Cognitive Engineering & Self-Mastery — Part 6A: Cognitive Ergonomics & Environment Design (Make the Right Action the Easiest Action)

Track: Friction Audits · Attention Funnels · Device Profiles · Workspace Resets · Cue Architecture · Cognitive Offloading

Discipline is expensive. Design is cheap. Build worlds where your future self wins by default.

1) Choice Architecture 101 (Defaults Decide Destinies)

• Default: the action that happens with least effort. Make this your desired behaviour.
• Gate: a visible checkpoint that forces one decision (“Start timer & write First Line”).
• Friction: clicks, reaches, toggles, ambiguity, mess, noise, social cues, lighting, posture.

Rule: If you need motivation each time, the environment is under-designed.

2) Friction Audit (Reduce, Route, Remove)

3) Attention Funnels (From Entry → Gate → Artifact)

• Entry: a ritual that starts the session (timer + beverage + music cue).
• Gate: one screen, one doc, one First Line, full-screen on open.
• Artifact: a tangible output (paragraph, sketch, commit) before checking anything else.

Install one funnel per high-value activity (writing, coding, study, planning).

4) Device Profiles (Workday / Night / Travel)

• Workday: focus mode ON, only whitelisted apps; browser profile “WORK”; dock shows 3 apps max.
• Night: greyscale display, social muted, reading app pinned; blue-light reduced.
• Travel: offline packs (docs, playlists, read-later); battery-saving defaults.

5) Workspace Ergonomics (Body Drives Mind)

• Lighting: bright & cool for work; warm & dim for shutdown. Natural light if possible.
• Posture: neutral wrists; feet flat; screen at eye level; stand-sit alternation.
• Sound: noise floor control (ANC, brown noise, or quiet zones).
• Visual diet: only today’s project visible; other tools out of sight.

6) Cue Architecture & Habit Scaffolding

• Lay-out cues: place the work where the work happens (notebook open, doc top-left, timer ready).
• Stack: after coffee → open doc → type First Line → start 50-min timer.
• Floor rescue: on bad days, reduce to 2 minutes but keep the cue chain.

7) Cognitive Offloading & Checklists

• Externalise steps (checklists, macros, templates) to save working memory.
• Pre-decide “good enough” (Definition of Done) to avoid perfection stalls.
• Carry a single capture tool (inbox) to avoid fragmenting ideas.

Templates (Copy/Paste)

Friction Audit Sheet

SESSION: ___________________________    DATE: __ / __ / __
STEPS → FRICTION → FIX:
1) __________________________________ → _________________________________ → _______________________
2) __________________________________ → _________________________________ → _______________________
3) __________________________________ → _________________________________ → _______________________
MEASURE (start time, interruptions): _______________________________________
  

Attention Funnel Map

ACTIVITY: ______________________
ENTRY: _________________________  (timer/beverage/music/light)
GATE: ___________________________ (one doc/screen; First Line)
ARTIFACT: _______________________ (what ships before check)
RECOVERY (10–20m): ______________ (walk/light/water/breath)
  

Device Profiles Script

PROFILE: WORKDAY
- Focus mode: allow [calendar, timer, notes]
- Browser profile: WORK (autostart 1 doc + calendar view)
- Dock/menu bar: [docs, timer, files] only
- Notifications: OFF (email pull at 12:30/16:30)

PROFILE: NIGHT
- Greyscale ON; social muted; reading app pinned
- Blue-light ↓; bedtime reminder 90m pre-sleep

PROFILE: TRAVEL
- Offline packs synced; battery saver; downloads prepped
- Single earbuds + preloaded focus tracks
  

Workspace Reset (3-Min Ritual)

:60  Close loops (save, commit, park next action on top line)
:60  Clear desk to next project's tools only
:60  Set tomorrow's First Line + place visible cue
  

Definition of Done (DoD) Card

TASK: __________________________  DoD:
☐ Draft exists (≥ 200 words) OR mockup v0
☐ Saved/committed with date
☐ Next step written at top
  

Focus Mode Recipe (Browser + Apps)

When starting [ACTIVITY]:
→ Open profile WORK: [Doc, Timer, Reference]
→ Full-screen the Doc; hide dock/taskbar
→ Start 50–60 min timer; music ON (instrumental)
→ Phone in bag; watch on DND
  

Seven-Day Ergonomics Sprint

1. D1: Run a 10-minute Friction Audit on your most important session.
2. D2: Build one Attention Funnel and test it twice.
3. D3: Install Workday/Night device profiles; whitelist essentials only.
4. D4: Perform Workspace Reset at end of day; rate ease of next-day start.
5. D5: Create a DoD card for a sticky task; ship a v0.
6. D6: Add one physical cue (laid-out tool) and one digital cue (auto-open doc).
7. D7: Review KPIs; remove one app/step that never helped.

KPIs (Design Health)

• Time-to-First-Action (TTFA): ≤ 60 seconds from open → typing
• Interruptions per deep block: ≤ 1
• Context switches/hour: ≤ 3 during peaks
• Reset ritual adherence: ≥ 5/7 days
• DoD compliance on tasks: ≥ 80%

Free Execution Prompt — Environment Designer (10-Year Proof)

You are my Environment Designer (Part 6A).
Goal: make the right action the easiest action using friction audits, attention funnels, device profiles, and reset rituals.

ASK FIRST:
1) One high-value activity to optimise (writing/coding/study/planning)
2) Current start steps (list in order) + average TTFA
3) Biggest sources of interruption (apps/people/places)
4) Devices used (laptop/desktop/phone/tablet) and OS
5) Workspace constraints (shared room, travel, hours)

DO THIS:
1) Run a Friction Audit (reduce/route/remove) and produce a one-page fix list.
2) Build an Attention Funnel (Entry → Gate → Artifact + 10–20m recovery).
3) Create Workday/Night/Travel device profiles with focus rules and whitelists.
4) Write a 3-minute Workspace Reset ritual; attach to daily shutdown.
5) Generate a Definition of Done card for the chosen activity.
6) Produce KPIs and a 7-day Ergonomics Sprint plan.

OUTPUT / ARTEFACTS:
- Friction Audit sheet
- Attention Funnel map
- Device profiles (Workday/Night/Travel)
- Workspace Reset ritual
- DoD card
- KPI list + 7-day sprint

EVIDENCE GRADING:
- High: TTFA ≤ 60s; interruptions ≤ 1/block; resets ≥ 5/7; DoD ≥ 80%.
- Moderate: TTFA 61–120s; interruptions 2; resets 3–4/7.
- Low: above → remove one app/step, strengthen gate, add physical cues.

LINK-FORWARD:
Advance to Part 6B — Digital Minimalism & Information Diet (reduce noise; increase signal).
    

FAQ (Part 6A)

Next: Part 6B — Digital Minimalism & Information Diet.

Apply It Now (5 minutes)

1. One action: What will you do in 5 minutes that reflects this essay? (write 1 sentence)
2. When & where: If it’s [time] at [place], I will [action].
3. Proof: Who will you show or tell? (name 1 person)

You are my Micro-Action Coach. Based on this essay’s theme, ask me:
1) My 5-minute action,
2) Exact time/place,
3) A friction check (what could stop me? give a tiny fix),
4) A 3-question nightly reflection.
Then generate a 3-day plan and a one-line identity cue I can repeat.

🧠 AI Processing Reality… Commit now, then come back tomorrow and log what changed.