Day 86: 6 Ways To Delay Instant Gratification

What: Instant gratification

Why: Commercials, billboards, magazine ads, books, radio commercials, etc. These are all ploys companies use to lure you into making choices to satisfy your instant gratification. Have you ever heard a child in a store say “But I want it now, Mommy!” Thoughts of needing it “now” start at a young age; although, as the old saying goes, “good things come to those who wait.” Do you see any truth in that statement? How easily do you fall into the trap of instant gratification? Do you find yourself watching a commercial or walking down an aisle in a store thinking “I need to have that!”? How do you combat instant gratification? Here are a few tips:

1. Know your boundaries. A few questions to ask yourself:

• Where would I put this?
• What does this item do for me?
• Do I have something that is similar sitting around the house?
• Will this item make my life that much better?
• Am I buying this item to achieve a certain status?
• Am I buying this item to achieve a specific goal?

2. Know your values. What is important to you? What do you want in life? Ads will always bombard you – lose 5 inches off your waist in “x” amount of time – is this what you value? Or do you value exercising to stay healthy? Don’t buy the magazine. If you value your health, spare yourself the cost and when you get home, go for a walk for 30 minutes.

3. Plan ahead. Whether it be financially, mentally, or spiritually, know what you need to be able to reach the goals you have set in place for yourself. For example, if you are hoping to pay off your mortgage in a certain amount of time, participating in instant gratification would clearly go against this goal. Again, know your boundaries.

4. Be surprised. You might be shocked at how much money you can save, just by making the decision to not fall into those impulsive buys. What if every time you went to the store, you only bought what was on your list? How much would you save in a week? A month? A year? It may take you a little while to reach your overall goal, but it’s in the smaller decisions that you make everyday, that will help you accomplish your big goals.

5. Be careful what you let into your house. What do you fill your mind with? Are you always reading magazines or reading articles about the latest and greatest trends? The “new” ways to decorate your house? The “best” way to lose weight? What if you started to read magazines that weren’t about the next best thing? What about reading about the things you are passionate about? Think about what you are filling your mind with. What do you take in on a daily basis and how does it affect your thinking?

6. Ask yourself WHY. Take a moment to pause and think: WHY am I buying this item. Taking time to just be, may prevent your cart from filling up with needless items. No is a hard word – it’s only two letters long, but it takes a long time to be able to say with confidence. Protect your house from unwanted, unnecessary purchases.

Confession of the Day: Contentment. I think that is what instant gratification comes down to – not being content with what we have. It is taking me years to learn this one – still in the process. I am not a big spender, but it is easy to see something that may be a good deal and buy it. That in itself, is still instant gratification – satisfying the desire to find a good deal. Instant gratification is intertwined in so many areas in life. Food – I walk through the kitchen and see a cookie and think “that looks good” so I eat it. Was I even hungry? No! Think, think, think. Take time to consider how instant gratification may be affecting your life. Living with less means saying no to the things the world constantly throws at us in ads, magazines, on billboards, you name it. Know your values, your boundaries, and be okay with “enough.”

What do you have a hard time saying no to?