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Anchor it to an old habit
Use something you already do every day as the cue.
Tools to reach goals, rated by evidence
Reaching goals here means getting more of the task or target behaviour done: more workouts, more homework finished, more medication taken as planned. These are the actions and rules that studies have tested, rated by how sure the research is and how much they helped.
Topic: Goals
Sort: By date
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Ask someone to expect you
A personal ask or commitment to another person.
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At the same time every day
A fixed clock time, including fixed wake, meal or bed times.
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Check in once a week
A short weekly review of progress: a call, message or consultation, or going over your own log. Not the weekly sessions of a course.
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Commit for a longer stretch
Choose a longer commitment period, e.g. a 20-week rather than an 8-week contract.
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Compete or compare with others
Leaderboards, competitions or peer comparison.
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Do it with a partner or team
Working or practising together with someone.
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Eat fruit and vegetables
Fruit, vegetable or other healthy eating targets.
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Every day
Daily repetition.
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Get a reminder
Texts, emails, alerts or prompts.
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Get a reward or payment for doing it
Incentives, prizes, lotteries or points for doing it.
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Get feedback on your progress
Feedback from a person, app or device on progress.
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Hear an appeal to do the right thing
Get a message asking you to act for the common good, with no reward or cost attached.
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Keep the daily version tiny
A very small daily dose, e.g. a few minutes.
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Learn how the problem works
Psychoeducation about procrastination, habits, sleep, routines or ADHD.
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Put a visible cue where you'll do it
A sticker, poster, object or wearable prompt at the point of action.
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Put something at stake
Commitment contracts, deposits or penalties for not doing it.
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Record it yourself by hand
Enter the reading or record yourself instead of letting a device log it automatically.
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Replace the habit with another activity
Pick a substitute activity to do in place of the habit you want to cut.
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Reward yourself right after
A reward that arrives immediately after doing it.
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Set a specific goal
Choose a concrete goal or target to reach.
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Team up on a shared goal
Pair with another person so your results or rewards depend on each other's output.
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Through an app
Delivered in a smartphone app.
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Track your progress
Log, tick off or record what you did (self-monitoring).
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Write a rough draft you're allowed to throw away
A low-stakes first version of a dreaded task.
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Write down when and where
A written action plan with time and place.
