Putting It All Together: Worked Examples
Theory is helpful, but seeing these principles in action makes them tangible. Let’s walk through how to design two simple but powerful routines using the concepts of cues, minimum viable actions, friction reduction, and identity. These are not rigid prescriptions, but illustrations of the design process you can adapt for your own goals.
Example 1: The Evening Wind-Down Routine
Goal: Reduce screen time before bed, read more, and improve sleep quality.
Identity: “I am a calm person who prioritizes rest and recovery.”
Let’s imagine someone named Alex who currently spends the last hour of their day scrolling on their phone in bed, feeling wired and anxious. Alex decides to design a new routine. The overarching cue is a specific time: 9:30 PM. Alex sets a recurring alarm on their phone labeled “Wind-Down Time.” This is the trigger for the entire sequence. To reduce friction for the good habits and increase it for the bad, Alex prepares the environment earlier in the day. A book is placed on the bedside table. A “no-phone” charging station is set up in the kitchen. At 9:30 PM, the alarm goes off. The first action is to plug the phone in at its station in the kitchen, making it inconvenient to retrieve. This simple act creates a physical and psychological separation from the device. Next, Alex uses habit stacking. The cue of plugging in the phone triggers the next action: changing into pajamas. After changing, Alex moves to the bathroom. The cue of seeing the toothbrush triggers the habit of brushing teeth. After that, Alex returns to the bedroom. The book is sitting there, an obvious visual cue. The minimum viable action (MVA) is simply to read one page. That’s it. Most nights, Alex reads for 15-20 minutes, but on tired nights, just reading one page maintains the habit. The immediate reward is the feeling of calm and the immersive experience of the book. The long-term reward is better sleep and waking up more refreshed, which reinforces the entire loop and solidifies the identity of someone who is in control of their evenings.
Example 2: The Morning Focus Primer Routine
Goal: Start the workday with focus and intention instead of reactive email checking.
Identity: “I am a focused, productive person who is proactive, not reactive.”
Now, let’s consider Sarah. The first thing Sarah does every morning is grab her phone and start scrolling through emails and news, which immediately puts her in a state of stress. She wants to change this. Her powerful, pre-existing cue is finishing her morning cup of coffee. She decides to use habit stacking: “After I finish my coffee, I will start my focus primer.” To reduce the friction for this new routine, she prepares the night before. She closes all a’ndistracting tabs on her computer and leaves open only a blank document. She places a notepad and pen next to her keyboard. The next morning, she makes and drinks her coffee as usual. When the cup is empty, that’s the trigger. She resists the urge to check her phone. Instead, she sits at her desk. The environment is already primed for focus. Her minimum viable action (MVA) is to write down her single most important task for the day on the notepad. It takes less than 30 seconds. That’s the baseline for a successful day. On most days, she continues from this MVA into a five-minute “brain dump,” writing down everything on her mind to clear her head before starting that most important task. The immediate reward is a feeling of clarity and control over her day. She isn’t being pulled in a dozen directions by her inbox. The long-term reward is significantly higher productivity and lower work-related stress, which powerfully reinforces her new identity as a focused professional.
