If you do what I tell you to, I'll give you a treat.

That's a proven behavioural positive reinforcement technique used widely on lab animals.

But not just lab animals though.

It's widely used in all internet applications today. The interactions are designed to constantly go through these positive reinforcement loops. The next time you upload a photo on Instagram and you get notifications that let you know how many others liked it, this is precisely what is happening.

So, it works on us too.

Rather than just let the internet applications profit off of it, we could introduce it to shape our own habits as well.

It's as simple as this.

Create two lists. On one, list all the things that you really look forward to doing on any given day. On the other, list all the things that you have got to do for your own good but you just keep getting distracted by the items on the first list.

Then, set aside a schedule where for every task that you get done on the second list, you get to do a little bit of something on the first list.

And before you know it, you'll be ploughing through the second list much faster than before.

It works like a charm, every time.