How do I practice workflow templates?

The most direct way to practice workflow templates is through a focused exercise: Pick a task you've done at least three times in the last month — a weekly review, a project kickoff, a research session, a meeting prep routine. Write down every step you actually take, in order, from trigger to completion. Don't idealize it; document reality. Then clean it up: name each step, mark which steps need input (blanks to fill), and save the result as a reusable template. Use it next time and note what you'd change.

Common pitfall: Treating a template as scripture rather than scaffolding. You created a project kickoff template six months ago. The world has changed, your tools have changed, your role has changed — but the template hasn't. You follow it mechanically because it exists, skipping the judgment call about whether this project even fits the pattern. Rigid templates produce rigid thinking. Every template needs a built-in question: does this template still serve this situation?

This practice connects to Phase 41 (Workflow Design) — building it as a repeatable habit compounds over time.