After many years of imagining what it might look like to take down the half-wall between our kitchen and dining room, we finally did it! This week, amid tons of banging, ripping, tearing, and dislodging, down came that wall and, frankly, the only one who wasn’t happy about it was the dog. I have learned a lot this week about updating 50-year-old kitchens, and yesterday’s news was the biggest: Our carpenter/project manager par excellence said that he can always tell from the project whether the family enjoys cooking. Wow — that was an eye-opener! 

Why should I be surprised? Environmental cues affect our behaviors whether we realize it or not. A well-designed kitchen is a kitchen that functions with as few obstacles as possible. The stove is near the sink is near the refrigerator. So does that mean that a well-designed kitchen inspires people who might otherwise describe themselves as “I don’t cook”? I hope so, because the research is clear: the more cooking and eating done at home, the likelier the food is to be nourishing. And the fewer obstacles to healthy behaviors, the better we rest, move, and eat. 

Research conducted at the Harvard Graduate School of Education showed that although only 30% of families eat dinner together, those families have lower rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders, tobacco use, and obesity. The benefits to both mental and physical health are substantial. 

Environmental cues are powerful influencers. Think about the soft lighting and pale neutral walls you associate with a spa, or the green spaces that make a community park so welcoming and enjoyable to residents of all ages. 

Environmental cues do not nudge people only in the direction of healthier behaviors. They also do the opposite. Have you ever noticed that bags of potato chips are made of a material that is slightly crunchy? This is not coincidental. Manufacturers of ultra-processed items understand that consumers engage with their products on many levels, even before that first salty chip passes your lips. And if you discover that you’ve eaten an entire bag of chips without even noticing, then so much the better (for the potato chip company, not for you). 

I know it’s easier to talk about changing environmental cues than to actually change them, and there aren’t any magic tricks. But you don’t have to think big. You might consider small strategies, like sleeping in a set of comfy clean sweats so that you can hop right out of bed and onto your treadmill, or setting the table with salad-sized plates to normalize portion sizes, or placing a clear glass bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter for snacking. 

Changes fast and slow may be brought about by planting trees, starting compost heaps, riding bikes to the library, and/or eating more fresh produce. Maybe the wellness committee at work will replace the old water fountains with newer versions that include an attachment for filling water bottles. 

The world in which we function has a powerful effect on our behavior. I encourage you to take advantage of your ability to recognize how it influences you.