The Power of Commitment Devices to Beat Procrastination
One of the favorite tools psychologists use to overcome procrastination is called a “commitment device.”
A commitment device is a choice you make in the present that controls your actions in the future.
It is a way to lock in future behavior, bind you to good habits, and restrict you from bad ones.
Commitment devices increase the odds that you‘ll do the right thing in the future by making bad habits difficult in the present.
Commitment devices can help you stop procrastinating by designing your future actions ahead of time.
For example:
Curb your future eating habits by purchasing food in individual packages rather than in the bulk size
Stop wasting time on your phone by deleting games or social media apps (you can also block them on your computer)
Reduce the likelihood of mindless channel surfing by hiding your TV in a closet and only taking it out on big game days
Build an emergency fund by setting up an automatic transfer of funds to your savings account
Find ways to automate your behavior beforehand rather than relying on willpower in the moment.
Be the architect of your future actions, not the victim of them.