Behavioral change
Behavioral Task: Adding a 'Point of Friction' to an Unwanted Habit
This task makes an undesirable habit more difficult to perform; thereby reducing its frequency.
For the client stuck in a repetitive, unwanted behavior, insight alone is often insufficient. They may understand the consequences of the habit but find themselves acting on impulse before they can intervene. This is especially true for actions that have become automatic, like persistent phone checking or mindless snacking, leaving the client feeling frustrated by a perceived lack of self-control.
This directive introduces a small, deliberate obstacle into the habit’s sequence. By making the unwanted action less convenient, it disrupts the automatic process and reintroduces a moment of conscious choice. Instead of battling the urge with sheer willpower, the client alters the environment that allows it. They leave with a tangible method for reducing the behavior’s frequency and a greater sense of control over their actions.
Behavioral Task: Adding a 'Point of Friction' to an Unwanted Habit
Select one habit you want to do less. Write down the exact physical steps you take when you perform this habit, from start to finish. Your task is to add one extra step to this sequence. This new step must make the habit more difficult or inconvenient to begin. It must add effort. Do not choose a step that makes the habit impossible, only harder. For example, you might move an item needed for the habit to a different room. You might add a physical barrier, like putting rubber bands around a box. You might log out of an application after each use. Once you have chosen your new step, your ‘point of friction’, put it in place. For the next seven days, you must perform this extra step every time you have the urge to do the habit. After completing the extra step, you can choose whether or not to continue with the habit itself. Use the log below to record each occurrence.
| Date | Time of Urge | Performed Friction Task? (Y/N) | Performed Habit? (Y/N) |
|---|---|---|---|
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