[on] principle
Friday, October 19, 2012As friends of This Little Blog would know, I am mad for a theory.
One of my favourites [which actually goes by the name of a Principle but, with it’s beautiful alliteration, could be just as thrilling] is the Premack Principle. It goes a little something like this:
Frequently occuring behaviour can be used to reinforce low probability behaviour.
Or translated: don’t let yourself do the fun stuff until you do the boring stuff.
Easy right? And obvious. Everyone knows that’s a good idea. [But maybe we sometimes forget?]
So lovely people, when you get to Monday morning and you’re planning for The Most Productive Week Ever, stay Premack Principled:
- Send your invoices before you check Twitter.
- Read three articles before you pick up Vogue.
- Make those calls before the coffee run.
- Do the vacuuming before baking.and.licking.the.bowl.
- Finish your report before checking emails (again).
In a Premack world, you not only still get the good stuff, the less.good is already out of the way.
Genius.