Comments on: Overcoming Procrastination: The power of the odd “Scooby Snack” http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/time-management/the-power-of-the-odd-scooby-snack/ Sat, 19 May 2012 17:43:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Jess http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/time-management/the-power-of-the-odd-scooby-snack/#comment-1498 Jess Fri, 03 Oct 2008 23:18:44 +0000 http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/?p=97#comment-1498 I really like the idea of the stickers...but I feel I need to attach some sort of reward to them as well - a bit like the child trying to earn enough stickers on the sticker chart to get the toy they want. I've decided to attach some 'relax time' to each one I earn. I have extremely busy weeks and weekends but the more I achieve during the week the less i have to do on the weekend so I;ve decided for every specific action I complete off my daily to do list I get a sticker. Each of these stickers is worth a certain amount of time eg. 5mins so on the weekend I add up how much "time" I have accrued by being effective throughout the week and this is how much "me time" I have earned for the weekend which I can spend however I like eg. reading coffee on sunday morning with friends etc. Also by setting a specific time limit 'coffee with friends' doesn't turn into a completely wasted sunday. I really like the idea of the stickers…but I feel I need to attach some sort of reward to them as well - a bit like the child trying to earn enough stickers on the sticker chart to get the toy they want. I’ve decided to attach some ‘relax time’ to each one I earn. I have extremely busy weeks and weekends but the more I achieve during the week the less i have to do on the weekend so I;ve decided for every specific action I complete off my daily to do list I get a sticker. Each of these stickers is worth a certain amount of time eg. 5mins so on the weekend I add up how much “time” I have accrued by being effective throughout the week and this is how much “me time” I have earned for the weekend which I can spend however I like eg. reading coffee on sunday morning with friends etc. Also by setting a specific time limit ‘coffee with friends’ doesn’t turn into a completely wasted sunday.

]]> By: olivia http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/time-management/the-power-of-the-odd-scooby-snack/#comment-1478 olivia Wed, 17 Sep 2008 01:39:48 +0000 http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/?p=97#comment-1478 Love the videos Anth! Working hard to adopt your ideas and make them my own! Thanks! Olivia Love the videos Anth! Working hard to adopt your ideas and make them my own!

Thanks!

Olivia

]]> By: Felicity M Australia http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/time-management/the-power-of-the-odd-scooby-snack/#comment-1475 Felicity M Australia Sun, 14 Sep 2008 07:06:54 +0000 http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/?p=97#comment-1475 What terrific ideas for variable reinforcement of behaviours we want to sustain over time. I was reflecting on whether intermittent rewards (happening in variable time frames) really need to be random (no fixed time frames)? I thought perhaps not. In which case, setting phone alarms to go off at times in the day and allowing yourself a reward for the task that is finished closest to the alarm sounding might be equally as effective as putting your the hand in the jar to claim your reward after completing a set (but different each day) number of tasks (e.g., every 3rd or 4th or 9th task). I have to say though that the simpler the idea the more likely it is we will sustain the behaviour. So the jar with blank and reward notes is an excellent idea. Also, you could use envelopes for the stickers idea but only put the stickers in some envelopes and that would also provide randomness! Perhaps the notion of variable reinforcement could be extended to include a range of intensity of reinforcement. For example, maybe the majority of 'rewards' are enjoyable low cost activities, but one or two in your pot could be slightly more extravagant, and of course the rewards really do need to be rewards you would enjoy. But the research I've just completed shows double-benefits help sustain behaviours. So you could have some rewards with double-benefits, like allowing yourself an extra phone call to a loved one (so the loved one gets a blessing too) or asking your partner out to dinner - you get dinner and time with your partner! I'm sure you get the idea. In motivation terms, externally based rewards are helpful, however, the pleasure found intrinsic to a task is an extra powerful reinforcer or sustainer of behaviour! Of course there are some tasks that will always remain unpleasurable, but then there are other undesired behaviours that may respond and change when you reframe your perspective on that task or behaviour. Maybe when we have mastered the variable external reinforcement approach, a next step is to identify some pleasurable aspect intrinsic to the new task or beheaviour and focus on reframing our perspective on the task at hand. Anth - thanks for delivering the videos - keep up the great work. Hope the training you promoted recently is going well. Kind regards Felicity What terrific ideas for variable reinforcement of behaviours we want to sustain over time.

I was reflecting on whether intermittent rewards (happening in variable time frames) really need to be random (no fixed time frames)? I thought perhaps not. In which case, setting phone alarms to go off at times in the day and allowing yourself a reward for the task that is finished closest to the alarm sounding might be equally as effective as putting your the hand in the jar to claim your reward after completing a set (but different each day) number of tasks (e.g., every 3rd or 4th or 9th task). I have to say though that the simpler the idea the more likely it is we will sustain the behaviour. So the jar with blank and reward notes is an excellent idea. Also, you could use envelopes for the stickers idea but only put the stickers in some envelopes and that would also provide randomness!

