Setting the Brief

This project represents one of three experiments currently being tested over the next ten days by Uscreates, based upon behaviour-adapting methodologies.

The other two experiments study dynamic, cooperative interventions more closely, based upon observing others, whereas this experiment relies heavily on more independent analysis, project management and motivation. I know from previous experience that I am more likely to change my behaviour patterns  – stray from my comfort zone – if my motivation is well validated, I endow the challenge with some sense of obligation and I commit to a rigorous timetable.
Essentially, the aspect of my habitual behaviour that I’m challenging is that I do not normally plan my eating habits. That is to say, I don’t normally think about what I’m going to cook until I’m hungry. This tends to mean what I eat is quick to prepare, and that means what I eat is normally unhealthy. As a rule of thumb, i tend not to spend more time preparing food than i do actually eating it.

So with this in mind, my project is about trying to make plans and then stick to them. I’ve prepared a fairly inflexible menu for the following ten days (starting with lunch today and finishing with breakfast on monday 15th September). This isn’t a much healthier menu than normal, nor is it especially unusual, but it is pre-organised and many of the dishes do require some preperation, especially if they’re for a lunch away from the house, e.g. packed lunch at work. A “success” would qualify as sticking to the menu directly, despite any impromtu events, meetings, social activities or other commitments.

To keep on target the menu needs to be in the forefront of my thoughts, i need to “keep it in mind” and not forget it, put it off or make exceptions. I need to raise the priority of these specific meals being consumed, from “very low” to “the most important thing” (excluding survival), so the motivation comes from self-expectation, the expectations of my employers and the projected expectations of what are, in all likelihood, an entirely fictional audience; this blog itself.

Over the next ten days I will probably need to go far out of my conventional routine: deny kind offers, defy social conventions, travel for miles, let people down, work around inflexible necessities, be inconsiderate of the needs/ wants of others, learn to cook properly and so on. Then again, it could be very easy. Time will tell.

An Announcement

As part of an exploratory project on comfort zones, working closely with Uscreates, I have pledged to keep a record of a 10 day experiment into changing (in this case my own) habitual behaviour patterns. The purpose of this blog is to record my actions, or, more specifically, to oblige me into completing a series of actions by exploiting the positive aspects of a so-called “audience-effect” – the basic idea being that I’m more likely to perform better at a task/ series of tasks if I feel I am under the scrutiny of a passive, hidden audience. Additionally, of course, I will be able to chart my progress, discuss challenges, make observations, speculate on successful future strategies for behavioural development processes etc.

In addition, I will post a short video on wednesday 17th September, that will provide illustrative evidence of my process.

This kind of research is of especial interest to me, and is closely linked with my recent graduation project from which I am drawing upon some previous experience.