Putting It All Together: Two Worked Examples
Let’s move from theory to reality. Here is how you might apply these principles to design two common routines: a calming evening wind-down and a focused morning primer. Notice how each element—identity, cue, MVA, and friction reduction—comes into play.
Example 1: The Evening Wind-Down Routine
Identity: “I am a calm and well-rested person who values sleep.” This identity shifts the focus from a list of chores to a state of being.
The Goal: To stop mindlessly scrolling on my phone in bed and instead read a book to calm my mind before sleep.
The Design Process:
First, I need a reliable cue. I’ll use time-based and environment-based cues. I will set a recurring alarm on my phone for 10:00 PM labeled “Time to Wind Down.” That’s my signal to start the process. The second cue is my environment. I will make my bedroom a “no-scroll zone.”
Next, I’ll tackle friction. To decrease the friction for my desired habit, I will place a book I’m excited to read on my pillow every morning when I make my bed. It will be physically waiting for me. To increase the friction for my bad habit, I will move my phone charger to the kitchen. This makes it impossible to plug it in next to my bed and scroll. I have to physically get up and leave the room to use it while it’s charging.
My Minimum Viable Action (MVA) will be: “After the 10:00 PM alarm goes off, I will plug my phone in the kitchen and read just one page of the book on my pillow.” This is so simple it feels foolproof. Most nights, I know I’ll read more than one page, but on a tiring day, just doing that one page still counts as a win. It reinforces the habit loop.
Finally, for accountability, I’ve told my partner about my goal. They can gently ask, “Did you get to your reading tonight?” This simple check-in adds a layer of supportive encouragement. The reward is twofold: the immediate enjoyment of the book and the long-term, powerful reward of better sleep and feeling more rested, which reinforces my identity as a well-rested person.
Example 2: The Morning Focus Primer
Identity: “I am a focused and proactive person who starts the day with intention.”
The Goal: To stop reacting to emails and news first thing in the morning and instead spend five minutes planning my day to feel more in control.
The Design Process:
I will use habit stacking for my cue. My existing, automatic habit is making coffee. So my new cue will be: “After I press the ‘start’ button on my coffee maker.”
For my friction audit, I need to make the new habit effortless and the old one harder. To decrease friction, I will leave a specific notepad and a pen on the kitchen counter next to the coffee maker the night before. It will be waiting for me, open to a fresh page. To increase friction for the old habit, I will use my phone’s settings to disable notifications for email and news apps from 10 PM to 9 AM. I will also move these apps off my home screen and into a folder on the last page. I can still access them, but it requires more intentional effort.
My Minimum Viable Action (MVA) is: “After starting my coffee, I will write down my single most important task for the day.” That’s it. Just one thing. It takes less than 30 seconds. On most days, this will naturally lead me to jot down a few other to-dos, but even if I only write that one thing, I have successfully primed my brain for a proactive day.
The reward is the immediate feeling of clarity and control over my day. I’m no longer starting my morning in a state of reaction, hijacked by other people’s agendas. This feeling directly reinforces my desired identity as a focused and intentional person, making me eager to repeat the action the next day.
