Purpose Drift
The confirm loop: purpose at open, check at close
Ever notice how easy it is to lose track of time without meaning to? This is the loop that catches it: say your purpose the moment you open something, then answer one honest question when you leave. Click through it yourself below. Every confirm feeds the same pattern shown on Today, broken down by app and time of day.
Simulate opening YouTube.
Live pattern
Of 24 confirmed sessions, 12 were a clean yes and 8 were a no. YouTube is tagged drift most often here (2×). Every tag below feeds this.
Sessions
YouTube · browser
Watch a tutorial on sourdough shaping
intended 10m, actual 47m
Instead: Ended up watching Shorts
Slack · browser
Reply to design review thread
intended 5m, actual 6m
Instagram · mobile
Check a DM from a friend
intended 2m, actual 24m
Instead: Scrolled the explore page
Google Docs · browser
Draft weekly status update
intended 20m, actual 18m
Reddit · mobile
Look up a product review
intended 5m, actual 15m
Instead: Read a longer thread than planned
Maps · mobile
Get directions to dinner
intended 3m, actual 3m
TikTok · mobile
Watch one recipe video
intended 3m, actual 0m
Slack · browser
Check calendar for next meeting
intended 2m, actual 3m
YouTube · browser
Watch a 5-minute cooking video
intended 5m, actual 38m
Instead: Kept watching related videos
Reddit · mobile
Reply to a comment
intended 3m, actual 12m
Instead: Browsed the front page too
Instagram · mobile
Check a story reply
intended 2m, actual 0m
Google Docs · browser
Look up a reference for the doc
intended 5m, actual 0m
Slack · browser
Pair on a bug fix
intended 25m, actual 28m
Google Docs · browser
Write project proposal
intended 30m, actual 35m
Google Docs · browser
Review a teammate's doc
intended 15m, actual 18m
Reddit · mobile
Check a post someone linked
intended 5m, actual 6m
Slack · browser
Reply to a quick ping
intended 3m, actual 4m
Instagram · mobile
Check a notification
intended 2m, actual 3m
Instead: Ended up scrolling reels
Reddit · mobile
Check a reply
intended 3m, actual 5m
Instead: Read a couple more threads
Reddit · mobile
Quick check
intended 2m, actual 4m
Instead: Scrolled a bit more
Maps · mobile
Get directions to lunch
intended 2m, actual 2m
Slack · browser
Check a message
intended 2m, actual 3m
Instead: Read other channels too
TikTok · mobile
Watch one video
intended 3m, actual 9m
Instead: Watched several more
Google Docs · browser
Fix a typo
intended 2m, actual 2m
Instagram · mobile
Check a DM
intended 2m, actual 6m
Instead: Browsed a bit more
Reddit · mobile
Quick look
intended 3m, actual 5m
Instead: Kept scrolling
Maps · mobile
Check traffic
intended 1m, actual 1m