Make it attractive with temptation bundling

Pair a behavior you should do with one you want to do.

Why it works

Bundling lets an immediate, wanted reward (a show, a podcast) make a delayed-payoff behavior (exercise) attractive in the moment — fixing the core problem that good habits pay off later while temptations pay off now.

How to do it

1. Identify a guilty pleasure and a habit you avoid.
2. Allow the pleasure only while doing the habit ("only listen to this podcast on the treadmill").
3. Protect the pairing so the reward keeps its pull.

Evidence

A field experiment found temptation bundling increased gym attendance, with effects that persisted for weeks — direct experimental support for this specific tactic. (rct)

Effects decayed over time and after disruptions; bundling sustains a habit, it doesn’t permanently install it.

Sources

• Milkman, Minson & Volpp (2014), "Holding the Hunger Games Hostage at the Gym", Management Science

Common mistake

Letting yourself have the reward outside the bundle too, which dissolves the incentive.