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if-then planning

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Summary

  • Link a specific action to a situation, such as a time, event, or thought, using an “if…then…” plan.
  • Rehearse the whole plan at least once; common distractions can also have a planned response.

Ways to apply

  1. On your own

    Free, no special equipment to buy

    1. Choose a goal you genuinely want to achieve and write down a specific action.
    2. Pick a clear cue, such as returning to the desk after lunch or thinking “I'll check my phone.”
    3. Write “If…then…”; for example, “If I return to my desk after lunch, then I'll open the report.”
    4. Silently rehearse the whole sentence at least once.
    5. Add a distraction plan, such as “If I want to check my phone, then I'll reread my current sentence.”

Research-backed

“Write the report today” names a goal. “If I return to my desk after lunch, then I’ll open the report” links a situation to action. In a meta-analysis across age groups, these conditional plans had larger effects than plans simply listing a time, place, and action(Sheeran et al., 2024).

A review of studies with children also found that these plans helped goal attainment on average, though results varied widely between studies(Breitwieser & Reinelt, 2026).

Rehearse the whole plan at least once after making it

Research-backed

After writing an “if…then…” plan, the whole sentence can be rehearsed silently. A meta-analysis across age groups found that studies with at least one rehearsal tended to show larger effects(Sheeran et al., 2024).

A distraction can become a cue to return to the task

Research-backed

A cue can be a thought or feeling as well as a time. The planned response can involve ignoring a distraction, a self-reminder, or an action(Sheeran et al., 2024). An everyday example is: “If I want to check my phone, then I’ll reread the sentence I’m writing.”

In experiments with children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), adding these plans to a goal of inhibiting responses improved performance on computer tasks(Gawrilow & Gollwitzer, 2007).

Evidence

References (3)
  1. Meta-analysisThe when and how of planning: Meta-analysis of the scope and components of implementation intentions in 642 testsSheeran Paschal, Listrom Olivia, Gollwitzer Peter M. (2024). European Review of Social Psychology
  2. Meta-analysisThe effectiveness of implementation intentions in children: A systematic review and meta‐analysisBreitwieser Jasmin, Reinelt Tilman (2026). British Journal of Psychology
  3. Randomized trialImplementation Intentions Facilitate Response Inhibition in Children with ADHDGawrilow Caterina, Gollwitzer Peter M. (2007). Cognitive Therapy and Research