Nir Eyal

Right? And we were going to bed later and later. And not only were we not getting proper sleep, we all know how important rest is. our sex life was suffering. So when I started this research, I came across this research around the importance of these effort packs. And I went to the hardware store and I bought us this $10 outlet timer.

Now this outlet timer, you plug into the wall and whatever you plug into that outlet timer will turn on or off at any time of day and night. So what did we do with that? We plugged in our internet router into this timer. So every night in our household at 10 p.m., the internet shuts off. Now, could I turn it back on?

Now this outlet timer, you plug into the wall and whatever you plug into that outlet timer will turn on or off at any time of day and night. So what did we do with that? We plugged in our internet router into this timer. So every night in our household at 10 p.m., the internet shuts off. Now, could I turn it back on?

Of course I could, but I'd have to go under my desk, unplug this timer, reset it, and plug it back in. That would take effort. So I put some friction in between myself and the distraction. OK, and lo and behold, every night we all knew, OK, the Internet's going to shut down at 10 p.m., finish up whatever you need to do.

Of course I could, but I'd have to go under my desk, unplug this timer, reset it, and plug it back in. That would take effort. So I put some friction in between myself and the distraction. OK, and lo and behold, every night we all knew, OK, the Internet's going to shut down at 10 p.m., finish up whatever you need to do.

And it gave me that bit of mindfulness to say, OK, do I really need to still, you know, check email or social media or whatever silly thing I was doing? Or is it time to do what I said I was going to do, which is get some rest, go to bed and maybe be intimate with my wife?

And it gave me that bit of mindfulness to say, OK, do I really need to still, you know, check email or social media or whatever silly thing I was doing? Or is it time to do what I said I was going to do, which is get some rest, go to bed and maybe be intimate with my wife?

Again, but now it's effort, right? If I really wanted to lie to myself, of course I could. That's not the point, right? That there's always a way. The point is it adds a bit of friction, right? It's that bit of effort that now I have to take.

Again, but now it's effort, right? If I really wanted to lie to myself, of course I could. That's not the point, right? That there's always a way. The point is it adds a bit of friction, right? It's that bit of effort that now I have to take.

Exactly. And now, by the way, it actually wouldn't even matter because we all know the Internet's going to shut off at 10. We all need to start getting ready to stop doing whatever we're doing because it's going to now we don't even need it anymore. It's become part of our nightly ritual. Right. And by the way, what I want to illustrate is the concept, not the practice, right?

Exactly. And now, by the way, it actually wouldn't even matter because we all know the Internet's going to shut off at 10. We all need to start getting ready to stop doing whatever we're doing because it's going to now we don't even need it anymore. It's become part of our nightly ritual. Right. And by the way, what I want to illustrate is the concept, not the practice, right?

Tactics are what you do. Strategy is why you do it. That's more important. You know, I think a lot of these books around similar topics around, you know, dealing with focus and productivity, it's a lot of life hacks. Right. But what I wanted was more the strategy, the psychological principles around why we get distracted. And then I'll let people come up with their own tactics.

Tactics are what you do. Strategy is why you do it. That's more important. You know, I think a lot of these books around similar topics around, you know, dealing with focus and productivity, it's a lot of life hacks. Right. But what I wanted was more the strategy, the psychological principles around why we get distracted. And then I'll let people come up with their own tactics.