HOW TO HARNESS THE POWER OF OPTIMAL DEFAULTS

When you try to change a habit or behavior for the better, it can often feel like an uphill battle.

You want to eat vegetables rather than cakes.

You want to meditate rather than watch Netflix.

You want to go for a walk rather than check your phone.

When you initially make the decision to change, you start of strong. Unwavering. Enthusiastic, even! But as the day wears on and then the days wear on, will power fades and the old defaults slip in.

But you may be able to remember times, maybe when you were travelling or visiting someone, that without trying you had more health promoting behaviors. You moved more. You did more. You used screens less. You felt alive.

Why does this happen and how can we harness these principles for our own benefit?

How can you design your environment to make the desired behavior the default?