In Front of Your Face

If you want to stop doing something, one tactic is to hide anything that could potentially trigger a craving for that thing.

For instance, want to stop eating junk food? Make sure it’s not sitting out on the counter, or right inside the fridge or pantry, where you’re bound to see it. Because once you see it, that in itself may trigger a craving for it. Instead, remove it from sight, either by pitching it in the trash, or by putting it somewhere you won’t normally see and that’s inconvenient to reach.

The same can work with technology. Want to stop wasting time on certain apps? The most effective solution would be to uninstall them. But short of that, you can at least make them more difficult to get to. Move them from the home screen or desktop to somewhere that much more inconvenient to access—like inside a folder or two, a few swipes or clicks away from where you normally are.

The opposite is also true. Want to eat healthier foods? Make sure they’re visible and within reach. Want to spend more time reading? Make sure the books you want to read are nearby and within sight. Want to remember certain goals or priorities, or keep certain quotes fresh in your mind? Try writing them out on sticky notes and putting them where you’ll see them.

When something’s right in front of your face, it will be more likely to attract your attention. And if it has your attention, your thoughts and your actions will eventually be affected. You may not be able to control everything you see. But with the things you do control, make sure they include triggers for the thoughts and behaviors you want to encourage, not the ones you want to avoid.