Enjoying the Power of Celebrations, Rewards and Treats in Day Crafting

It's Friday, the weekend has arrived, or you've finally cleared your email inbox. Maybe you've achieved a milestone that required hard work or had a stroke of good luck. Perhaps you'd be content with some unscheduled or undeserved kindness. All of these are reasons for celebrations, rewards and treats for yourself – but, aren't these the same thing?

In my Day Crafting work, I make a distinction between celebrations, rewards and treats as separate tools because they serve distinct purposes and work in different ways with aspects of our behavioural psychology.

Overcoming Hesitation towards Celebrations, Rewards and Treats

Before diving into the definitions, let's address a common issue: many of us hesitate to celebrate, reward, or treat ourselves. We might listen to the nagging voice in our heads that says we don't deserve special treatment or that celebrations are for children or significant anniversaries. Personally, I have a problem in that I can enthusiastically imagine a future reward but when I get there, I don't actually feel like it – but I'm working on it.. Let's explore what you might need to work on.

I'm making the wild assumption that you're willing to overcome any reticence you might have and that you might dust these three tools off and put them into practical use in your Day Crafting workshop.

Here's a quick and practical distinction between celebrations, rewards, and treats in the context of Day Crafting:

Celebration

• What it is: An in-the-moment, instant reaction.

• Examples: A celebratory shout, a fist-pump, jumping up and down.

• Use it for: Reinforcing positive behavioural changes and promoting a positive mindset.

Reward

• What it is: A future inducement, something reserved for a later time, requiring effort or merit.

• Examples: A bottle of bubbly, a prize, a special experience, recognition.

• Use it for: Boosting motivation and ongoing practice, serving as an incentive to tackle difficult tasks.

Treat

• What it is: An unexpected or unearned gift, present, or service.

• Examples: A surprise sensory pleasure like a special meal or a bouquet of flowers, an act of kindness or generosity.

• Use it for: Enjoying a positive experience whenever you desire.

The Practice

Are you better at one of these?

Which do you need more of?

How can you encourage these practices in others?

By understanding and embracing the differences between celebrations, rewards and treats, you can unlock the potential of each tool in your Day Crafting. How can you use these tools in your coming days?