What is a practical example of If-Then planning in starting a study session?

• A. If I feel resistant, I will immediately quit.
• B. If I feel resistant to starting, I will check social media.
• C. If I feel resistant to starting, I will open my notes for 5 minutes and type a single sentence.
• D. If I feel resistant, I will start a new unrelated task.

Answer: (C)

If-Then planning uses a clear cue followed by a concrete action to overcome hesitation and start a task. The best example here pairs the feeling of resistance with a tiny, doable step: open your notes for five minutes and type a single sentence. This works because it lowers the friction to begin. Rather than waiting for motivation to appear, you commit to a specific starter action that is so small it’s almost automatic. Once you’ve begun with that tiny step, momentum often carries you into a fuller study session.

The other patterns don’t fit this approach. Quitting immediately avoids starting altogether, which defeats the goal. Checking social media in response to resistance is a distraction, not a productive initiating action. Starting a new unrelated task shifts focus away from studying, so it doesn’t address the need to begin the study session.