Double Bag Theory

I emptied out the kitchen bin the other day, and instead of simply replacing it with one bag, I lined the bin with 3 bags. This means that the next time I have to take out the trash, I’ll save myself the extra step of having to replace the bag.

While this example is quite trivial on its own - saving me seconds at best, I think this way of thinking is significant. I started to look for other things I could “double bag” in life (small upfront costs in exchange for reduced friction in the future)

• Planning in advance
• Grocery shopping (buying items in bulk to reduce in store visits)
• Social media (setting a specific time in the day to get caught up, rather than checking sporadically)

One metaphorical “double bag” I’ve found is spending time in the night planning my next day. Sure, in the moment it feels like a bore, and it’s true that you technically would be just as fine doing it the following morning. But, similar to my kitchen bag example, it greatly reduces friction and also improves the directionality of my day. I wake up knowing what I want to do, rather than having to spend time in the morning trying to figure it out.