Make distraction costly with effort, price, and identity pacts

When motivation wobbles, systems keep you honest. Precommitments remove future choices so you don’t have to renegotiate with yourself in weak moments. There are three flavors: effort, price, and identity. Use them like tools, not blunt weapons.

Effort pacts add a little friction to the things that pull you off track and reduce friction for what matters. A developer blocks social sites during code time and puts his phone in another room. A simple paper sign on his monitor stops drive‑by interruptions. It feels almost silly, but it works.

Price pacts put a small amount of money on the line for a short, specific behavior. A teacher commits to two hours of course writing every weekday for two weeks, with $10 to a friend each day she misses. The stakes pinch just enough to help her sit down and start. Not forever—just for the sprint.

Identity pacts are deeper. When you say, “I’m indistractable,” and act accordingly, you turn choices into expressions of who you are. Add a two‑minute ritual and a visible cue, like a phone basket at dinner, to make the identity real. Important caveat: make pacts after you’ve done the basics—timeboxing and trigger cleanup. Keep price pacts short and specific. Be kind to yourself if you slip. The point is not punishment, it’s protection.

Pick one task that deserves a pact and choose the lightest tool that would help. Add an effort pact by blocking a few sites and putting your phone in another room during a timed focus block. If you need a stronger nudge, design a short price pact with a friend for a specific, near‑term behavior. Finally, write a simple identity statement and add a tiny ritual or cue to reinforce it. Test this combo for one week and adjust based on what actually helped you start.