Struggling to build good habits? Bundling your must-do tasks with activities you genuinely enjoy might be the game-changer you've been searching for. What if watching your favorite Netflix show could actually help you exercise more consistently? Or listening to that addictive podcast could make filing your taxes feel less painful?
This strategy, known as temptation bundling, essentially combines activities you need to do with ones you want to do. Unlike traditional reward systems where the pleasure comes after the pain, temptation bundling allows you to experience both simultaneously. Consequently, those difficult habits become associated with positive experiences rather than dread.
Furthermore, research shows this approach works because it addresses one of the biggest obstacles to habit formation—the initial resistance we feel toward difficult tasks. By connecting immediately gratifying activities with important but challenging ones, you create a powerful motivation system that makes habit-building feel almost effortless.
Throughout this guide, we'll explore how temptation bundling works, examine real-world examples, and provide a step-by-step process to create your own bundles that stick. You'll also discover how to combine this technique with other habit-formation strategies for maximum effectiveness.
What is Temptation Bundling?
Have you ever put off an important task despite knowing it's good for you? You're not alone. The human brain tends to prioritize immediate pleasure over long-term benefits. This is where temptation bundling comes into play—a powerful strategy that pairs enjoyable activities with those beneficial behaviors you tend to avoid.
The origin of the concept
Temptation bundling was formally introduced by Katherine Milkman, a behavioral economist and professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She coined the term in 2014 while searching for ways to overcome her own struggle with exercise consistency. Facing the daily dilemma of choosing between hitting the gym or indulging in favorite TV shows, Milkman had an insight—why not combine them? By allowing herself to watch addictive shows only while exercising, she created a solution addressing both challenges simultaneously.
The concept builds upon the Premack principle, named after psychologist David Premack, which states that "more probable behaviors will reinforce less probable behaviors." In practical terms, activities you're naturally drawn to can be used to motivate behaviors you typically avoid.
How it differs from traditional rewards
Traditional reward systems operate on an "if-then" premise—complete a difficult task first, then enjoy a reward afterward. However, temptation bundling works through simultaneous pairing instead of delayed gratification.
When you bundle temptations, you experience the pleasure during the challenging activity, not after it. For instance, instead of promising yourself a pedicure after completing paperwork, you would receive the pedicure while tackling the paperwork.
Moreover, unlike other commitment devices that impose penalties or costs for failing to follow through, temptation bundling makes the beneficial activity inherently more appealing. There's no punishment involved—just a clever restructuring of activities that creates natural motivation.
In a direct comparison, one study found that people using temptation bundling were approximately 25% more likely to maintain an exercise program than those offered traditional rewards after completion.
Why it works: the psychology behind it
Temptation bundling succeeds by exploiting a fundamental aspect of human psychology: our tendency toward "present bias"—overvaluing immediate rewards at the expense of long-term benefits.
The mechanism functions on multiple psychological levels:
Dopamine dynamics: Contrary to popular belief, dopamine isn't released after receiving rewards—it spikes in anticipation of rewards. By linking a temptation to a necessary task, your brain releases motivation-boosting dopamine just thinking about the bundled activity.
Complementary experiences: The strategy creates value beyond the sum of its parts. Listening to an engaging audiobook while exercising not only makes the workout less unpleasant but may actually generate more net utility than doing both activities separately.
Reduced guilt: Many people feel guilty about indulging in "want" activities. By pairing them with beneficial behaviors, the guilt diminishes as indulgence becomes productive.
Willpower conservation: Research suggests that exercising willpower depletes mental resources. However, temptation bundling may counteract this effect if giving in to temptation actually replenishes willpower reserves.
The effectiveness speaks for itself: in Milkman's original study, participants in the temptation bundling group (who could only access compelling audiobooks while at the gym) visited the gym 51% more frequently than the control group over a 10-week period.
Real-World Examples That Make It Click
The power of temptation bundling becomes clearer through real-world applications. These practical examples demonstrate how people creatively pair "wants" with "shoulds" to make difficult habits feel almost automatic.
Netflix and cycling: the Cycflix hack
Perhaps the most ingenious example of temptation bundling comes from Ronan Byrne, an electrical engineering student in Dublin, Ireland. Noticing his reluctance to exercise alongside his Netflix enjoyment, Byrne created a system aptly named "Cycflix." This clever hack connected his stationary bike to his laptop and television through a Raspberry Pi computer.
Byrne's program allowed Netflix to run only when he maintained a certain cycling speed. Whenever he slowed down or stopped pedaling, his show would automatically pause until he resumed his workout. One fan described his creation as "eliminating obesity one Netflix binge at a time".
The results were impressive—Byrne increased his weekly cycling time from just 1 hour to 4-5 hours after implementing his system. His story perfectly illustrates how bundling can transform a sedentary activity into a powerful fitness motivator.
