‘If-then’ plans — how to formulate a plan that actually works

An ‘if-then’ plan is an intention formulated as a rule: if situation X arises, then I will do Y. It shifts the decision from the moment when you are tired and tempted to a time beforehand, when you are calm. It is one of the most well-documented techniques in the entire field of behavioural change research, but it only works if the condition is specific enough to recognise and the action small enough to carry out. This article is about just that: how to formulate the plan so that it works.

The difference between a resolution and a plan

“I’m going to use my phone less” is a resolution. It states what you want, but not when or how. When the moment comes — you’re sitting on the sofa, your phone is lying next to you — you still have to make a decision, and at that moment you’re least equipped to make it.

“If I sit down on the sofa in the evening, I’ll put my phone on the charger in the hall” is a plan. The decision has already been made. You don’t need to reason with yourself; you just need to follow what you’ve decided.

The psychologist Peter Gollwitzer called this type of plan ‘implementation intentions’. The idea is to link an action to a situation so that the situation itself triggers the action — the same mechanism that makes habits automatic, but used intentionally.

What the research shows

Gollwitzer and Paschal Sheeran compiled nearly a hundred studies in a meta-analysis. People who had formulated ‘if-then’ plans achieved their goals to a significantly greater extent than those who had simply made up their minds, with an effect size rated as medium to large. This applied to a wide variety of goals: exercising, changing one’s diet, attending medical check-ups, and completing tasks.

It’s worth being honest about one thing. Several more recent and larger studies have found smaller effects than the 2006 meta-analysis, which is common in psychology when early studies are small. The technique works, but don’t expect it to do half the work for you. It makes the plan easier to follow — it doesn’t make the goal easier to want.

How to write the condition

The condition is the part that most people make too vague. “If I get stressed” doesn’t work well, as you rarely notice exactly when you became stressed. A good condition is something you can see, hear or do:

• If I get on the bus …
• If I open my laptop in the morning…
• If I find myself holding my phone without knowing why…

The best condition is often the cue that already sets off the behaviour you want to change. That’s why it’s worth first identifying when it happens — how to do this is described in the article on the triggers behind habits.

How to formulate the action

The action should be small enough that you can do it even on a bad day. “I’ll read for an hour” stops working the first evening you’re tired. “I’ll read one page” almost always works, and often you end up reading more.

It should also be something you do, not something you refrain from doing. “I won’t check my phone” leaves a void, and that void gets filled by the old habit. “I’ll put my phone in my back pocket” gives your hands something to do.

The four most common mistakes

Too many plans at once. Each plan competes for the same attention. Start with one or two.

Conditions that never occur exactly as described. “If I have a spare moment” isn’t a situation, it’s an interpretation.

Actions that require motivation. A plan that only works when you’re in a good mood isn’t a plan. You can find out more about why motivation is the wrong fuel in the article on why motivation isn’t enough.

Plans for an ideal world. Also write a plan for when things go wrong: if I’ve ended up scrolling for half an hour anyway, then I’ll put my phone down and have a glass of water. That plan determines whether a slip-up turns into an evening or a week.

Write it down, say it out loud

The plan is more helpful if it’s written down and worded precisely, not just thought about. Say it to yourself a few times. It sounds silly, but it’s precisely the repetition that makes the situation and the action start to click together in your mind.

The ‘if-then’ plan is a building block, not the whole house. It works best when combined with understanding what the habit gives you and replacing it with something that provides the same thing — the full model is set out in the guide on breaking a habit.

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The Zenith Protocol is a 30-day protocol for impulse control, where each day is a small, concrete step rather than a grand resolution. It’s free to get started.