'I was struggling to make my new year's resolutions stick. Then I learnt about "temptation bundling".'

I love the New Year. I love the idea of starting fresh, turning my journal to a crisp, blank page and pouring my heart out, imagining the type of person this 2026 version of me will be.

She'll be creative, with plenty of hobbies. She'll be the type of woman who actually spends less time on her phone, prioritises whole foods and sticks to a solid exercise routine. Oh, and while we're at it, she'll also have more money in savings.

As for how well I actually stick to those resolutions? Well… that's a different story.

Unfortunately, I'm usually the type of person who gets overly excited, picks 12 different goals, immediately gets overwhelmed and ends up doing approximately zero of them by February.

My poor little resolutions never stood a chance.

But last year, for the first time in my life, something clicked.

When I sat down for my end-of-year reflection, I realised I had actually ticked off several big goals.

And the secret wasn't just "discipline" or "willpower", it was actually just a very sophisticated way of bribing myself.

Watch: Associate professor of pyschology Dr Sarah Dermody shares her tips on sticking to New Year's resolutions. Post continues below.

It's a concept called "temptation bundling".

The term was coined by researcher and professor Katy Milkman and while it sounds fancy, it's beautifully simple: you pair something you want to do with something you should do.

Milkman's theory was if someone was given a pleasurable activity to do at the gym (like listening to the next ACOTAR), they'd be more encouraged to show up.

And sure enough, she was right. Her study found people were 51 per cent more likely to visit the gym if they had something enjoyable to do while exercising.

For me, it meant I could watch my favourite YouTube vlogs, but only while I was on the stairmaster (my arch-nemesis, iykyk). The audiobook I was dying to finish? I had to wait for my long runs.

By combining the "chore" with a temptation, it eventually begins to feel less like a chore. Suddenly, I started looking forward to the gym more because it meant it was time for a little "treat".

As Milkman told The Washington Post, when you bundle like this, "the temptation is not a source of guilt" — and that's a massive win in my books.

If exercise isn't your forte, don't sweat it (bad pun, I'm sorry). Temptation bundling is a versatile little hack for every part of your life.

If you want to eat healthier: Save your latest Netflix obsession for when you're meal prepping in the kitchen.

If you want to spend more time with friends: Save that viral new cafe you've been dying to try for a catch-up you'd otherwise be tempted to reschedule.

If you want to be more creative: only allow yourself to listen to your favourite new album or podcast while you're crocheting or painting.

This girl actually went for (most of) her runs last year.

But what if even a Netflix binge isn't enough to get you moving?

Milkman suggests that when our motivation is high, like it is right now (#newyearnewme), we should capitalise on it by focusing on "one-and-done" goals.

Instead of a vague resolution to "eat healthier", which we usually ditch after a few weeks, use the burst of energy to schedule in the things you've been putting off.

Book your annual physical with your GP. Make that dentist appointment. Finally get your skin check.

"It's great to use this temporary motivation for these one-and-done preventive care things."

Once that's done, and you're buzzing with the dopamine of actually achieving something, you can look at the long-term stuff, like that big savings goal, and build your structure to make it stick.

For me, that meant committing to workout classes with a friend so I was less likely to bail, or telling my partner I wasn't buying takeout for a week so I had someone to keep me honest.

Sticking to resolutions doesn't have to be hard.

I'll be the first to admit, there are holes in this plan.

It's easy to say, "Fine, I won't listen to my audiobook today" if I really can't be bothered to go for a run, or to cancel on my friend if I'm feeling "too tired". Life happens and some days the bribe just isn't big enough.

And that's okay. But overall, I have to say this handy little hack has been transformative.

The 2026 version of me might not be perfect. She might still spend a little too long scrolling TikTok. But thanks to a bit of strategic bribery, she's finally crossing things off her list and enjoying the "treats" along the way.

Feature image: Mamamia.