?
In Milkman's study, people whose audiobooks were only available at the gym went to the gym more often than a control group. The effect was strongest at the start and faded after a holiday break, so plan to refresh your bundles every few weeks.
What if I cheat and use the treat anyway?
Then the bundle loses its pull. Make cheating a little harder: a separate playlist or app that you only open at the gym, or a coffee you only keep at your desk. If you keep breaking a rule, the task may be too big. Shrink it before you give up on the bundle.
Is temptation bundling the same as rewarding yourself?
Not quite. A reward comes after the task. A bundle happens during it, so the task itself becomes more pleasant. Both can help; our guide on rewarding yourself for habits covers rewards.
Related pages
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