It’s my day off, but I’m just sitting on the sofa scrolling through my phone.

Scenes

• It’s my day off, but I’m just sitting on the sofa scrolling through my phone. — I thought about the movie I wanted to see and the book I wanted to read, but my phone is still in my hand.
• Even resting means choosing what to do — What lingers longer than a day of doing nothing is the time spent unable to decide what to do while resting.
• I close the app, then open it again — At three in the afternoon, I put my phone down to watch a movie, but a little later I turned the same screen back on.
• Resting needs a starting signal, too — Habit design looks first for cues that call up the next action, rather than relying on willpower. During free time, those cues are missing, so choosing what to do takes longer.
• Choose a place to put down your phone — Today, before you rest, write down the title of just one movie you’ll watch and place it beside the remote. Notice whether it shortens the time you spend choosing.
• The first scene of a day off can be small — It’s okay if you don’t feel relaxed all at once. On each day off, I look with you at where you get stuck and the first action that helps you start moving again.