What I wish I knew before trying design for absolute beginners

Part of me wanted the fancy version with all the tools. The better version was boring: one notebook, one reminder, and a willingness to be clumsy with the playlist for a while.

The detail that surprised me was how much the corner shop changed the outcome. Same plan, different setting, completely different energy.

Would love to hear how other people handle this. I am especially curious about the version that works on a tired weekday, not just on an ideal Sunday.

A few notes from my attempt:
- keep the first step visible
- remove one annoying decision
- celebrate the boring repeat