Dotty lets you write your own reminder. Last spring we read two thousand of them, with permission, to see which ones people still answered after a month. The time of day mattered more than the wording.
Mornings take orders
Before nine, short and direct works. Glass of water. Shoes on. People act on these within a few minutes, because the day has not started making other plans for them yet.
At eight in the evening nobody wants another instruction. They want an invitation.
Evenings need an invitation
The evening reminders that lasted sounded like a friend. Your book is waiting. Ten quiet minutes? Reminders phrased as commands were switched off three times as often after six in the evening.
One reminder, never a pile
Whatever the hour, a second nudge made things worse. People who received two reminders for the same habit were more likely to mute all of them. Dotty sends one and then leaves you alone.
Written by Tove Halvorsen
Product designer at Dotty
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