Wouldn’t life be so amazing if we could do all the things that we know are good for us! Like we know that eating fruit and veg is good for us, gives us vitamins and fibre and is better for our body than something full of sugar and fat, for example a doughnut. But do we crave a nice salad? Usually not! Do we eat the healthy options all of the time? Maybe you do, but I know I don’t always make the best choices, despite knowing what’s better for me. And it’s the same with exercise, I know it’s good for me, and I know I feel better afterwards, but do I fancy going for a nice run? No thanks. Will I make myself do it? Maybe later! That’s why knowledge is not power, because knowing the right things to do doesn’t actually mean you’ll take the right actions. So knowledge in action is actually power because there’s no power in knowing but not applying that knowledge.
But if we know what’s good for us, and we know it will make us feel good in the long run, why don’t we just do that? It’s a good question and one with a few different perspectives. Firstly, eating a salad or going for a run can be thought of as longer term rewards. On their own they don’t do much, by which I mean you won’t suddenly drop a dress size because you did either of those things. You might in a few months if you keep doing those things but we don’t see an immediate reward. Whereas the doughnut? That sweet spot of fat and sugar will give a lovely dopamine boost immediately. Although the down side is that longer term, it’s not so great for you, but it’s harder to focus on the longer term far away possibilities when the doughnut is right here right now, enticing your senses.
We also need to think about outside factors too, so for example the companies marketing the doughnut. The doughnut doesn’t just pop into your head, you walk past a picture of it, you see it on the tv, you walk past a display of them all laid out, maybe the shop has some doughnut-y smells wafting out as you pass! Because it pays to do those things, because it makes you more likely to get your money out and buy one, which ultimately makes someone somewhere more money. Money that they don’t get if you eat a salad. Don’t underestimate the force of these persuasive tactics. And it’s not just doughnuts. But you know that. But it’s also hard to ignore.
So sometimes we need tools to use to help us put into action what we know is good for us, and pass over the things that are tempting. There are a few different options but I’m going to talk about habits and pre-commitment as these are two I find very helpful.
Let’s start with habits. These are easier to form for some people than others and I fall into the latter category as I have ADHD. It doesn’t mean I can’t form habits, but I just find it hard to do repetitive and routine things. There are some habits that I pretty much always do, like brushing my teeth before bed. Then there are others that I either have visual cues for (taking medication for example, it lives on my bedside table so I see it and therefore remember) or a habit tracker that reminds me of the good habits I want to build and so I tick them off when I’ve done them each day. That’s what works for me, because without the intention or reminders and cues I would end up absorbed in something else and forget to do them. Anchoring a new habit to an old habit is also a good way of building habits, basically linking a new one to one you’ve already got. For example, if your habit is to make coffee in the morning as soon as you get up, putting your vitamins on your coffee machine or in the cupboard where the coffee cups live will remind you to take it and therefore build that habit too. One more thought on habits though…set the bar low for the habits you want to build. Stephen Guise has written some great books on habits and mini habits, and emphasises the importance of momentum in building consistency. You’ve got to make a habit easy enough to do on your hardest days.
Pre-commitment is another tool you can use and it’s one I was thinking about yesterday. I’ve not been well, had a nasty cold and fever and felt rubbish, and so I bought some biscuits. Now, I love a biscuit, they’re the ultimate comfort food for me. A Viennese, chocolate digestive or a crunch cream. Or shortbread. You get the picture! But I never buy them. Because if I do, I know I’ll eat them. And so the easiest thing is to not buy them in the first place. I can have chocolate and sweets around and won’t bother with them, but as soon as I know there are biscuits in the house and I’ve got a cuppa in my hand? I’m going to find them and dunk and demolish! Pre-commitment is not buying them, so they’re not there to eat. Much easier than buying them and relying on will power to just have one. And yes sometimes it’s fine to buy them, like it if you’re not well and it’s what you fancy and will make you feel a bit better. But as my youngest son ate the last biscuit from the stash last night I knew they wouldn’t be replaced any time soon!
Pre-commitment can also be buying the things you want to eat, so stocking up on fruit and veg so you have it readily available. Chopping your veg and preparing it so you’ve got some crudites ready if you want to snack. Put the things you want to eat (because you know they’re good for you) in your line of sight, put the fruit bowl where you’ll walk past it and the crudites in your eye line when you open the fridge. Lots of visual cues will help you do the things you know are good for you.