What is Temptation bundling?
Temptation bundling is the strategy of linking a behavior you should do but tend to avoid (the ‘should’ behavior) with a behavior you enjoy but may feel guilty about (the ‘want’ behavior). The pairing makes the virtuous behavior more attractive by giving it an immediate reward.
How it works
Katy Milkman and colleagues (2014) tested temptation bundling by giving gym members iPods loaded with addictive audiobooks that they could only access while exercising. Gym attendance increased by 51% compared to controls. The mechanism is straightforward: the immediately rewarding activity (listening to a gripping novel) provides the motivation that the delayed reward of exercise (better health in months) cannot. The bundle works because it converts future benefits into present pleasure.
Applied example
A person who only allows themselves to watch their favorite TV show while folding laundry, or who only listens to their favorite podcast during their commute run, is using temptation bundling to make otherwise aversive activities something they look forward to.
Why it matters
Temptation bundling solves the fundamental challenge of behavior change: most beneficial behaviors have delayed rewards that are too abstract to compete with the immediate comfort of inaction.
