You’ve probably seen those commercials where a family locks their phones in a box, and suddenly everyone’s playing board games, laughing, cooking together, like the ‘good old days.’
I had my own version of that. It was… sad.
One day at my parents’ house, the internet went out.
That meant I couldn’t work, my parents couldn’t watch TV.
And something unexpected happened.
My dad, who had been glued to the TV all week and swore his arthritis made cycling impossible, suddenly suggested we go for a bike ride. We did. Then we talked, laughed, and ended up having one of the best afternoons of my visit.
The next day? The Wi-Fi was back.
Dad returned to his TV and the couch.
I returned to my laptop.
I realized technology isn’t just eating our time, it’s quietly eating our health, relationships, and memories. Even when we think we are in control. It’s not about discipline or willpower. It’s about environment. Environments WE get choose.
In behavioral science, this is called choice architecture (Thaler & Sunstein, Nudge). We like to believe we make decisions based on values and goals, but most of the time, we’re simply following the path of least resistance. Whatever’s easiest in our environment - that's what gets done.
TV remote within arm’s reach? You watch, not walk.
Ice cream at eye level in the freezer? You eat it, not more fruit and veg.
Phone on the table? You scroll, not read.
BJ Fogg’s Behavior Model says behavior = motivation × ability × prompt. Environment design changes the “ability” part. It makes some actions effortless, others invisible. We end up asking, "How can I get motivated? Disciplined?". When we should be asking, "How do I need to change what's around me all the time?"
So, here’s my pitch today,
Stop trying to be more disciplined. Start redesigning your environment so the better choice is the easier choice.
Plants grow better in the right soil. So do we. "Seed" of potential is the least important.
Question for you: If your Wi-Fi went out for a day, what would you finally do that you haven’t done in months?