Status Quo Bias
Too often, we design work and personal decisions making so a bad choice is the path of least resistance. If you want to make better choices, then make a good choice effortless and a bad choice difficult:
-Put that bag of chips on a high shelf. You’ll need to get a ladder to reach it.
-Don’t ask employees “if” they’d like to sign up for the company fitness program. Ask them “when” they’d like to sign up.
-Don’t carry credit cards in your wallet. Keep them in the trunk of your car. This will give you time to consider that purchase during the long walk back to your vehicle.
-Schedule and prepay your dentist for a year’s worth of cleanings. If you skip the appointment, you lose the money.
-Post your stop-smoking commitment all over social media. Giving in will mean major embarrassment.
-Use Alexa or Google Home to schedule healthy habit reminders far in advance. “Alexa, schedule a workout for the day after Thanksgiving at 9 am.”
-Before an evening of bar-hopping, ask a friend to hold your wallet for the entire evening. This requires that you ask for it back each time you want to buy a drink.
-Schedule exercise routines with a friend so you’ll need to call and cancel if you’re gonna wimp out.
-Never buy junk food during your weekly grocery shop. Freely allow yourself to have a treat, but the indulgence will require a separate trip to the store to purchase the item.