How to save yourself years of discipline in 10 minutes

Environmental Optimization: A Game-Changer for Building Better Habits

Author

Ark
May 14, 2025

Discipline and willpower are often seen as the cornerstones of habit formation, but what if there’s a more effective way? Recently, I’ve had a mindset shift that’s transformed how I approach habits, and it all comes down to one key factor: environment. Our surroundings have a profound impact on our identity and the habits we perform, often more than we realize. By making small, intentional changes to our environment, we can bypass the need for constant willpower and make habit formation feel almost effortless. Here’s how you can optimize your environment to support the habits you want to build and break the ones you don’t.

The Power of Visual Cues

One of the biggest hurdles in habit formation is simply remembering to do the habit. It’s embarrassing to admit, but I’ve often forgotten to follow through on habits I genuinely wanted to adopt. The solution? Visual cues. By placing objects associated with your desired habits in prominent places, you create constant reminders to take action.

  • Want to read more? Surround yourself with books. Place them on your desk, coffee table, or bedside table where they’re impossible to ignore.

  • Trying to journal? Leave your journal open on your desk with a pen on top, ready to use.

  • Aiming to drink more water? Keep a water bottle or jug on your table, always in sight.

  • Eager to start running? Put your running shoes by the door so they’re the first thing you see when you head out.

These small visual prompts make it easier to act on your intentions. But visual cues work both ways. Negative habits are often triggered by seeing something that prompts the behavior. To break bad habits, hide or remove those triggers.

  • Struggling with compulsive phone scrolling in the morning? Instead of relying on willpower to stop, buy a $5 alarm clock, place it on your bedside table, and charge your phone in another room, like the kitchen. This simple change eliminates the temptation to scroll right after waking up.

  • Dealing with distractions like excessive laptop use in the bedroom? Leave your laptop in another room to avoid mindless browsing or other habits you’re trying to curb.

By spending just five minutes setting up or removing visual cues, you can save hours of willpower and make your habits stick more naturally.

Crafting the Right Atmosphere

Our environment doesn’t just influence our actions—it shapes our identity. Spaces carry associations, often tied to past behaviors, which can make it hard to break old habits. For example, if your bedroom is where you’ve always doom-scrolled or engaged in other unproductive habits, staying in that space can reinforce those behaviors. Changing the atmosphere of your environment can help you wipe the slate clean and build a new identity aligned with your goals.

  • Rearrange your space. Something as simple as swapping the position of your bed and wardrobe can create a subconscious shift in how you interact with your room. When I lived with my parents, I found that rearranging my bedroom helped me break old patterns and feel like I was starting fresh.

  • Move to a new environment. Relocating to a new apartment or leaving your childhood home can be a powerful way to reset your habits. A new space lacks the baggage of old associations, giving you a clean slate to build better habits.

If moving isn’t an option, you can still create a new atmosphere within your existing space.

  • Segment your room. Treat different areas of your room as mini-rooms with specific purposes. For example, in my old bedroom, I used my desk only for work or watching Netflix, a corner chair exclusively for reading, and my bed solely for sleeping. This segmentation helps your brain associate specific actions with specific spaces, reducing the urge to, say, scroll on your phone the moment you get out of bed.

  • Use other spaces strategically. Consider working in the kitchen, a place typically associated with cooking and eating, not scrolling or other distractions. A group member I know swears by this approach, as the kitchen’s lack of negative associations makes it a productive workspace. Alternatively, head to a coffee shop or library to work, where the environment is naturally conducive to focus.

Building an Identity Through Your Environment

Your environment should reflect the identity you want to cultivate. By surrounding yourself with items that align with your goals, you reinforce the person you’re striving to become. For example, I’ve decorated my space with plants, artwork, and nice lighting—not because they’re expensive (my windowsill of flowers cost under $5 at a UK supermarket), but because they inspire creativity and productivity. There’s something about a well-curated space that makes you want to read more, work harder, and scroll less. It’s hard to explain, but it works.

  • Incorporate analog elements. Many of us are trying to reduce phone use, which often serves multiple purposes—music, notes, browsing, and more. Replace some of these functions with analog alternatives to minimize screen time. Surround yourself with books, a journal, pens, paper, a CD player, or even a physical clock. These items give you options for tasks that don’t involve your phone, reducing opportunities to fall into bad habits.

  • Add personal touches. A bouquet of flowers or a scented candle might seem trivial, but these small additions can transform how you feel in your space, making it easier to stay motivated and disciplined.

Small Optimizations, Big Impact

Finally, don’t overlook the power of small environmental tweaks—what I call “little optimizations.” These are subtle changes that can significantly influence your behavior and well-being.

  • Upgrade your lighting. Lighting affects your mood and even your sleep. I recently spent $5 on a color-changing light bulb for my lamp, which I programmed to turn red at night. This eliminates blue and white light exposure that disrupts circadian rhythms, helping me sleep better. It’s a small investment with a huge payoff.

  • Adjust your sleep environment. Try a thinner duvet, leave a window open for fresh air, or open your blinds at night to let morning sunlight wake you naturally. I found that leaving my blinds open helped me wake up more energized, even though conventional wisdom suggests a darker room for sleep. Experiment to find what works for you.

A Call to Action

The beauty of environmental optimization is that it requires minimal effort for maximum results. Spend just 5-10 minutes after reading this article planning your environment. Design your space to support the habits you want and eliminate triggers for the ones you don’t. Whether it’s placing a water bottle on your table, charging your phone in another room, or adding a $5 bouquet of flowers to your desk, these small changes can save you hours of discipline and willpower.

Your environment is a reflection of your identity. By curating it intentionally, you can manifest excellence and become the person you aspire to be. I’m proud of you for taking this step—now go design your space and watch your habits transform.

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