How do I use the non-negotiables builder?
Tap three to five items from the library or type your own. For each, edit the wording and add a minimum version — the smallest action that still counts on a terrible day. Give the card a title, then print it or download a phone wallpaper. Your list saves in this browser automatically.
What makes a good minimum version?
A good minimum takes under ten minutes, needs no special equipment or location, and keeps the identity of the habit intact. "Move 30 minutes" has a minimum of a 10-minute walk. "Read 10 pages" has a minimum of one page. If you would skip even the minimum on a bad day, shrink it again.
The point of the minimum is protecting the streak during real life. Habit formation in Lally et al. tolerated an occasional miss, but repeated misses add up; a tiny version keeps the cue and routine paired every day.
Where should I put the card?
Somewhere you will see it at the moment of decision: the bathroom mirror, beside the coffee maker, inside the front door, or as a lock screen. A visible card is a cue, and cues are what turn deliberate actions into habits over time, as Wood and Neal (2007) describe in their account of how habits are triggered by context.
Need ideas first? Browse 60 daily non-negotiable examples.
Frequently asked questions
Why can I only pick five?
Because more than five almost always collapses on a hard week. The cap is deliberate. If you want to add one, remove one.
Is my list stored online?
No. It saves in your browser's local storage on this device only. Printing or saving the wallpaper is the way to take it elsewhere.
How often should I change my list?
Review it once a month. Upgrade something that has become easy or swap out something that no longer matters to you.
Sources
- Lally, P., et al. (2010). How are habits formed. doi:10.1002/ejsp.674
- Wood, W., & Neal, D. T. (2007). A new look at habits and the habit–goal interface. Psychological Review. doi:10.1037/0033-295X.114.4.843