I’m a snooze button girl. Waking up in the morning feels un-natural and my big bed with the down comforter is soooo cozy. The heaviness of my eyelids and that extra 10 minutes (or 30!) of sleep often win out over exercise in the morning.

Richard Thaler, in Misbehaving, says people have a Planner and a Do-er inside of them. The Planner sets the alarm, limits personal funds for restaurant spending, keeps the house free of junk food (chocolate!), schedules the tough conversations at work and seriously writes goals for future success.

The Do-er pushes the snooze button, blows the budget because cooking is just too much work, sneaks chocolate at the grocery checkout, avoids hard things at work, and spends free, low energy time on Facebook. Thaler argues that it is the Planner’s job to design systems so the Do-er can’t make as many impulsive decisions.

It is my Do-er that often keeps me from reaching my full potential. The solution appears to be making self-control easy; my Planner should design systems or routines for personal triumphs.

I’ve been working on my Planner. It turns out it’s a lot easier to get up to exercise if my alarm is on the other side of the room and I’m forced to choose between my comfy bed and ending the incessant beeping. It’s a small win in my world but it is a step toward major personal growth.

-Rachel