How to Break Bad Habits: Hide Triggers and Add Friction for Better Focus

Breaking bad habits doesn't require superhuman willpower—it requires smarter design. If you're searching for practical neurodivergent tips to help you reclaim your focus and break the loop of distraction, you're in the right place. The secret isn't fighting harder against temptation; it's removing the cues that spark it and adding just enough friction to give your brain time to pause and choose differently.

Why Your Brain Falls for Easy Temptations

Your brain is wired to favour what's close, visible, and effortless. When a tempting behaviour is right in front of you—like your phone glowing on the desk—it becomes the path of least resistance. The cue triggers the loop before you've even realised it's happening. That's why small environmental tweaks can be surprisingly powerful.

By making unwanted behaviours less visible and more effortful, you transform a quick 'yes' into a natural pause. That pause is often all you need to redirect your attention and make a better choice.

Hide the Cues That Start the Cycle

Most slips start with a spark—a visible trigger that activates the habit loop. If you can't remove the habit yet, remove what starts it. Here's how to make the cues of bad habits invisible:

• Put your phone in a drawer, box, or another room when you need to focus
• Log out of distracting apps so you have to consciously log back in
• Cover or move tempting snacks out of sight
• Turn off notifications that pull your attention away

When the trigger is out of sight, the impulse loses its power. You're not relying on self-control—you're simply designing an environment that supports your goals.

Add Friction to Create Natural Pause Points

Even if you can't hide every cue, you can make the first step more annoying. Adding friction—small hurdles that require extra effort—gives you time to notice the impulse and choose consciously. Try these strategies:

• Put distance between you and the trigger (e.g., leave your phone in another room)
• Make access awkward (e.g., unplug the TV or hide the remote)
• Insert a tiny waiting period before you can start (e.g., set a two-minute timer before opening social media)

Each added step is a speed bump. It won't stop every impulse, but it will slow the automatic response enough for your conscious mind to catch up.

Build Better Defaults Without Perfect Willpower

You don't need flawless self-control to break bad habits. You need better defaults. When the cue is out of sight and the first step is clunky, the habit loses its grip—and you regain yours. These small design choices accumulate into lasting change.

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