Perhaps the notion of variable reinforcement could be extended to include a range of intensity of reinforcement. For example, maybe the majority of ‘rewards’ are enjoyable low cost activities, but one or two in your pot could be slightly more extravagant, and of course the rewards really do need to be rewards you would enjoy. But the research I’ve just completed shows double-benefits help sustain behaviours. So you could have some rewards with double-benefits, like allowing yourself an extra phone call to a loved one (so the loved one gets a blessing too) or asking your partner out to dinner - you get dinner and time with your partner! I’m sure you get the idea.

In motivation terms, externally based rewards are helpful, however, the pleasure found intrinsic to a task is an extra powerful reinforcer or sustainer of behaviour! Of course there are some tasks that will always remain unpleasurable, but then there are other undesired behaviours that may respond and change when you reframe your perspective on that task or behaviour.

Maybe when we have mastered the variable external reinforcement approach, a next step is to identify some pleasurable aspect intrinsic to the new task or beheaviour and focus on reframing our perspective on the task at hand.

Anth - thanks for delivering the videos - keep up the great work.
Hope the training you promoted recently is going well.
Kind regards
Felicity

]]> By: Ronald Cozart http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/time-management/the-power-of-the-odd-scooby-snack/#comment-1473 Ronald Cozart Sat, 13 Sep 2008 06:20:16 +0000 http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/?p=97#comment-1473 How about eating a candy or somthing you like. I feel this will cause a powerful drive. I will try it. Love your site. Bye for now How about eating a candy or somthing you like. I feel this will cause a powerful drive. I will try it. Love your site. Bye for now

]]> By: Chris http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/time-management/the-power-of-the-odd-scooby-snack/#comment-1472 Chris Sat, 13 Sep 2008 06:09:21 +0000 http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/?p=97#comment-1472 I'm not convinced that rewards of a material kind are a good thing. It appears to be the same as smoking. You finish a piece of work and have a ciggy. You take a break and have a ciggy. It's a reward, and swapping sweets or what ever for ciggies is just changing addictions, be they psychological and not chemical. Perhaps a period of cold turkey would do the trick during which you say, 'I will only look at emails twice a day at specified times', or whatever the compulsive action might be. During the rest of the time some other distraction may be required - like work. And if you don't like doing that then let's consider a change of profession. Also there is that excellent piece of advice from you about doing things you have been putting off - 'How good will I feel when I have finished this?' It succeeds every time. I’m not convinced that rewards of a material kind are a good thing. It appears to be the same as smoking. You finish a piece of work and have a ciggy. You take a break and have a ciggy. It’s a reward, and swapping sweets or what ever for ciggies is just changing addictions, be they psychological and not chemical.
Perhaps a period of cold turkey would do the trick during which you say, ‘I will only look at emails twice a day at specified times’, or whatever the compulsive action might be.
During the rest of the time some other distraction may be required - like work. And if you don’t like doing that then let’s consider a change of profession.
Also there is that excellent piece of advice from you about doing things you have been putting off - ‘How good will I feel when I have finished this?’ It succeeds every time.

]]> By: Annette http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/time-management/the-power-of-the-odd-scooby-snack/#comment-1470 Annette Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:46:05 +0000 http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/?p=97#comment-1470 Whoops...just saw Dorcas has already said the same thing! Whoops…just saw Dorcas has already said the same thing!

]]> By: Annette http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/time-management/the-power-of-the-odd-scooby-snack/#comment-1469 Annette Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:45:19 +0000 http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/?p=97#comment-1469 I liked the idea as suggested by Jennifer of the treat jar with coupons...but to give the intermittant reward perhaps some of the coupons should be blanks with "better luck next time!' written on them! I liked the idea as suggested by Jennifer of the treat jar with coupons…but to give the intermittant reward perhaps some of the coupons should be blanks with “better luck next time!’ written on them!

]]> By: Anonymous http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/time-management/the-power-of-the-odd-scooby-snack/#comment-1468 Anonymous Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:35:25 +0000 http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/?p=97#comment-1468 Wow, these are excellent ideas. Thanks everyone! Wow, these are excellent ideas. Thanks everyone!

]]> By: dini http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/time-management/the-power-of-the-odd-scooby-snack/#comment-1467 dini Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:31:18 +0000 http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/?p=97#comment-1467 dorcas , your idea is excellent!!! dorcas , your idea is excellent!!!

]]> By: colleen http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/time-management/the-power-of-the-odd-scooby-snack/#comment-1466 colleen Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:09:18 +0000 http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/?p=97#comment-1466 Instead of a sweet as positive re-inforcement what about a 10 minute break to do something you really like. A chapter in a good book, crafts, exercise, meditation. I am going to try it. Instead of a sweet as positive re-inforcement what about a 10 minute break to do something you really like. A chapter in a good book, crafts, exercise, meditation. I am going to try it.

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