So far so good. This is the earliest I have submitted a blog as you can see and it's funny because I am actually in a conference in San Jose right now, so I am budgeting my time pretty well. Yeah! I have been keeping track of my behavior since the beginning of this week. I customized a chart to record each time I check my planner (this includes my planner, my calendar in my laptop, my cellphone), the time that I did, and whether or not I paid myself for it. So, recap from last time, I stated that I would pay myself $2 each time that I checked my planner or some sort of reminder equipment. I actually did it! I emptied my wallet and I started to implement this operational conditioning. This fixed ratio really seems to work well with my style. I had to check my planner if I wanted cash in my wallet. So I would check up to twice a day. Majority of the time, I checked in the morning and I checked at night. The morning check was to prepare and confirm that I had finished all of my homework before I walked into class. The night check was cross off everything that I had finished and if there were anything else I needed to finish in the morning. This means I earned up to $4 a day. At first, I thought it wouldn't be that great of an incentive....a $100 maybe (unfortunately I wouldn't have that much to reward myself)..but $2? On the contrary, I really liked it. For the first 2 times that I checked my planner I had single dollar bills to reward myself, but later on, I only had ten's and a twenty so it was either all ten or nothing. I should improve my strategy so I don't run out or cheat myself by breaking up large bills ahead of time. That ways, my reward would be consistent and immediate.
Maybe the idea behind this is that I just like getting rewarded or simply feeling good that I remembered each time. Self approval or complimenting does feel good once in a while and this routine is really helping my progress. I am also doing better in school because I am now trying to finish assignments ahead of time rather than the opposite. Now.....I need to keep reminding myself.
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6 comments:
ow thats very interesting..i really like your idea! i can maintain my operant conditioning for a long term because i simply need my coffee, tea, or dessert time on weekend to prepare for the following week, and i dont like the punishment i'll get if i get mad at people. my mind will be occupied for the whole day because i blew up. the punishment outweigh the reward, so in order to maintain your operant conditioning maybe u can think of something important or think of the punishment that outweigh the reward.
Hey wenwen, I think you are right about my rewards. The things I chose were things that I usually do over the weekend, but I just converted them into rewards. Now it seems like double punishment when I can't get these things over my weekend. You would think that they would help me want to do better, but I guess not haha. Anyway, you're pay system seems to be working for you. I might modify my points system and incorporate some $$$ into the rewards part. Thanks a lot for the idea!
Since your rewards seem to be working maybe you can set up a bigger incentive if you reach a certain amount of times, etc. For example if you need to look at it after each class that's four times and if you check all four times you treat yourself to desert. That might eventually make you automatically check your planner when you need too :)
I really like your plan. Money is always an incentive to make you want to do better. If you are doing better in school because of your plan, than continue on with it. Keeping a planner is a really good idea...I think I am going to start doing that myself. Just keep doing what your doing because it seems to be working for you, and if you ever go off track, just quickly revert back to your plan. Good Luck!
I really really like this behavior change! It's awesome how you're using a fixed ratio plan to implement your behavior change. How long do you think this will keep up? What are you going to do after this class ends? I'm interested in knowing!
If you like complimenting and rewarding yourself but don't want to use money you could give yourself cute stickers. =)
Even though you won't be paying yourself for life, just setting up the habit may be enough- you might still do it even after you stop paying yourself if you find it helps.
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