What this checklist is (and why it works)

Make the next tiny step easier than avoidance

The Easy Change Checklist turns big goals into three humane moves you can do even on your worst day. It reduces friction (what makes action hard), increases affordance (what makes action easy), and guarantees closure (how to finish so your brain trusts you’ll finish next time). Use it across domains—money, fitness, nutrition, focus, relationships—and watch reliability compound.

Core semantics the checklist encodes

Entities: energy level, context cue, micro-step, affordance, friction, rehearsal, closure, reflection. Triples: Context cue — anchors — micro-step; Affordance — reduces — friction; Rehearsal — primes — action; Closure — converts — action — into — evidence. The checklist keeps decisions tiny and repeatable so momentum survives low-capacity days.

Step 1 — Check energy and capacity

Choose: low / medium / high

Your body sets the budget for the day. Pick a level in seconds: Low (I’m depleted—only micro moves), Medium (some focus—baseline plus a bit), High (add optional stretch after the baseline). This honest check prevents plans you can’t keep and protects trust with yourself.

Set one real-world cue

Attach the action to something you already do: “after coffee,” “after brushing,” “after opening laptop,” “when I sit in the car.” Cues are reliable because they already happen; they carry your new behavior with them.

Step 2 — Pick one two-minute step tied to the cue

Examples by domain

Fitness: shoes on and step outside; one flight of stairs; 60 seconds of mobility. Nutrition: pour water after brushing; add a palm of protein to lunch; place a piece of fruit on the desk. Money: open accounts and note balances (no decisions); move €1 to savings; list one bill and due date. Focus: write one sentence in the draft; rename the file to today’s date; capture one task on paper. Relationships: send one appreciative line; schedule a 10-minute check-in; state one boundary kindly.

Script the first move

Write “first move” in seven words or fewer: “fill bottle now,” “open doc and type title,” “put on shoes.” If you feel resistance, halve the step and keep the cue.

Step 3 — Rehearse “as if” → do → close

15-second priming

Before acting, adopt the posture of “future you,” take two steady breaths, and visualize the first move. This “as if” rehearsal lowers start-up cost. Then perform the two-minute step exactly as scripted.

Closure + micro celebration

End with one breath and a tiny line: “done,” “showed up,” “kept promise.” Closure converts action into evidence. Evidence feeds identity: “I’m the person who shows up, even small.”

Templates you can copy

Morning

Energy: choose level. Cue: after brushing. Step: fill bottle; take three sips. Rehearsal: stand tall, inhale, reach for tap. Closure: “hydrated start.”

Workday

Energy: choose level. Cue: after opening laptop. Step: write one sentence. Rehearsal: hands on keys; exhale. Closure: “sentence done.”

Evening

Energy: choose level. Cue: after dishes. Step: lay out shoes/notebook for tomorrow. Rehearsal: slow breath; place items in sight. Closure: “future me supported.”

Query semantics we answer

Is two minutes really enough?

It’s enough to keep the loop alive on any day. On higher-energy days you’ll naturally extend after completing the baseline. Reliability first; volume second.

What if I miss a day?

There is no debt. Resume with the baseline at the next cue. Re-entry is the victory that predicts long-term adherence.

How do I scale up?

Only after the baseline is automatic. Add “+2 minutes” or “+one set” as optional. Never tie identity to the optional portion.

How should I track?

Mark completion with a dot or one word. Track that you showed up, not how much you did. Your metric is reliability.

Can AI help me follow this?

It depends what you expect. Treat AI as an inspiration engine for one cue-tied micro-step, not an oracle of “truth.” For a safety-first assistant, see Build Your Personal AI Coach with Custom GPT.

Micro-semantics that make this work

Friction → Affordance → Closure

Say the blocker (noise, fatigue), add the helper (earplugs, visible bottle), and define the finish (one breath, one word). This three-part script lowers perceived difficulty and increases the chance you’ll begin—and finish.

Consent + Halving rule

If your body says “no,” halve the step and ask again. Consent prevents self-conflict, which protects momentum.

Troubleshooting map

“I forget.”

Upgrade the cue to something you can’t miss (after brushing, after opening the front door). Place objects in the path of your eyes/hands.

“It feels pointless.”

Name the future pay-off (“writing stays warm,” “body stays mobile”). Add a visible log so tiny steps become visible wins.

“I overdo it and crash.”

Lock the baseline first. Optional volume only after closure. Celebrate restraint: “I kept it tiny and consistent.”

Printable plain-text version

Copy, paste, and keep on your phone

DAILY 3-STEP CHECKLIST
1) ENERGY: low / medium / high
2) CUE: after _________   STEP (≤2 min): __________
3) REHEARSE (15s): posture + breath + first move
   DO → CLOSE: one breath + one word (“done”)
HALVING RULE: if resistance, halve the step + ask consent
REFLECTION (1 line): What helped? What to place for tomorrow?
  

Frequently Asked Questions

How long until this “sticks”?

Stickiness arrives when the baseline feels automatic in its cue context, often within a few weeks of honest practice. Depth grows with repetition.

What if weekends are different?

Create a weekend-specific cue (after breakfast walk, after making coffee). Keep the step the same; swap only the cue.

Is this therapy?

No. It’s a behavioral routine for everyday momentum. For diagnosis, treatment, risk, or crisis, consult a licensed professional.

Keep Going

Related reading and next steps

Start Small to Make Change Stick ·
Micro Habits for Lasting Change ·
Make Habit Change Feel Easy ·
Why “As If” Works Like “It Is” for the Brain ·
Build Your Personal AI Coach with Custom GPT ·
As If Easy — Behavior Change Made Gentle