Putting It Into Practice: Two Worked Examples
Theory is useful, but seeing how these principles apply to real-life scenarios makes them tangible. Let’s walk through two common bad habits and design a system to replace them, piece by piece.
Example 1: The Evening Wind-Down Routine
The Bad Habit: Mindlessly scrolling through social media or news feeds in bed for an hour (or more) before sleep. This leads to poor sleep quality, anxiety, and a feeling of wasted time.
Deconstructing the Loop:
Cue: Getting into bed.
Action: Opening the phone and cycling through apps.
Reward: A hit of dopamine from novel content, a distraction from work stress, a false sense of “winding down.”
Designing the New System:
The Identity Shift: “I am someone who values rest and protects my peace of mind in the evening.”
Increase Friction (for the bad habit): The phone doesn’t enter the bedroom. The new rule is that it must be plugged into its charger in the kitchen or living room at least 30 minutes before bedtime. This single change dramatically increases the effort needed to engage in the old habit.
Decrease Friction (for the good habit): A book that you are genuinely excited to read is placed on your pillow every morning when you make the bed. It’s waiting for you. Maybe it’s a novel, a biography, or something light. The point is for it to be enjoyable, not a chore.
The Minimum Viable Action: “I will read one page.” That’s it. It’s so easy you can’t refuse. Most nights, you’ll likely read more, but on tired nights, reading just one page still counts as a win. It maintains the streak and reinforces the identity.
The Relapse Plan: “If I find myself in bed with my phone, I will acknowledge it without judgment, get up, put the phone in the kitchen, and return to my bed to read my one page.”
Example 2: The Morning Focus Primer
The Bad Habit: Waking up and immediately grabbing the phone to check email, news, and notifications. This starts the day in a reactive, anxious state, letting other people’s agendas dictate your focus.
Deconstructing the Loop:
Cue: The alarm goes off, and you wake up.
Action: Reaching for the phone on the nightstand.
Reward: A feeling of being “connected” or “productive,” a jolt of cortisol that feels like energy, and a temporary relief from the fear of missing out.
Designing the New System:
The Identity Shift: “I am someone who is intentional and proactive with my time and attention.”
Increase Friction (for the bad habit): As in the previous example, the phone is charged overnight in another room. If you use it as an alarm, consider buying a simple, inexpensive alarm clock. This creates a physical barrier to the old routine.
Decrease Friction (for the good habit): A journal and a pen are placed on the nightstand, right where the phone used to be. The barrier to entry is zero.
The Minimum Viable Action: “Before I do anything else, I will write one sentence identifying my most important task for the day.” This simple act primes your brain to think about your own priorities before the world’s demands rush in. It takes less than 30 seconds but can change the entire trajectory of your day.
The Relapse Plan: “If I check my phone before journaling, I will stop as soon as I realize it, put the phone down, and still write my one-sentence priority. I will not let the slip-up derail the entire morning.”
