Want to drink more water? Move the bottle

You want to drink more water, but your bottle stays in a bag or behind something on the counter. Before setting another reminder, try putting it where you intend to drink.

This episode starts with a change to a hospital cafeteria. Its practical suggestion is simple: look at what is in front of you. Choose one thing you want to use more often and give it a visible place in your day.

What changed at the cafeteria

In a hospital cafeteria study, bottled water was placed in more fridges and near the food. Water sales rose by 25.8% during the placement phase.

That number describes purchases in a cafeteria. It is not a prediction that moving your bottle will make you drink 25.8% more. Use the finding as a reason to test the arrangement of your own space.

For your next attempt, work with something you already have: a bottle, a book, or the clothes you plan to wear for a walk. Choose where it belongs before asking yourself to remember it again.

1. Put the action in sight

Place your water bottle on your desk, where you intend to use it. For reading, try leaving the book on your pillow. Pick a position you will actually see when the moment for the habit arrives.

Make the setup specific. “Keep the bottle on the right side of my desk” is something you can arrange tonight. Look at the spot and check that the bottle is visible there. Try that position during your next work session and notice whether you use it.

2. Put temptation elsewhere

Try putting snacks higher in the cupboard or leaving your phone in another room during reading time. Choose the thing you keep reaching for when you meant to do something else, then give it a different home.

For example, you could leave your phone in the kitchen before sitting down with your book. Decide where it will stay for that session. Keep the experiment small: change the position of one object and try the routine with that arrangement in place.

3. Prepare it the night before

Lay out your gym clothes by the bed if that is where you want to begin. Put the book in your chosen reading spot. Fill the bottle and place it where you plan to sit tomorrow.

Choose the setup while you are planning the habit. Walk through the next attempt in your mind: where will you be, and what will you reach for? Arrange those items before you turn in. Give each thing a place you can return it to after using it.

4. Use your home screen

Put a reminder of the habit somewhere you see when you unlock your phone. Choose a clear action, such as “Fill the bottle” or “Read one page.” Use words that tell you what to do next.

Pair the reminder with the physical setup you chose. If the message says “Read one page,” leave the book in the place where you plan to read. Check that both parts point to the same action. You can try a different reminder if the first one does not suit your day.

Move one thing tonight

Choose the habit and the object you need for it. Put that object where you want the action to happen, then try the new position tomorrow. After the attempt, decide whether to keep that spot or choose a more useful one. Start with an arrangement you can actually use.

Related reading: Environment Design: Make Good Cues Obvious & Bad Cues Invisible.

Sources

• Thorndike, A. N., Sonnenberg, L., Riis, J., Barraclough, S., & Levy, D. E. (2012). A 2-phase labeling and choice architecture intervention to improve healthy food and beverage choices. American Journal of Public Health, 102(3), 527–533.