Audiobooks and gym routines
Research confirms the effectiveness of pairing audiobooks with exercise. In Katherine Milkman's landmark study, participants who could only access engaging audiobooks while at the gym visited 51% more frequently than the control group.
Even more telling, at the study's conclusion, 61% of participants willingly paid to maintain gym-only access to their audiobooks. This suggests the bundles had become genuinely enjoyable combinations rather than forced pairings.
Another experiment with a four-week exercise-boosting program showed that providing audiobooks and encouraging temptation bundling boosted participants' likelihood of weekly workouts by 10-14%. Furthermore, these positive effects continued for up to seventeen weeks after the initial intervention.
TV shows and household chores
Household chores represent another perfect opportunity for temptation bundling. Many people successfully restrict their favorite TV shows to times when they're completing essential household tasks.
Specifically, allowing yourself to watch addictive programs only while folding laundry, washing dishes, or tackling other chores naturally increases productivity. This approach transforms mundane tasks into anticipated opportunities to catch up on entertainment.
Similarly, participants in various studies reported listening to beloved podcasts exclusively while cleaning, doing laundry, or completing other household maintenance. This strategy creates an almost paradoxical effect—suddenly finding yourself looking forward to chores as they become your ticket to entertainment.
Emails and pedicures
Professional tasks can similarly benefit from temptation bundling. Katherine Milkman personally demonstrated this by allowing herself to get pedicures only while simultaneously catching up on overdue work emails or manuscript reviews.
This approach works especially well for administrative tasks that are important but often procrastinated. Additional examples include letting yourself enjoy your favorite restaurant only when meeting with difficult colleagues, or treating yourself to a special coffee exclusively when tackling your least favorite work responsibilities.
The beauty of these pairings lies in their ability to transform dreaded obligations into vehicles for enjoyment—effectively eliminating the mental resistance typically associated with tasks we tend to avoid.
How to Build Your Own Temptation Bundle
Creating your own temptation bundle is remarkably simple yet powerful when done correctly. The following four-step process will guide you through developing personalized pairings that make difficult habits feel almost automatic.
Step 1: List your wants and shoulds
Initially, create a two-column list to identify potential bundling opportunities:
Column One (Wants): Write down activities you genuinely enjoy and find tempting—things you naturally gravitate toward. These might include watching favorite TV shows, listening to podcasts, enjoying special snacks, or browsing social media.
Column Two (Shoulds): List tasks you often procrastinate on despite knowing they're beneficial. Include exercise routines, household chores, administrative tasks, or other responsibilities you typically avoid.
Take your time with this exercise, as identifying a comprehensive set of options will give you more flexibility when creating effective bundles. According to research, the "want" behavior must be genuinely motivating—something you actively pursue—for the bundle to be effective.
Step 2: Match one want with one should
Subsequently, browse both lists to identify potential pairings. The key here is finding complementary activities that don't compete for the same mental resources. Research published in Psychological Science demonstrates that people can effectively perform two different tasks simultaneously as long as they don't physically conflict with one another.
Good matches typically include:
- Listening to audiobooks/podcasts while exercising
- Watching favorite shows during household chores
- Enjoying special snacks only when completing paperwork
- Getting a pedicure while processing overdue emails
The ideal pairing creates what psychologists call "complementary experiences"—combinations that potentially generate more net utility than doing both activities separately.
Step 3: Set clear rules and boundaries
Following this, establish firm guidelines around your temptation bundle. The effectiveness hinges on your commitment to follow your own rules. This means you can only engage in the tempting activity while simultaneously doing the beneficial one.
For example, if you decide to bundle watching a favorite show with exercise, you might set a rule that the show plays exclusively while on the treadmill and pauses whenever you stop. Alternatively, you might allow yourself to light a favorite candle only when writing.
These boundaries are crucial—without them, the incentive structure collapses. As counterintuitive as it may seem, these self-imposed restrictions actually increase overall enjoyment by eliminating guilt associated with indulgences.
Step 4: Test and adjust
Accordingly, experiment with different pairings to discover what works best for your preferences and lifestyle. Track your progress using a journal or habit-tracking app to identify which bundles effectively motivate you.
Pay attention to both practical logistics (can you physically do both activities together?) and psychological impact (does the combination actually make the "should" more appealing?). Be willing to adjust your approach based on results.
Keep in mind that some bundles may lose their effectiveness over time. In one study, the motivational impact of audiobook-exercise pairings diminished after several months. Prepare to refresh your bundles periodically to maintain their motivational power.
Remember that successful temptation bundling isn't about perfect execution—it's about creating systems that work specifically for you. Through thoughtful experimentation, you'll discover combinations that transform dreaded tasks into anticipated opportunities.
Combining Habit Stacking with Temptation Bundling
Beyond simple temptation bundling lies a more advanced strategy that multiplies its effectiveness. By combining temptation bundling with habit stacking, you create a powerful system that makes difficult habits almost automatic.
