A mobile helper of creating ritual behaviors using users' cell phone that they think important but easily be forgotten.

According to a positive psychology book, Happier by Tal Ben-Shahar, happiness is obtained when repeatedly doing a behavior which yields present benefit as well as future benefit. However, doing something continuously is difficult and also a common passive scheduler or reminder doesn’t help. ‘Happy Ritual’ encourages user to do the behavior then report it regularly similar to ritual prayer.

Keywords

Positive psychology, Happiness, Ritual, Mobile phone

Personal Statement

Although I’m not a big fan of self-improvement book, I sometimes read them and try to follow recommendations such as Michael Michalko’s Thinkertoys and Cracking Creativity. It is hard to do them repeatedly even when I put them in my scheduler and get a reminder. I think that’s because I’m lazy and also the passive way is not good to make a habit. In addition, Christian grace before a meal and Muslim pray at specific times and direction are impressive. It seems they are doing it unconsciously, but it might be consciously at the first time. While thinking about a communication between unconsciousness and consciousness, I suppose the ritual behaviors are existing knowledge of this issue.

Background

Dr Marxwell Maltz, author of Psycho-Cybernetics, found that it took 21 days in a row without missing a day to create a new habit. Brain circuits take memory traces, and produce neuroconnections and neuropathways only if they are bombarded for 21 days.

Happiness is achieved while pursuing the happiness archetype which means present benefit and future benefit. -- Happier

Audience

Everybody who has cell phone

User Scenario

1. select a ritual on a screen such as meditation
2. do the ritual
3. report it to the server by using cell phone
4. get a mini reward via test message
5. habit is a big reward

Technical description

SMS messaging, Gmail, cronjob(in server)

Implementation

1. ritual task(text message) to cell phone
2. report(text message) to Gmail account
3. Perl Popper program on server check the message
4. Web server shows the progress

Conclusion

A communication between unconsciousness and consciousness is a key of creating a habit. A handheld device is useful to get an instant reward and to make us unconscious as well as conscious about our behaviours.

Reference

• Happier, Tal Ben-Shahar
• 21 Ways to Balance Work and Life by Aristotle Writers

Additional info

• Working on Google Android version and Apple iPhone version now.
• Applying the concepts of Predictably / Irrational by Dan Ariely