Self-Management
Layman's guide to the Self-Management technology:

Step 1: Analyze the Natural Contingencies
Step 2: Specify the Performance Objectives
Step 3: Design an Intervention
Step 4: Implement the Intervention
Step 5: Evaluate the Intervention
Step 6: Recycle the Intervention
Sample Self-Management Projects

Step 1: Analyze the Natural Contingencies. Basically, this is where you find out what SHOULD make you do the behavior and what is standing in your way. The Ineffective Natural Contingency is the natural outcome of engaging in the behavior. This includes being infinitesimally more knowledgeable as a result of reading a chapter in a book or being infinitesimally more healthy as a result of exercising once for 30 minutes.

The Competing Contingency is exactly what is sounds like. They are those behaviors that compete for your time and tend to win out over your goal. This includes going out with your friends on Thursday night when you should be home studying for that Friday quiz, or sitting at home watching "Friends" when you should be at the gym.

Step 2: Specify the Performance Objectives. This is where you start breaking down your goal into units that are achieveable. First of all, break your goal into a single response. For example, running for 30 minutes, reading one chapter, completing one assignment, or reading one email. These responses should not have any interruptions greater than 60 seconds during the response. If it does, try to break the behavior down into smaller units. This is your initial goal, one you can complete in one sitting. Then you must select a short term goal. This is how much of the initial goal must be completed in a relatively short amount of time-such as a single week. For example, exercising three times per week or reading all of my assignments before my class. Now you get to select a long term goal. In order to do this, you have to select some benefit measures. Why exactly are you doing this behavior? Is it that you want to lose 10 pounds? Do you want to get an "A" in your class? Select a date when your long term goal should be completed by. This date should affect the number in your short term goal.

Step 3: Design an Intervention. Ideally, one would be able to engage in those target behaviors because of the natural outcomes. If this was truly so, then you would already be engaging in the behavior without the help of self-management. If you aren't engaging in the behavior, then you probably need a little help. This help comes in the form of added outcomes that you create for yourself. The most effective way to change your behavior is to say that you will do something that you don't like if you DON'T engage in the behavior. You will engage in the behavior to avoid doing something that you don't like. A lot of people chose to pay a dollar amount (this works best for those "poor, broke college students") for every time they blow off their goal. Other people have chosen to do extra duties such as cleaning. It doesn't matter what it is, just that it is something that you don't want and its strong enough to motivate you to engage in the behavior!

Step 4: Implement the Intervention. So, now all you have to do is follow the intervention that you created for yourself. Do the behavior or pay the extra outcome that you created. Sounds simple enough, right? Problem is that many people tend to drift back to old habits. To decrease this likelihood, you have to solicit the help of someone who can hold you accountable for your goals. This person, known as your "Performance Manager" , can be anyone from a friend, classmate, roommate, or co-worker. Just make sure that it is someone who is dedicated to you achieving your goals. It also helps if they are a hard ass and aren't afraid to tell you to get your butt back in gear.

Step 5: Evaluate the Intervention. As time goes on, it is rewarding to see your progress. This is best done by graphing your behavior. Its not as technical and difficult as it sounds. Simply count the number of times you completed the behavior in a week (or whatever your short term goal states) and plot it on a graph. The passage of weeks goes along the X-Axis and the number of times you completed your initial goal goes on the Y-Axis. This offers you a report on how many times you made your short term goals. Also, by graphing your benefit measures, you can also determine how close you are to your long term goal. .

Step 6: Recycle through Steps 1 through 5 until you reach your goals!