A token economy is a reward system designed to reinforce or create desired behavior or habits. It is based on the contingency of maintaining that behavior or habit with positive Reinforcement by way of reward. A perfect example is when children are given stickers or tokens when they do chores or follow instructions. In some cases, these stickers or tokens can be collected and then traded in for an even higher reward. This can be used to motivate an individual positively towards a goal.
How can a Token Economy be Beneficial?
Whether you are trying to motivate children or adults, positive Reinforcement by way of a reward system can be helpful with motivation. Sometimes the idea of working towards a goal of getting someone to do something even for their own benefit is not enough. Even if the goal or behavior is a simple task, the idea of creating new habits in order to complete a goal can be challenging to maintain, as we all know that old habits die hard. Rewarding ourselves for the little victories or small things we do towards desired behavior and goals can give us a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. It can also make a daunting task easier to do. Let’s talk about how.
Utilizing Token Economy
Let’s say you want to accomplish a specific goal or want someone to do something. The first things you should consider are what is required to complete that goal and then break up the goal into small tasks/behaviors. A token economy system will not be conducive if the tasks are too big in the beginning. Essentially, you can ask or do larger tasks later for rewards, but starting out with too large tasks will lower motivation as it will be too overwhelming or intimidating to start. If you are trying to motivate a group, larger tasks will especially lower morale. Meaning the group may become resentful towards you. Meaning that while the overall task will get done, the group’s attitude towards you will change negatively.
Positive Reinforcements with Dieting
If you are trying to lose weight, you may have set a goal in mind with exactly how much weight you would like to lose. Depending on how much weight you are looking to lose, you might want to consider breaking the goal down into small numbers on a weekly or monthly basis. Consider the behaviors needed, like eating healthier or going to the gym. Maybe swapping out junk food for more nutritious options or getting more sleep so you can be more active during the day. Reward yourself with small rewards, perhaps taking some time to consider things you like and refraining from doing those things until you have completed a certain task needed for your overall goal.
Cheat days are a great way to reward yourself, and it doesn’t always have to be food-related, even though the idea of eating your favorite indulgent food item doesn’t sound like a bad idea. However, when we think about the type of rewards we would like to have, we should also think about the type of negative behaviors we can create based on the type of person we are. For example, if you are someone who is trying to eat healthier (whether you are trying to lose weight or not), eating an unhealthy meal or having a day of unhealthy eating might not be conducive to your goal if you are more likely to find yourself developing a habit of complimenting every healthy item or meal you have something unhealthy.
Positive Reinforcement with Changed Behavior
It takes twenty-one days to create a new habit. If we think of a habit as a lifestyle change, then it makes it easier to create them, as it becomes a part of who we are and has a place in how we function on a daily basis. Thus, becoming essential to how we function. This can be a little different for things like quitting smoking because you shouldn’t be rewarding yourself with a cigarette for abstaining from smoking for a certain amount of time. Doing something like using the money you save from buying cigarettes to treat yourself to something nice or doing an activity you usually wouldn’t be able to do is a great way to reward yourself for the small victories.
Another way to encourage positive Reinforcement is to document it. Track your progress as well as identifying why you are working towards the goal you set. Those small tasks and changed behaviors add up to a lot. It is important to recognize those things and treat yourself to something nice. Take a moment to reflect and enjoy that feeling of accomplishment.
Our Offerings
Here at Renew’d Studio of Wellness Arts, we offer an extensive list of personalized services such as tours and workshops curated around setting and accomplishing your wellness goals. These experiences provide valuable information on nutrition and health and offer our guests the opportunity for self-care and positive reflection on how we can take better care of ourselves, body, and mind.
