The book Atomic Habits by James Clear focuses on personal self-development while Hooked by Nir Nayal focuses on product design using habits. Here we try to combine the commonality of these two books with real examples which you can relate with your daily routine and daily used products.

Consumers choose the products because of how the products are presented to them and where they are available—at eye level. Similarly, if we want to read a book or play guitar, keep it in a visible location. Otherwise, objects are ignored if they are hidden and not easily accessible. The mobile app icons are designed with the same strategy.

Environment plays an important role for success. The role of family and friends helps us to adopt and imitate habits easily. The best examples are the Polgar family (for chess) and the Phogat family (for wrestling).

Simplicity is the ultimate Sophistication. – Apple

Focus on starting with small steps, then reduce the friction to make good habits last. Don’t try to be perfect instead be amateur. Choose a gym close to home/office, use Tech to track activities, etc.

Products, the most popular ones, are designed for users to create, engage and share easily.

Visual rewards are more satisfying. Use the paperclip strategy to count small progress after the completion of the non-digital task. Track your habits in Calendar. In the beginning it looks silly, but when you look back after one month/year, we can feel visual satisfaction with progress.

Finisher Medals in running events, which is a reward for completion of an individual’s target, motivate us to participate in similar events in future. 

Farmville, a well-known online game, was played by 84 million people at its peak in 2010, similar to the population of Italy. It is a gamified version of real agricultural life where we are given actions like plowing land, growing, planting and harvesting drops, trees, raising animals, earning virtual money, etc. With simple features to play, hints, and the player’s avatar, it became addicted. It is a commitment to virtual life, and any negligence has consequences. Our investments, with respect to time, effort and money, die out If we don’t return to the game. So we must return to get back the hard-earned reward and virtual money.