Nudge: an Evolving Tabletop Kit to Reduce Mindless Device Usage

Nudge is a tactile tabletop kit designed to pull you out of the screen and back into the room. It acts as a physical “speed bump” for your digital habits. Nudge doesn’t lock your phone away; it just gives you the quiet, physical push you need to choose the real world over the digital one.

Raw Materials

1. Teak Block: Approximately 0.5 ft by 2 ft block of 30mm thickness.
2. Wooden Dowels: 3mm diameter (used for hinges and mechanical guides).
3. Spherical Wood Pieces: For the aesthetic toggle handle.
4. Adhesive: S.H Glue for high-strength wood bonding.
5. Finishing: Acrylic paints (Red, Green, Yellow, Blue) and a high-quality Clear Lacquer.

Electronics

1. ESP32 Dev Module: The microcontroller "brain"
2. TM1637 4-Digit Display: The visual timer interface.
3. End Stop (Limit Switch): The mechanical trigger for phone detection.
4. Jumper Wires: To bridge the internal components together.

The Kit Essentials (Off-the-Shelf)

1. Analog Clock: For general time-keeping.
2. Digital Timer (Yellow): For dedicated timed sessions.
3. Small Notepad: For "brain-dumping" distractions.

First, start with sourcing teak wood that has to be turned into 3mm and 6mm sheets.

1. Cutting: After procuring a block of the appropriate measurements (30mm), resaw it into four planks. You will need three sheets of 3mm and one of 6mm. Cut it into three sheets of 4mm and one of 7mm. This provides a 1mm buffer for planing.
2. Planing: After cutting, plane all the planks to their final 3mm and 6mm thicknesses. Your material is then ready to be laser cut.

Sort the material and get the 3mm and 6mm files cut on the respective planks.

1. Layers: Remember the Black layer is for cutting and the Red layer is for engraving.
2. Sorting: Once the laser cut pieces are ready, sort them according to the photos. Separate the pieces for different parts: The Box , The Lid (Focus Pad), The Drawers (x2), and the supporting objects.

After sorting the pieces for different parts, use S.H Glue to stick them according to the sequence shown in the photos.

1. Note on Clamping: Apply glue sparingly to the joinery and use right-angle clamps to ensure the box is perfectly square.
2. The Drawer: Build the drawer housings, checking for a smooth friction fit within the box.
3. The Focus Pad: Assemble the lid, remember to sandwich the small piece, which will be part of the mechanism.
4. The Toggle: Insert the 3mm dowel into the track and cap it with the wooden sphere.

Painting:

Paint the kit components which are colour coded in four categories using acrylic paints as follows:

Category: Focus (Red)

Objects-Main focus pad surface, One drawer

Category: Habit Reinforcement (Green)

Objects- One drawer, Box breathing device

Category: Brainsparks (Yellow)

Objects- Timer

Category: Reflect & Deflect (Blue)

Objects: Toggle, Fidgetable tabletop calendar

Finishing:

Once the acrylic paint is dry, apply a clear lacquer over all teak and painted surfaces to protect the color and bring out the natural teak grain.

Mount the electronics inside the lid’s lower laser-cut housing. Position the End Stop so the arm is triggered by the weight of the phone through the red pad.

Wiring Connections

1. Wiring: Display to ESP32: VCC (5V), GND (GND), CLK (D22), DIO (D23).
2. End Stop to ESP32: COM (GND), NO (D4).

Solder connections for a more permanent fix.

Software Setup (Arduino IDE)

1. Board: Go to Tools > Board > ESP32 and select ESP32 Dev Module.
2. Library: Go to Sketch > Include Library > Manage Libraries. Search for TM1637 and install the one by Avishay Orpaz.
3. Port: Go to Tools > Port and select your COM port.
4. Upload Speed: Go to Tools > Upload Speed and set it to 115200 (this avoids the "timeout" error).

The Code

Upload the following to your ESP32:

C++

The final step is to populate your kit with Method Cards.

1. Download the Templates: I have provided PDF/SVG files for the method cards. These include prompts for focus activities (Red), habit reinforcement (Green), reflection questions (Blue), and ideation layouts (Yellow).
2. Customisation: Use the provided editable files to add your own productivity triggers, habit trackers, or specialised "deep work" rules.
3. Printing: Print them on heavy A4 cardstock, cut to size, and place them in their respective colour-coded drawers.

Manual:

Print the manual as a reference to how to use the kit, print on thick A4 sheets front and back, use a ring clip at the top left corner to hold them together.

How to navigate through the kit...

1. Initiating a Deep Work Session

1. The Slider: Slide the blue toggle to "Work". This is your manual scroll-breaker to snap you out of a digital loop and back into your environment.
2. The Focus Pad: Place your phone on the Red Focus Pad. The weight will trigger the ESP32 stopwatch, giving you a live visual of your uninterrupted focus time.
3. The No-Internet Jack: For absolute focus, plug the physical jack into your phone to trigger "Airplane Mode" and cut off all digital noise.

2. Managing the Workflow (Drawer 1: Green & Red)

1. Focus (Red): As you switch the toggle to work, pick up a focus card to do a small activity to transition into work mode (Ex: Close all unnecessary tabs)
2. Habit Reinforcement (Green): When you want to take a short break draw a habit card to perform a small meaningful activity instead of getting trapped into scrolling on your phone. (Ex: Draw something in front of you)

3. The Brainsparks (Yellow)

1. Use these creative detours when you are staring at a blank screen or stuck in a repetitive thought loop.
2. Use the timer to set a hard limit on a brainstorming sprint. Racing the clock forces you to trust your first instinct and stops overthinking.

3. The Exit Ritual (Blue)

1. At the end of a work sprint, draw a Blue Card. This is your "exit ritual" to leave the work at your desk rather than carrying its weight into tomorrow.
2. Update your Blue Fidget Calendar to create a small, physical ritual that makes the passing of time feel present and grounded.

4. Analog Support

Throughout your session, rely on the Analog Clock to track time without falling into the "notification trap" of your phone screen. Use the Notepad to jot down distractions or reflection prompts so they don't clutter your mind.

Make it Yours

You can at any time add or remove any part of this kit as per your liking. You can edit or generate new method cards to align with your personal productivity techniques and introduce more supporting objects to fit your desk setup. This kit is designed to be a living system; it molds and grows as you do.

Remix it, adapt the categories, and make the most of it!

Happy Working!