Who this is for
Anyone changing a habit who knows willpower fails in the moment and wants the response pre-decided before the trigger hits.
The moment this saves you
I plan to change a habit, then in the actual moment, the 3pm cookie, the snooze button, my willpower loses every time, because I never decided in advance exactly what I'd do when the trigger hit.
See it work
Messy spoken thought in. A clean, structured artifact out.
Making some if-then plans for my habits. The big one, when I feel the urge to check my phone first thing in the morning, instead I'll do ten pushups, that breaks the scroll cycle. When I'm tempted to skip my workout because I'm tired, I'll commit to just putting on my gym clothes and doing five minutes, because usually once I start I keep going. When I want to order takeout out of laziness, I'll first check if there's anything I can make in 15 minutes. And when I notice I'm stress-snacking in the afternoon, I'll drink a glass of water and wait ten minutes first. The phone one is the most important.
If-then plans, June 5, 2026
- If I feel the urge to check my phone first thing, then I'll do ten pushups (breaks the scroll cycle). (Priority)
- If I'm tempted to skip my workout because I'm tired, then I'll just put on my gym clothes and do five minutes (usually I keep going).
- If I want to order takeout out of laziness, then I'll first check for anything I can make in 15 minutes.
- If I notice afternoon stress-snacking, then I'll drink water and wait ten minutes first.
The workflow
Record a voice note
Hit the hotkey and talk, no formatting, no typing.
Tag it with this context
Contextli shapes your words into the structured output above.
Find it later
Everything's searchable and organised by context.
Pull it into Claude or ChatGPT
Bring your contexts straight into your AI tools with the Contextli MCP.
Your raw recording and transcription stay on your device, so you can always go back to the original.
The prompt behind this context
I'm going to talk through if-then plans for my habits. Turn each into a dated implementation-intention list: a bold "If-then plans, [today's date]" heading, then one bullet per plan in the form "**If** [trigger], **then** [response]" with my reasoning in parentheses. Flag any I call a priority. Keep my exact triggers and responses. Don't invent plans I didn't state. Output only the list.
Make it your own. This is a starting point. Once it's in Contextli, tweak the instructions so the output comes out exactly how you like it.
Use this context
One click copies it and shows you exactly how to drop it into Contextli.
Next, open Contextli, go to the Contexts page, click Import, choose From JSON, paste, then Import Context. It is ready to use.
Make it your own. This is a starting point. Once it's in Contextli, tweak the instructions so the output comes out exactly how you like it.
Your raw recording and transcription stay on your device, so you can always go back to the original.
Related contexts
Habit Check-In
Habit apps reduce you to a green dot, with no room for why you missed. Just say what you did or didn't do today and why. You build an honest streak with context, so a missed day becomes useful information instead of a guilt trip that makes you quit.
Goal Setting Note
A goal in your head stays a foggy wish, get fitter, grow the business, until it has a number and a first step. Talk through what you actually want. You get a goal with a measurable target, a why, and a first action, so it becomes something you can start instead of just want.
Boundary Script Note
You need to say no, push back, or set a limit, and in your head it comes out either too harsh or too apologetic. Talk through the situation and what you want. You get a clear, kind script you can adapt, so the hard conversation goes the way you meant it to.
Questions people ask
Questions wellness ask about If-Then Plan Note
How do I keep a daily journal every day when I have no time?
Speak instead of write. A spoken daily journal entry takes 60 to 90 seconds, compared to 10 to 20 minutes with pen and paper. The If-Then Plan Note context structures your spoken words into a readable entry with a date, key themes, and a reflection. You can do it during your morning routine without sitting down.
What should I include in a daily journal entry?
A daily journal entry works best when it covers the specific areas the format is designed for, such as a highlight, a challenge, and a lesson, or the things you are grateful for and why. The If-Then Plan Note context extracts these elements from whatever you say and structures them into a consistent entry.
How do I start a daily journal habit that actually sticks?
The main reason journaling habits fail is friction: it takes too long and needs a quiet place to write. Removing the typing step removes most of that friction. Contextli lets you speak a daily journal entry anywhere, and the If-Then Plan Note context does the formatting. Most people find 60 to 90 seconds of speaking daily is sustainable when 10 minutes of writing was not.
Is voice journaling as effective as written journaling?
Research on expressive writing suggests the reflective process is what produces the benefit, not the physical act of writing. Speaking your thoughts aloud with intention activates the same reflective process. The If-Then Plan Note context structures the output into a readable entry you can review later, which keeps the readability benefit of a written journal without requiring typing.
How do I add this context to Contextli?
Copy the context on this page, then open Contextli and go to the Contexts page. Click Import, choose From JSON, paste it into the Import from Clipboard window, and click Import Context. It is ready to use in under 30 seconds. If you do not have Contextli yet, you can download it for free first.
Is my voice recording private? Does Contextli send it anywhere?
Your voice recording and the transcription are stored on your device only. Contextli processes your audio locally and does not send your recordings or transcription text to any server. The structured output it produces is text you control, and you decide where it goes.
Can I change what the output looks like?
Yes. Every context in Contextli is a starting point you can edit. Open the context in the app, change the instructions to adjust the structure, tone, or fields, and save. The next time you use it, the output reflects your changes. You are not locked into the default format.
Do I need to install an app to use this context?
Yes. Contextli is a free app. Download it, then copy this context and paste it into the Import from Clipboard window on the Contexts page. The whole process takes about 30 seconds.