Did you know that, according to a 2009 study, it takes an average of 66 days to break a bad habit? Now, we’re not talking about the casual, half-hearted attempts at breaking bad habits with which we are all familiar. On the contrary, this study followed people who were really, REALLY trying their darndest to make positive changes. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, it took the participants much longer than they planned to drop their bad behavior for good.
We all have bad habits, of course–whether they be smoking/vaping, fast food bingeing, overspending, or poor posture–and the reason why they are so hard to quit is because we so rarely have accountability buddies to keep us on track. Well, what if we told you that there is actually an accountability buddy (of sorts) that is there with you 24/7 and every step of the way?
Now, this “accountability buddy” isn’t a person, it’s actually a wearable device that uses the power of aversion therapy to alter your behavior for the better. It’s called the Pavlok and it is a sleek, colorful bracelet similar to a FitBit. It is designed to produce haptic feedback (aka an uncomfortable shock) whenever you are about to indulge in the behavior from which you are trying to refrain.
The handy bracelet can’t recognize when you are about to pick up a french fry or a cigarette; it relies on you to press a button whenever you feel a craving coming on, an action that actually follows its aversion therapy model. According to case studies published on the Pavlok website, your craving for the dark sided behavior that you are so desperately trying to rid yourself of should dissipate within 3-5 days of use. Pretty impressive if you ask us!
Here’s what the future of habit-busting, wearable technology looks like:
So, the Pavlok is obviously cute and sporty, but what do the shocks that it emits actually feel like?
“It feels kind of like, if you were to touch a doorknob after rubbing your socks on the carpet,” said one user.
Ok, so not quite the electric chair nightmare that we were thinking, but, nevertheless, this trendy bracelet definitely packs quite the punch!
To see the Pavlok in action and to hear what its users have to say about its “shocking” powers, be sure to watch the video below! And, if you have a habit you’d like to kick, you can pick up one of these babies with just a couple of clicks right on Amazon.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on the Pavlok! Do you think that this zapping bracelet is a good idea? Have you used similar technology to break a bad habit? What are some bad habits that you need to break?