An if–then plan connects a situation you can recognize with an action you have chosen in advance. For a phone habit, start with one recurring moment: “If I finish dinner and reach for my phone, then I will put it on the kitchen charger and wash my plate.” Add a fallback for the days that do not follow your usual routine.
This is a small planning exercise. You do not need to redesign your whole day or wait until you feel especially motivated to write it.
What is the idea behind an if–then plan?
Researchers call this an implementation intention. Webb and Sheeran examined planning mechanisms, including how readily a specified situation comes to mind and how strongly it is connected with an intended response. That research concerns goal pursuit; it does not establish that this phone worksheet treats compulsive behavior or that Unhook produces a particular recovery outcome. Read the original research abstract.
The worksheet below is our practical adaptation. Treat it as something to try and revise using your own observations.
Choose a moment you can actually spot
“When I use my phone too much” is difficult to recognize until afterward. Choose an observable event instead: sitting down after work, finishing a video, or putting your phone beside the bed.
Keep the cue narrow enough that you know whether it happened. “After I brush my teeth in the evening” is clearer than “whenever I should be more disciplined.” If your schedule changes, an event may be easier to use than a clock time.
Next, choose a response you can begin immediately. Putting the phone in a drawer is a specific action. Becoming a focused person is an aspiration. Your response should also fit your responsibilities: someone who must remain reachable may choose to close one app and keep calls available.
Copy this four-part plan
Situation: If I notice ______, in or after ______,
Chosen response: then I will ______.
Fallback: If that response is impractical, I will ______ instead.
Review: On ______, I will check whether I noticed the cue and could use the response.
Make the fallback smaller or more portable. It should preserve the purpose of the plan without requiring ideal conditions. Prepare anything you need beforehand, such as a charging cable in the place where you intend to leave your phone.
An illustrative example
Imagine someone who opens a feed between finishing work and making dinner. They want a short transition away from their screen.
- Situation: If I close my work laptop at home, then I will put my phone on the shelf beside it.
- Chosen response: I will get a glass of water and start preparing dinner before checking a feed.
- Fallback: If I need the phone for a recipe, I will open the recipe directly and place the phone on the counter.
- Review: On Sunday, I will note which evenings the plan fitted and what interrupted it.
This is a fictional example, not a reported user result. The phone remains available for a useful task. The plan gives the person a concrete next action during one transition.
Review the plan without turning it into a verdict
At your review, ask three questions: Did the cue occur? Did I notice it? Was the response realistic? A missed cue suggests changing the reminder or choosing a more obvious event. An impractical response suggests changing the action.
Keep useful observations even if you revise the plan. “The charger was in another room” gives you something to fix; “I am bad at this” does not specify a change. Try one adjustment at a time so you can tell what changed.
For a short place to record those observations, use the two-minute habit journal template.
Sources and further reading
This article is an educational resource from the Unhook product team, not personalized medical advice. Examples and worksheets are illustrative. Read our content standards.
