What is starting simple workflows?

Starting simple workflows is a concept in personal epistemology: Start with the simplest version that works and add complexity only when needed.

Example: You decide to start a morning journaling practice. You read five articles about journaling systems. You buy a specific notebook, research fountain pens, design a template with sections for gratitude, intentions, reflections, and a daily review prompt. You print the template. You create a spreadsheet to track which prompts you have used. You set three alarms. On the first morning, the elaborate setup feels exciting. On the third morning, it feels heavy. By the seventh morning, you have stopped entirely — not because journaling failed you, but because the infrastructure you built around the practice became the obstacle. Six weeks later, a friend mentions she journals every morning. You ask about her system. She says: "I open a notes app and write whatever is on my mind for five minutes." She has journaled for two years without interruption. Her workflow had three steps: open app, write, close app. Yours had fourteen. Hers shipped. Yours didn't.

This concept is part of Phase 41 (Workflow Design) in the How to Think curriculum, which builds the epistemic infrastructure for workflow design.