If-then planning

If-then planning is tying a behavior in advance to a particular situation. Its structure is simple: 'If X happens, I will do Y.' Because this method attaches the intention to a trigger, it removes the burden of deciding in the moment. A rule like 'After dinner I will sit at my desk and work for twenty minutes' is tied not to motivation but to a cue. When the decision is made in advance, it becomes harder to give in to the resistance of the moment.