Phone Habits
Email Compulsion
Stop refreshing your inbox like a slot machine.
Why This Habit Is Harmful
Email provides intermittent rewards — occasionally something good arrives — which is the exact schedule that builds the strongest habits. You refresh constantly, getting tiny hits of novelty, while real work waits. The behavior feels productive but is usually avoidance in disguise.
How to Break It
- 1Check email only at set times, 2–3 times daily.
- 2Turn off email notifications entirely.
- 3Close the tab between checks to remove the temptation.
- 4Process to zero in batches, then close it.
- 5Ask: "Am I checking for a reason or out of habit?"
Healthier Replacement
When you want to refresh, write the one email you have been avoiding instead. Productive action replaces the loop.