How to Have Your Cake and Eat it, Too: A New Way to Think About Guilty Pleasures

Updated 6/19/2020

Trying to save money or kick your social media habit? Try this.

My friends all joke about my sweet tooth, but one thing I love more than dessert is life hacks. Getting the most out of an action, a meeting, an email, or a day gives me huge amounts of satisfaction, and I always look for new ways to accomplish more than I previously thought possible.

One thing in my life I hadn't figured out how to hack until recently was my guilty pleasures. With all of my productivity and decision-making ability directed toward work, when I was "off," I'd find myself at the mercy of my penchant for TV procedurals and baked goods.

Studies show that willpower alone probably wouldn’t kick these habits, so, I tried a different approach based on interesting new research: Using "I don't" language instead of "I can't." (Think: “I don’t watch reality TV on weeknights.”) It’s a subtle switch, but one that signals to your brain that not having or doing something is an active choice, not a rule imposed on you.

While this helped, I realized I wasn't trying to cut out the fun entirely—I just wanted a better way to think about my choices. In fact, I'm 100% OK with my guilty pleasures, so long as I’m making smart tradeoffs.

So, I took the idea of making a choice, but modified the rule to “I don’t do X unless I’ve done Y.” Or, in other words, "I only do X if I've done Y.” I can have my guilty pleasure, but only as a reward, after I’ve done something that I really want or need to accomplish. For example:

"I only watch TV if I've done a 7-minute workout."

"I only browse Twitter when I've called a friend or family member to catch up first."

"I only bake decadent treats when I'm entertaining other people."

"I only buy a new item of clothing if I can sell or donate something from my closet."

See? It’s a sneaky way to have your cake and eat it, too. The best part is, you can use this strategy for any goal.

Watching Your Budget? Try:

"I only pay for dry cleaning when I've chosen to walk or take the subway instead of taking a cab."

"I only go out for drinks with a friend when I've brought lunch to work all week."

Trying to Kick a Social Media Addiction? Try:

"I only go on Facebook when I've first tackled a work task I've been avoiding."

"I only check Twitter at lunch if I've done more than half my goals for the day."

Trying to Cook More? Try:

"I only eat out on weekends if I cook a few meals on Sunday to prep for the week."

"I only order takeout for dinner if I brought in my lunch."

Stop saying no to your guilty pleasures, and start making smart tradeoffs. Life will be more fun—and more productive.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock and Thinkstock.

Alex is the President & Founder of The Muse, where she focuses on the growth and operations of the fast-growing business and pursuing constant innovation. Her book The New Rules of Work, written with her co-founder Kathryn, came out in April 2017. Outside the office, Alex can be found on her road bike or deep in a book. She also loves productivity hacks more than candy.