Putting It All Together: Worked Examples in Prose
Let’s see how these principles come together in a real-world context. These are not rigid prescriptions, but illustrations of how you can weave tiny habits into a seamless routine. Notice how one action flows into the next, guided by environmental cues and habit stacking.
Example 1: The Evening Wind-Down Routine (Setting Up Your Morning for Success)
The best morning routine often begins the night before. This evening routine is designed to reduce tomorrow’s friction and signal to your body and mind that it’s time to rest. At 9:30 p.m., a gentle alarm on Sarah’s phone goes off, not with a jarring sound, but with a quiet chime labeled “Wind Down.” This is her cue. She finishes what she’s doing and walks into the kitchen. There, she takes her water bottle and fills it, placing it on her bedside table—her first act of kindness for her future self. Next to the bottle, she places the book she is reading. Back in the living room, she unrolls her yoga mat and leaves it beside her bed. She then heads to the bathroom. After she brushes her teeth, her established habit, she opens the journal and pen that live on the small counter. She doesn’t have to write a novel; her MVA is to write down one thing she’s grateful for from the day. This simple action shifts her mind from the day’s stresses to a place of positivity. Finally, she gets into bed, plugs in her phone across the room to increase the friction of snoozing, and reads just one page of her book. The entire process takes less than ten minutes, but it has perfectly set the stage for a successful morning.
Example 2: The Morning Focus Primer Routine
Mark’s alarm goes off at 6:30 a.m. His phone is across the room, so he has to get out of bed to turn it off. This single piece of friction-based design prevents him from hitting snooze. As he walks back to his bed, he sees the full water bottle Sarah (his partner) or he himself placed there the night before. He picks it up and drinks it all while standing and looking out the window. This is his anchor habit. Once the bottle is empty, he immediately steps onto the yoga mat he laid out. He doesn’t do a full workout; he simply does a few gentle stretches for sixty seconds, focusing on his back and hamstrings. This is his body habit, waking up his physical self. After the stretch, he sits on the mat, closes his eyes, and takes five deep, slow breaths. He’s not trying to clear his mind, just to observe his breath. This is his mind habit. He then walks to his desk, where his notebook and favorite pen are waiting. He opens it and writes down the single most important task for the day. Not a to-do list, just one “win” for the day. This is his direction habit. This whole sequence is finished before he’s even thought about checking email or brewing coffee. It has taken less than five minutes, but he has already hydrated, moved his body, calmed his mind, and set his intention. He has started his day proactive, not reactive, embodying the identity of a focused and intentional person.
