Chapter 7: If-Then Plans: Deciding Before the Moment Comes

"I Will Floss More"

Rahim is forty and works as a cleaner in a large hospital. At his last appointment, his dentist told him that his gums showed signs of irritation and that he should floss his teeth every evening. Rahim promised that he would. He bought a packet of dental floss on the way home and put it in the bathroom cupboard. That evening, he flossed. The next evening, he forgot. The evening after that, he remembered only when he was already in bed, and decided it was too late. By the end of the week, the packet sat unopened in the cupboard.

Rahim was frustrated. He genuinely wanted to floss. He knew it was important. He was not lazy: he worked long, physical shifts and rarely missed a day. But somehow the intention to floss never turned into the action. Every evening, the moment for flossing came and went without his noticing. When he did remember, it was always at the wrong time: on the bus, at work, in bed.

Rahim mentioned this to his daughter, who was studying psychology at college. She asked him a simple question. "When exactly are you going to floss?" Rahim said, "In the evening." His daughter shook her head. "That is not a plan," she said. "That is a wish. Evening is a long time. You need to decide exactly when and where, so that the moment itself reminds you."

She suggested that he make a very specific plan, in a particular form. "Say it like this," she said. "If I have just brushed my teeth at night, then I will floss before I put the toothbrush down." Rahim thought this was a little silly. But he tried it. He repeated the sentence to himself a few times. That night, as he finished brushing his teeth, the sentence came back to him, and he flossed. The next night, the same thing happened.

What Rahim's daughter had taught him is one of the most studied and most useful techniques in the psychology of habits. It has a formal name, implementation intentions, but it is easier to call it an if-then plan. This chapter explains what if-then plans are, why they work and how to use them.

The Gap Between Intention and Action

Most of us know the experience of intending to do something and then not doing it. We intend to exercise, to call a friend, to eat more vegetables, to start a project, to floss our teeth. We mean it sincerely. But when the moment comes, the intention does not turn into action. Psychologists call this the intention-behaviour gap, and research suggests that it is very common: good intentions, on their own, often do not lead to the behaviour we intend.

Part of the reason lies in what we have learned about habits and the brain. Intentions live mainly in the deliberate system, which plans and holds goals in mind. But the deliberate system is busy and easily distracted. When the right moment for action arrives, we may be thinking about something else, tired or acting on autopilot. The intention is there, somewhere in our minds, but it does not come forward at the right time. The moment passes, and we do not notice it.

Another reason is that general intentions do not tell us exactly what to do or when. "I will floss more" does not specify a moment. "I will exercise more" does not say where, when or how. Each time we want to act on such an intention, we have to make a new decision: is this the right moment? Should I do it now or later? These decisions take effort, and they offer many chances to put things off.

If-then plans address both problems. They turn a general intention into a specific link between a situation and an action. "If situation X happens, then I will do Y." The situation is chosen carefully, so that it happens regularly and is easy to notice. The action is specific and clear. Once the plan is made, the decision has already been taken. When the situation arises, there is no need to decide again. The situation itself becomes a cue for the action.

In this way, if-then plans work by borrowing the power of habits. They create a link between a cue and a response in advance, by thinking and planning, rather than waiting for it to form slowly through repetition. Researchers sometimes describe this as handing control of the behaviour over to the situation. The deliberate system makes the plan once. After that, the situation does much of the remembering.

What the Research Shows

If-then plans have been studied in a very large number of experiments over several decades, with many different behaviours: exercising, eating more healthily, studying, attending appointments, recycling, getting vaccinated, completing tasks on time and many more. Overviews that combine the results of many such studies have generally found that people who form if-then plans are more likely to carry out their intentions than people who form only general goals. The size of the benefit varies from study to study and from behaviour to behaviour, but it appears again and again.

Research has also suggested some reasons why if-then plans work. When people form such plans, the situation they choose seems to become more noticeable to them. They are more likely to spot it when it occurs, even when they are busy with other things. And when they spot it, the planned action seems to come more quickly and with less effort, as if it were already prepared. In other words, the plan makes the cue easier to notice and the response easier to start.

