We know that we have two brains – two systems. These are (variously) referred to as Hot / Cold or System 1 / System 2.
The Hot system is the limbic system, operated in the amygdala which sits just on top of the brain stem. It is activated by stress and results in your body taking flight or getting ready to fight.
The Cool part of the brain is sited in the pre-frontal cortex. Its stimuli is information and it has the ability for rational, reflective and strategic behaviour. It also has the ability to attenuate stress.
The ability to attenuate stress – to pay attention to the signs of stress and take action to cool it down is an important skill and needs to be learned as early in life as possible.
IF-THEN implementation plans are a way of linking cues to the Hot system and taking attenuating action.
The cue, or trigger has two parts:
- A situation
- A feeling
A situation can be
- The time is 5 pm and work has just finished.
- I’m at the garage and the car needs fuel.
- I’m at the supermarket doing the weekly shop.
A feeling might be
- I’m anxious.
- I’m tired.
- I’m stressed.
A cue leads eventually to an outcome – It’s five pm and I’m stressed and I walk past a pub so I have a drink that turns into several that then leads to whatever happens when I get drunk.
If you want to interrupt this process, then knowing what you are going to do by default in that situation has been shown to help.
The IF-THEN implementation works like this.
IF (something happens)
THEN (I will do something to distract myself)
In the example above
IF it’s time to go home,
THEN I will take the bus from the stop before the pub so I don’t go past it at all.
This method helps put the Cool system back in charge and override the HOT system, helping you make better choices.