Temptation Bundling
Katy Milkman's research shows that bundling unpleasant tasks with enjoyable ones increases follow-through by 29-51%. The trick works for exercise, admin work, and manager duties.
Katy Milkman at Wharton gave people iPods loaded with addictive audiobooks. The catch: they could only listen at the gym. Gym attendance jumped 29-51% compared to control groups. The audiobooks made exercise something people wanted to do rather than something they had to do.
The mechanism is bundling: pairing a "want" activity with a "should" activity so they become inseparable. The want provides immediate reward. The should provides long-term benefit. Separately, the should loses to any distraction. Together, the want pulls the should along.
This translates directly to management tasks that get perpetually deferred. Expense reports. Development plan updates. Peer feedback surveys. These aren't hard. They're unrewarding. Bundle them with something that is.
The hack: Identify one task your team consistently postpones. Pair it with something enjoyable. Feedback surveys only during the team's favorite coffee break. Admin work paired with a playlist or podcast. The bundle needs to be explicit and consistent. "You can only do X while doing Y" is the formula.