One useful extension of if-then plans is planning for obstacles. Many intentions fail not because we forget them, but because something gets in the way: we feel tired, it rains, someone interrupts us, we are tempted by something else. An obstacle plan uses the same form to prepare for these moments. "If I feel too tired to go for a run, then I will put on my shoes and walk for ten minutes instead." "If a colleague invites me for a drink on my study evening, then I will suggest another day." Some research suggests that thinking first about what you want, then about what might get in the way, and then making if-then plans for those obstacles, can be particularly helpful, though this is still being studied.

Another related approach, popular in books about habits, is to attach a new behaviour to an existing routine: "After I do X, I will do Y." This is essentially a form of if-then plan, using an existing habit as the situation. It works well because existing routines are reliable cues that happen every day, in the same order. Rahim attached flossing to brushing his teeth. Wanda, in Chapter 4, attached her stretches to making tea. The research on if-then plans may help explain why this kind of anchoring often works well.

To be fair, if-then plans are not a magic solution. They work better for some people and some behaviours than others. They are most helpful for behaviours that people genuinely want to do but tend to forget or put off. They are less helpful when people do not really want to do the behaviour, or when the behaviour is very difficult for other reasons. But as tools go, they are simple, cheap and supported by a large body of evidence, which makes them well worth trying.

Rahim's Plans

After the success of his flossing plan, Rahim became curious. He wondered whether he could use the same approach for other things he had been meaning to do. His doctor had suggested that he drink more water during his shifts, because he often became dehydrated during physical work. He had been meaning to call his elderly mother more often. And he wanted to spend more time reading with his younger son in the evenings.

He made three if-then plans, following his daughter's advice to make each one specific. "If I finish cleaning a ward, then I will drink a cup of water before starting the next one." "If it is Sunday morning and I have finished breakfast, then I will call my mother." "If my son has brushed his teeth at night, then I will read him one chapter of his book." He wrote them on a card and kept it in his wallet, and he read them every morning for the first two weeks.

The water plan worked almost immediately, because the situation, finishing a ward, happened several times every shift and was easy to notice. The reading plan also worked well, because it was linked to a fixed part of his son's bedtime routine, and his son soon began to remind him. The phone call plan took a little longer, because Sunday mornings were sometimes busy, and he occasionally forgot. So he added an obstacle plan: "If I miss the Sunday morning call, then I will call on Sunday evening after dinner."

After two months, all four plans, including the flossing, had become part of Rahim's routines. He no longer needed the card. His dentist noticed the improvement in his gums. His mother was delighted to hear from him every week. And his son had started looking forward to bedtime. "I used to think I was bad at doing things I meant to do," Rahim says. "But I was just being vague. When I decided exactly when and where, it was easy."

Rahim's story shows something important: the same technique can work across many different areas of life, from health to family. The key in every case was the same: a specific, regular, easily noticed situation linked with a specific action, decided in advance.

Siobhan and the Meeting

Siobhan is twenty-seven and works in the planning department of a local council. She is good at her job, but she is quiet in meetings. She often has useful ideas or questions, but she does not say them, because the moment always seems to pass while she is still deciding whether to speak. Afterwards, she regrets it. Her manager has encouraged her to contribute more, and Siobhan wants to.

Siobhan's difficulty is a version of the intention-behaviour gap. She intends to speak, but in the moment, the decision feels too big, and by the time she has made it, the conversation has moved on. A friend who had read about if-then plans suggested that she try one. Together, they worked out a specific plan: "If the chair asks whether anyone has questions, then I will ask the first question that is in my notes."

Siobhan prepared for each meeting by writing down one or two questions in advance. When the chair asked for questions, which happened in almost every meeting, she looked at her notes and asked. Because the decision had already been made, she did not need to wrestle with it in the moment. The situation, the chair's question, triggered the action, asking her prepared question.

After a few weeks, speaking up in meetings became much easier. Siobhan began to contribute at other moments too, not only when the chair asked for questions. Her manager noticed and praised her contributions. "It sounds too simple," Siobhan says. "But having a plan for the exact moment took away the decision, and the decision was the hard part." She also added an obstacle plan: "If I feel too nervous to ask, then I will at least write my question down and send it to the chair after the meeting." She rarely needed to use it.

