Implementation intentions, studied extensively by the psychologist Peter Gollwitzer, link a specific situation to a specific action: "When I sit down at my desk after lunch, I will open the draft." Instead of a vague goal, you pre-decide when, where and how.
Why it matters
They are among the better-supported findings in behaviour change. The situation becomes the cue, so you do not have to rely on remembering or on motivation in the moment.
How to apply it
- Write focus plans as "When [time/place], I will [first action]".
- Make the cue something that reliably happens every day.
- Add a plan for the obstacle: "If I feel like checking my phone, I will put it in the other room."