Use better prompts Person fails, Context clutters, Action wins

Most people use the worst prompt there is: memory. “I’ll remember to stretch.” You won’t, not reliably. A better prompt is one you design. Start by decluttering. If your screen explodes with badges and pings, you’ll miss the one that matters. Fold a small curtain over your whiteboard or notebook to hide tasks you’re not doing today. Quiet context makes the real cues stand out.

Now build Action prompts. Choose a dependable behavior and stick your tiny action right after it. After you hang your coat, fill your water bottle. After you put your mug on the desk, write one sentence. Make it literal and close in time. If the anchor happens in the kitchen, keep the action there. If it happens once a day, don’t try to do the new thing hourly.

You can even turn annoyances into cues. Pearl Habits reshape irritations. When the motorcycle growls past your window, unclench your jaw. When the elevator takes forever, shift your weight and breathe out slowly. These tiny moves don’t fix the world. They fix how your body holds the world.

Use Meanwhile Habits to harvest dead time. While the browser updates, tidy two paper clips. While the pasta boils, wipe one tile. It’s strangely satisfying to get a tiny win without spending extra minutes. One dad told me he does calf raises while his toddler debates which shoes are the “fast ones.” He stopped being annoyed. He started building stronger ankles.

Behind all this is prompt geometry. Person prompts (remembering) are weak. Context prompts are useful but saturate quickly. Action prompts are king, because they’re tied to reliable behavior. When you design the right prompt for the right moment, you stop forgetting and start doing, without arguing with yourself.

Drop the hope that you’ll just remember, and clear away extra prompts so the important ones stand out. Choose a sturdy anchor and put the tiny action right after its exact moment, keeping it in the same place and time. When irritations pop up, let them trigger a tiny counter‑move, and use small waits as Meanwhile Habits for extra wins. Keep prompts simple and close to the action. Try adding one Action prompt tomorrow morning right after you place your coffee on the desk.