Siobhan's story shows that if-then plans are not only for physical habits like flossing or exercise. They can help with social behaviours, such as speaking up, as well. In any situation where we tend to hesitate until the moment has passed, deciding in advance can bridge the gap between intention and action.

Mehmet's Walk After Lunch

Mehmet is fifty-eight and works as a clerk in a government office. He spends most of his day sitting at a desk. After a check-up, his doctor suggested that he try to take a short walk every day, and Mehmet decided that the best time would be after lunch. For several weeks, he intended to walk after lunch, but usually he stayed at his desk, answering emails or chatting with colleagues.

Mehmet realized that "after lunch" was too vague. Lunch often ended at different times, and when it ended, there was always something to do. So he made a more specific plan: "If I have finished eating and put my lunch box in my bag, then I will walk to the park and back before returning to my desk." He chose this moment because it happened every day and marked a clear end to lunch.

Mehmet also made two obstacle plans. "If it is raining, then I will walk around the building's corridors for ten minutes instead." "If a colleague wants to talk, then I will invite them to walk with me." The second plan turned out to be the most valuable. Two colleagues began to join him regularly, and the walk became a pleasant social time as well as exercise.

Within a month, the walk had become part of Mehmet's working day. He found that he felt more alert in the afternoons and slept better at night. "I needed a moment that was impossible to miss," he says. "Putting the lunch box away is that moment. Now, when I put it in my bag, my feet start walking." As with any new exercise habit, it is wise to follow a doctor's guidance about what is suitable.

Mehmet's story illustrates two features of good if-then plans. First, the situation must be specific and reliable: something that happens every day at a clearly recognizable moment. Second, obstacle plans can turn potential problems into opportunities, as when a colleague's wish to chat became an invitation to walk.

Lukas and the Maths Book

Lukas is fourteen and finds it very hard to start his homework. When he gets home from school, he has a snack, then watches videos on his tablet or plays games, and homework is often left until late in the evening, when he is tired and rushed. His parents have tried reminding him, which usually leads to arguments.

Lukas's older cousin, who is studying to be a teacher, suggested that Lukas try an if-then plan. Together, they worked one out: "If I have finished my after-school snack, then I will open my maths book at the kitchen table before I touch my tablet." The plan did not require Lukas to finish his homework immediately, only to start it. His cousin explained that starting is often the hardest part, and that once he had started, continuing would be easier.

Lukas also agreed to a small change in his surroundings: his tablet would be charged in his parents' room after school, so that it was not within reach while he ate his snack. This removed a strong competing cue and added a little friction to the unhelpful habit, as we saw in Chapter 6.

The plan worked better than his parents had expected. Most days, after his snack, Lukas opened his maths book. Often, once he had started, he finished most of his homework before picking up his tablet. On some days, he did only a little before stopping. But even those days were better than before, and the arguments with his parents became much less frequent. "When I just have to open the book, it does not feel so bad," Lukas says. "And then I usually keep going."

Lukas's story shows that if-then plans can help young people as well as adults, especially when the plan focuses on starting rather than finishing, and when it is combined with small changes to the environment. It also shows the value of young people helping to create their own plans, rather than having rules imposed on them.

Practical Steps: Making If-Then Plans

The first step is to choose one behaviour you want to do more reliably. Pick something you genuinely want to do but tend to forget or put off. Be specific about what the behaviour is: "floss my teeth", "drink a cup of water", "ask a question in the meeting", "open my maths book".

The second step is to choose a specific, reliable situation. Find a moment that happens regularly and is easy to notice, ideally linked to an existing routine. "After I brush my teeth at night." "When I finish cleaning a ward." "When the chair asks for questions." "When I put my lunch box in my bag." The more specific and reliable the situation, the better.

The third step is to write the plan in if-then form. "If [situation], then I will [behaviour]." Say it to yourself a few times, or write it down and keep it where you will see it. Some people find it helpful to imagine the situation clearly and picture themselves doing the behaviour.

