Design your environment to avoid draining willpower

You sit at a desk cluttered with random sticky notes, your phone buzzing from a recent text. Each ping pulls you out of the thread you’re trying to follow. You take a deep breath, clear everything off the surface, and see only your notebook and a pen.

With nothing else to tempt you, the room grows quieter. Your pen slides smoothly across paper, and you notice how your ideas flow without the usual tug to check messages. The light from the window feels softer when your eyes aren’t darting to every notification.

Later, when you glance at your phone, you realize you haven’t even missed those pings. Instead, you’ve captured three new insights in your slip-box—thoughts that might lead to your next paper.

Behavioral science calls this choice architecture: structuring our surroundings so we rely less on weak willpower and more on clear signals. By removing friction, you invite focus and calm into your work.

Start by clearing your desk of everything except your note-taking tools and slip-box. Turn on a website blocker and set it for your next work block. Notice how your energy feels sharper when distractions are gone, and you’ll find ideas flow more freely without draining willpower. Try it during your next study or writing session.