Temptation bundling: pair a “should” with a “want”
Only let yourself enjoy the thing you crave while you do the thing you keep putting off. Build a bundle in ten seconds.
Build a bundle
I only listen to my favourite podcast while I go for a walk.
After I go for a walk, I will listen to my favourite podcast.
What the research found
Katherine Milkman, Julia Minson and Kevin Volpp ran the first test of the idea at a university gym. Participants who could listen to tempting audiobooks only while working out made more gym visits early on than a control group. The boost shrank after the Thanksgiving break.
The honest takeaway: bundling is a strong kick-start and a good way to make a habit attractive, but pair it with a cue and a tiny start so the habit survives when the novelty fades.
Source: Milkman, K. L., Minson, J. A., & Volpp, K. G. M. (2014). Holding the Hunger Games hostage at the gym. Management Science, 60(2), 283–299.
Temptation bundling examples
- Only watch your comfort show while on the exercise bike.
- Only get the good coffee from the café on the days you walk there.
- Only listen to a gripping audiobook while cooking or cleaning.
- Only call your chatty friend while doing the weekly food shop.
- Only use the nice pen and notebook when doing your budget.
The rule has to be strict: if the tempting thing is also available at other times, it stops pulling you toward the habit.
Keep designing
- Habit trackerDesign habits with a cue, identity and 2-minute start, then stitch off each day.
- Habit stackingAnchor a new habit to one you already do.
- 2-Minute RuleShrink any habit until starting is easy.
- Tiny Habits recipeBJ Fogg’s anchor, behaviour, celebration.
- If-then plannerDecide when and where in advance.
- Habit scorecardAudit what you already do each day.
- Break a bad habitInvert the four laws into a plan.
- Morning routine builderA timed stack for the first hour.
- Printable trackerYour habits on a one-page monthly grid.
Questions
What is temptation bundling?
Temptation bundling means only allowing yourself something you want (a guilty-pleasure podcast, a favourite show, a fancy coffee) while doing something you should do but tend to avoid (exercise, chores, admin). The term comes from behavioural scientist Katherine Milkman.
Is there evidence for temptation bundling?
In Milkman, Minson and Volpp’s 2014 study in Management Science, gym members who could only listen to tempting audiobooks at the gym visited more often at the start of the study than a control group. The effect faded over time, particularly after a holiday break, so it works best as a starter, not a permanent fix.
How is it used in Atomic Habits?
James Clear uses temptation bundling under the second law, “make it attractive”, and combines it with habit stacking: after the habit I need, I get the thing I want.