How To Build Effective Habits With An iPad

Take control of your life with consistency

Photo by Lala Azizli on Unsplash

Consistency is king.

When I first read Atomic Habits by James Clear, those words echoed in my head.

It’s been almost one year since I finished reading the book. I wouldn’t say that it’s changed my life, but it got pretty close.

Since I read the book, I’ve become healthier and more fulfilled - I’ve spent more time outdoors and hanging out with my friends than ever before through the power of habits.

Here’s how you can use an iPad to build effective habits based on principles from Atomic Habits.

Quick note: Here is a summary of the book from Four Minute Books and another from Ali Abdaal for anyone interested

Make It Obvious

To build a strong habit, the cue (the signal for action) needs to be obvious.

We are lazy creatures.

By placing the cue in a location we frequent, we’re more likely to pick up the cue. That, in turn, makes it more likely that we’ll execute the habit.

There are a few ways you can create obvious cues on your iPad:

• Adjust app location: If there’s an app you want to use more often (like a planner app), place it on the Dock. That means you constantly have access to it and you’ll constantly be reminded about using the app.

• Use widgets: Add widgets to your Home Screen. Keep in mind that the larger/more colorful they are, the more apparent the cue will be (this might not be an option for some apps).

• Use your wallpaper: If there is a habit you’re struggling with, this is an admittedly extreme way to make the habit obvious. Using some kind of drawing app, write a massive reminder that stands out (hint: use color). Save it as a photo, and set it as your wallpaper.

Here’s an example using Sigma Planner, a school planner app I want to use more often:

Here’s another example using my writing habit (note: I don’t actually use this):

Make It Attractive

If I told you to establish a habit of stepping on Legos, you probably wouldn’t.

That’s because you don’t have the willpower to do the habit - why would anyone?

After a habit has become apparent (by making the cue obvious), we actually have to do the habit. While discipline works, most people (including me) have days where we just don’t want to do the habit.

To combat this issue, make the habit attractive. This increases your craving for the habit in the future.

I’m doing this right now as I’m writing this post: I’m listening to my favorite movie soundtrack as I write. In addition, I also change the color of my desk lights to blue and orange and semi-close my window shades.

Doing these actions makes the habit of writing enjoyable for me. Therefore, I’m more likely to repeat the habit on a consistent basis.

Photo by C D-X on Unsplash

With your iPad, you can also try something similar: whenever you’re working on a habit, make it attractive by combining it with music, audiobooks, or another form of entertainment.

You can also do the habit with friends - in my case, this made outdoor exercise far more attractive. Now, I participate in at least one outdoor activity almost every day if I can.

Make It Easy

In addition to making the habit attractive, you also need to reduce the friction associated with starting the action.

Some of you might’ve heard this idea before: once we start an action, we’re more likely to finish it rather than do something unproductive. Thus, we should make it as easy as possible to start the action.

Here’s an example from Four Minute Books’ summary of Atomic Habits: “Don’t create needless friction by focusing on fruits that are hard to peel. Bananas and apples are super easy to eat, for example.”

With an iPad, you can use Shortcuts to set up a “workspace” for you at the click of a button.

That’s exactly what I do for my marketing agency - for every client, I have a shortcut that opens up their advertising account in one tab and their website in another.

Instead of having to go to different websites and open different links, I can tap the shortcut and I’m set up.

This lack of friction makes it incredibly easy to create a habit of managing these accounts on a consistent basis.

Make It Satisfying

Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash

Our brains love immediate gratification - that’s why TikTok is so successful.

That becomes a problem when trying to build habits - they involve delayed gratification.

This makes it difficult to stick to a good habit. After all, why work on something if there’s no reward?

Even keeping track of your progress can provide the acknowledgment you need to continue your habit in the future.

In addition to rewarding yourself with a physical gift, there are also a couple iPad apps that you can use to represent immediate gratification. I’ve made posts about both of them before, but I’ll briefly discuss them in case you’re new.

Pixelist

Pixelist is a visual habit tracking app.

Each day, you mark the habits you complete. This simple task provides a sense of progress, which acts as immediate gratification.

Here’s my post on Pixelist in case you’re interested.

Plantie

Plantie is for people who want to start setting up a consistent habit of working on some project or learning some skill.

It’s a Pomodoro timer that gamifies the process of working - as you work, your tree grows. Whenever you get distracted, the growth stops.

This gamification can also act as immediate gratification after you complete a work session.

Here’s the post on Plantie.

Final Thoughts

After writing this post, I gotta say - I was wrong in the intro. Atomic Habits has changed my life, and I hope this post will help you do the same.

BTW - part 2 of this post (how to break bad habits with an iPad) is coming soon.

Thanks for reading!

Adi