Finally, start with one protective habit that will matter tomorrow. Define a cue, make the first step effortless, and write an if-then plan. For example: “If I close my laptop, I spend five minutes drafting a three-bullet tomorrow plan.” Track it for two weeks and iterate.
As the habit takes root, add a buffer (time or money), and place it inside a checklist so it survives rough days. In doing so, you enact Gawande’s wisdom: you don’t tame chaos; you outbuild it—one reliable behavior at a time. [...]
