The Real Reason You Keep Slipping Back Into Old Habits

I disabled two apps on my phone today.
Why? Because when I checked my screen time, I realised I had spent far too many hours on them last week.
And yes, this happens even to a productivity coach.

The difference is that once I noticed it, I acted. I didn’t try to “be stronger” or “use more willpower.”
I changed something in my environment.

That tiny shift is exactly what Nudge Theory is all about.

Nudge Theory, championed by Nobel Prize–winning economist Richard Thaler, is built on a simple truth: humans rarely make perfectly rational decisions. We follow the easiest path, the familiar path, the path that requires the least friction. We follow the default.

So if we already follow defaults… why not design better ones?

Why Good Habits Feel Hard

Most people try to build habits through:
• Motivation
• Willpower
• Pressure
• Guilt

But motivation fades.
Willpower drains.
Pressure backfires.
Guilt keeps you stuck.

Top performers don’t depend on emotional strength. They depend on environmental strength. They design nudges that make the right actions the easiest actions.

What is a Nudge?

A nudge is a small, intentional change in your environment that gently guides your behaviour without forcing it.

It’s not discipline.
It’s not restriction.
It’s improved design.

Real-Life Moments You Might Recognize

If any of these sound familiar, you’re not alone:

You want to sleep earlier, but your phone is the last thing you touch at night.
Notifications, bright icons, and endless scrolling keep you awake longer than you planned.

You want to eat healthier, but the snacks on your counter jump out before the fruits in your fridge.
Your environment wins every time.

You want to read more, but your book is buried somewhere in your bag.
Out of sight often means out of practice.

You intend to work out, but your gym clothes are not where you left them.
Tiny friction becomes big resistance.

You want to reduce spending, but every app keeps sending you “flash sales” and “recommended items.”
Your wallet doesn’t stand a chance.

In each situation, the problem isn’t your character. It’s your setup.

Simple Nudges You Can Start Using

Here are nudges that work precisely because they remove friction:

1. Reduce phone distractions
Turn off badges, remove non-essential notifications, or temporarily disable apps like I did.
Your attention becomes the default, not distraction.

2. Encourage better food choices
Place fruits and healthy snacks at eye level. Hide the junk behind something else.
Your environment nudges your appetite.

3. Make reading attractive
Keep your book or Kindle on your pillow or desk.
Your evening automatically leans toward reading.

4. Support consistent exercise
Lay out your workout clothes the night before.
When the barrier shrinks, the habit expands.

5. Protect your finances
Unsubscribe from marketing emails and remove saved cards from shopping sites.
Less temptation, better control.

Each of these takes less than 60 seconds but can shift your behaviour for years.

Why Nudges Work

Nudges remove the internal battle.
You stop fighting your brain and start working with it.

Human behaviour follows the path of least resistance.
If the good habit becomes the easiest choice, it eventually becomes the automatic choice.

A Question for You This Week

What is one small nudge you can introduce today that would make the behaviour you want just a little easier?

Small is powerful.
Simple is effective.
And sometimes, all it takes is rearranging your environment to upgrade your life.