What is habit stacking?
Habit stacking takes advantage of existing behaviors in your life by attaching new habits to ones you already perform consistently. This technique, popularized by James Clear in his book "Atomic Habits," builds on the brain's natural tendency to form neural pathways around established routines.
Fundamentally, habit stacking works because it uses current behaviors as reliable triggers for new ones. Instead of relying on time-based cues ("I'll meditate at 7 am"), you attach new habits to existing ones ("After I pour my morning coffee, I will meditate for one minute").
The basic habit stacking formula is straightforward: "After/Before [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT]." This approach makes behavior change more manageable since your existing habits are already wired into your brain.
The formula: current habit + need + want
When you combine habit stacking with temptation bundling, you create a three-part formula that maximizes motivation:
"After [CURRENT HABIT], I will [HABIT I NEED]. After [HABIT I NEED], I will [HABIT I WANT]."
This powerful combination uses your existing routines as triggers, connects them to beneficial behaviors, and rewards those behaviors with immediate gratification. The approach creates a chain reaction of positive behavior, making it significantly easier to maintain new habits by linking them to established ones.
Examples of combined strategies
This combined approach works particularly well in various contexts:
Morning gratitude and news: "After I get my morning coffee, I will say one thing I'm grateful for that happened yesterday (need). After I say one thing I'm grateful for, I will read the news (want)."
Sales calls and sports updates: "After I return from lunch break, I will call three potential clients (need). After I call three potential clients, I will check ESPN (want)."
Exercise and social media: "After I pull out my phone, I will do ten burpees (need). After I do ten burpees, I will check Facebook (want)."
Morning productivity: "After meditation, I will write my to-do list for the day (need). After writing my to-do list, I will immediately begin my first task (want)."
Eventually, you may find yourself looking forward to the "need" activity because it means you get to enjoy the "want" activity—creating a sustainable cycle of positive habits.
Why It Works for Long-Term Goals
Long-term goals often get sidelined by more urgent matters, yet temptation bundling offers a solution to this common dilemma.
Tackling tasks that are important but not urgent
The most significant advantage of temptation bundling lies in its ability to address what productivity experts identify as a critical challenge—completing tasks that are important but rarely feel urgent. Indeed, many crucial activities like exercising, cleaning spaces, or practicing fundamental skills rarely demand immediate attention on any given day. Nevertheless, these same activities often determine long-term success. Temptation bundling helps overcome this paradox by attaching immediate rewards to otherwise postponable tasks.
Building consistency through positive reinforcement
Research demonstrates that temptation bundling substantially increases consistency in difficult behaviors. In one study, participants visited the gym 51% more frequently when using temptation bundling. Additionally, another four-week exercise program found workout frequency increased by 10-14% both during and up to seventeen weeks after implementation. This consistency develops primarily through the Incentive Theory of Motivation—people naturally gravitate toward behaviors offering obvious benefits.
Transitioning from external to internal motivation
Perhaps most valuable, temptation bundling creates a bridge toward intrinsic motivation. Throughout repeated practice, the brain gradually begins conditioning itself to find previously boring tasks more attractive. Hence, many users report eventually needing less external motivation as the activity itself becomes rewarding. This transition represents the ultimate goal: shifting from external rewards toward genuine enjoyment of beneficial behaviors themselves.
Conclusion
Temptation bundling stands out as a remarkably elegant solution to one of our most persistent challenges—making difficult habits stick. Unlike traditional approaches that rely on delayed gratification, this strategy transforms dreaded tasks into anticipated opportunities through clever pairing with activities we naturally enjoy.
Throughout this guide, we've seen how temptation bundling works on multiple psychological levels, addressing our present bias while harnessing dopamine's motivational power. The real-world examples demonstrate its versatility across different contexts—from exercising while watching Netflix to completing household chores during favorite podcasts.
Most importantly, creating your own temptation bundles requires minimal effort yet yields significant results. Simply identify your "wants" and "shoulds," match them thoughtfully, establish clear boundaries, and adjust as needed. Additionally, combining this approach with habit stacking creates an even more powerful system for behavior change.
The long-term benefits extend beyond immediate gratification. Research clearly shows that temptation bundling builds consistency through positive reinforcement, helping establish habits that might otherwise remain perpetually postponed. Eventually, many people find they need less external motivation as the previously avoided activities become inherently rewarding.
Though temptation bundling may seem deceptively simple, this psychological hack addresses one of human nature's fundamental challenges—our tendency to prioritize immediate pleasure over long-term benefits. Therefore, rather than fighting against your brain's natural inclinations, why not strategically align them with your goals?
Start small with one temptation bundle this week. You might discover that those challenging habits suddenly feel almost effortless when paired with genuine enjoyment. After all, the most effective habit systems aren't built on willpower or discipline alone—they thrive when we cleverly design environments where doing the right thing feels like the easy choice.
