A five-minute tidy-up, Explained Simply

Start with one small change

When you slip, shrink the next step instead of quitting. Two minutes, one line, half a rep — anything that keeps the thread alive.

• Schedule it like any other appointment
• Start smaller than feels necessary
• Write down your first step the night before

Remove the friction

Remove as much friction as you can. The easier you make it, the less you'll rely on willpower to follow through.

Celebrate the small wins

Expect off days. They're part of the process, not a sign you've failed. The goal is to get back on track quickly, not to never slip.

Make the right choice the easy choice.

Be specific about when and where. A vague "later" rarely happens; "right after breakfast, at the kitchen table" usually does.