The fourth step is to make obstacle plans. Think about what might get in the way: tiredness, rain, interruptions, temptations. For each likely obstacle, make another if-then plan. "If I feel too tired, then I will do a shorter version." "If it rains, then I will walk indoors." Obstacle plans help you keep going when things do not go as expected.

The fifth step is to keep the number of plans small. Making too many if-then plans at once can be confusing and may weaken each one. Start with one or two, and add more only when the first ones have become routine.

The sixth step is to focus on starting. If a behaviour feels large or difficult, make the if-then plan about starting it, as Lukas did with opening his book. Starting is often the hardest part, and once you have started, continuing is usually easier.

Plans Are Tools, Not Guarantees

If-then plans are one of the best-supported tools in the psychology of behaviour change, but they are not guarantees. They work best for behaviours that people genuinely want to do and that are within their control. If you do not really want to do something, or if there are serious obstacles that a plan cannot address, an if-then plan may not be enough. In that case, it may help to think again about whether the goal is right for you, or what support you need.

It is also worth noting that research has found that the benefits of if-then plans vary. Some people find them very helpful, while others notice little difference. Some behaviours respond well, while others are more stubborn. As with all the tools in this book, the best approach is to try them, notice what happens and adjust.

One common reason why if-then plans fail is that the chosen situation is too vague or too rare. "If I have some free time, then I will exercise" is not much better than a general intention, because free time comes at unpredictable moments and is easy to fill with other things. "If I have finished breakfast on a weekday, then I will put on my walking shoes" is much stronger. When a plan does not work, it is often worth looking first at the situation and making it more specific, before concluding that the technique does not suit you.

Finally, if-then plans are designed for ordinary habits and intentions. If you are struggling with compulsive behaviours, addictions or difficulties connected with mood or anxiety, please talk to a doctor or another qualified professional; planning can then be one useful part of the support you receive.

A Short Exercise: Three If-Then Plans

This exercise helps you write if-then plans for one behaviour you want to do more reliably. It takes about fifteen minutes.

At the top of a page, write the behaviour you want to do. Make it specific. Then, below it, write your main if-then plan: "If [a specific, regular situation], then I will [the behaviour]." Read it back and check: is the situation specific enough that you will recognize it? Does it happen regularly? Is the behaviour clear?

Next, think about the two most likely obstacles: the things that are most likely to stop you. For each one, write an obstacle plan in the same form: "If [obstacle], then I will [what I will do instead]." Make these plans realistic. A smaller version of the behaviour is often a good choice.

Read all three plans aloud. Then close your eyes for a moment and imagine each situation as clearly as you can: where you are, what you see, what you are doing. Picture yourself carrying out the planned behaviour in that situation. This takes only a minute, but it can help fix the link in your mind.

Keep the plans somewhere you will see them, such as a card in your wallet or a note on your phone. Read them every morning for two weeks. After two weeks, notice how often you carried out the behaviour, and adjust the plans if needed. When Rahim first wrote down his flossing plan, he added one obstacle plan: "If I am already in bed when I remember, then I will get up and floss anyway, because it takes two minutes." He used the obstacle plan twice in the first week. After that, he never needed it.

Chapter Summary

Many good intentions do not turn into action, a pattern psychologists call the intention-behaviour gap. One reason is that intentions live in the deliberate part of the mind, which is often busy when the right moment comes; another is that general intentions do not specify when or where to act. If-then plans, formally called implementation intentions, link a specific situation to a specific action in advance: "If X happens, then I will do Y." A large body of studies has found that such plans tend to help people follow through, though effects vary. Planning for obstacles in the same way, and attaching new behaviours to existing routines, are useful extensions.

Rahim and his flossing, Siobhan in her meetings, Mehmet and his walk after lunch and Lukas with his maths book all found that deciding exactly when and where to act, in advance, made their intentions far more likely to become actions. If-then plans are tools, not guarantees: they work best for behaviours people truly want and can control.

In the next chapter, we will turn to the other side of habit change: breaking habits we no longer want, and why fighting them directly so often backfires.