diff --git a/src/dashboard/routes/calm.py b/src/dashboard/routes/calm.py
index 045bc293..49098cae 100644
--- a/src/dashboard/routes/calm.py
+++ b/src/dashboard/routes/calm.py
@@ -38,6 +38,56 @@ def get_later_tasks(db: Session) -> list[Task]:
     )
 
 
+def _create_mit_tasks(db: Session, titles: list[str | None]) -> list[int]:
+    """Create MIT tasks from a list of titles, return their IDs."""
+    task_ids: list[int] = []
+    for title in titles:
+        if title:
+            task = Task(
+                title=title,
+                is_mit=True,
+                state=TaskState.LATER,
+                certainty=TaskCertainty.SOFT,
+            )
+            db.add(task)
+            db.commit()
+            db.refresh(task)
+            task_ids.append(task.id)
+    return task_ids
+
+
+def _create_other_tasks(db: Session, other_tasks: str):
+    """Create non-MIT tasks from newline-separated text."""
+    for line in other_tasks.split("\n"):
+        line = line.strip()
+        if line:
+            task = Task(
+                title=line,
+                state=TaskState.LATER,
+                certainty=TaskCertainty.FUZZY,
+            )
+            db.add(task)
+
+
+def _seed_now_next(db: Session):
+    """Set initial NOW/NEXT states when both slots are empty."""
+    if get_now_task(db) or get_next_task(db):
+        return
+    later_tasks = (
+        db.query(Task)
+        .filter(Task.state == TaskState.LATER)
+        .order_by(Task.is_mit.desc(), Task.sort_order)
+        .all()
+    )
+    if later_tasks:
+        later_tasks[0].state = TaskState.NOW
+        db.add(later_tasks[0])
+        db.flush()
+        if len(later_tasks) > 1:
+            later_tasks[1].state = TaskState.NEXT
+            db.add(later_tasks[1])
+
+
 def promote_tasks(db: Session):
     """Enforce the NOW/NEXT/LATER state machine invariants.
 
@@ -114,63 +164,19 @@ async def post_morning_ritual(
     other_tasks: str = Form(""),
 ):
     """Process morning ritual: create MITs, other tasks, and set initial states."""
-    # Create Journal Entry
-    mit_task_ids = []
     journal_entry = JournalEntry(entry_date=date.today())
     db.add(journal_entry)
     db.commit()
     db.refresh(journal_entry)
 
-    # Create MIT tasks
-    for mit_title in [mit1_title, mit2_title, mit3_title]:
-        if mit_title:
-            task = Task(
-                title=mit_title,
-                is_mit=True,
-                state=TaskState.LATER,  # Initially LATER, will be promoted
-                certainty=TaskCertainty.SOFT,
-            )
-            db.add(task)
-            db.commit()
-            db.refresh(task)
-            mit_task_ids.append(task.id)
-
-    journal_entry.mit_task_ids = mit_task_ids
+    journal_entry.mit_task_ids = _create_mit_tasks(db, [mit1_title, mit2_title, mit3_title])
     db.add(journal_entry)
 
-    # Create other tasks
-    for task_title in other_tasks.split("\n"):
-        task_title = task_title.strip()
-        if task_title:
-            task = Task(
-                title=task_title,
-                state=TaskState.LATER,
-                certainty=TaskCertainty.FUZZY,
-            )
-            db.add(task)
-
+    _create_other_tasks(db, other_tasks)
     db.commit()
 
-    # Set initial NOW/NEXT states
-    # Set initial NOW/NEXT states after all tasks are created
-    if not get_now_task(db) and not get_next_task(db):
-        later_tasks = (
-            db.query(Task)
-            .filter(Task.state == TaskState.LATER)
-            .order_by(Task.is_mit.desc(), Task.sort_order)
-            .all()
-        )
-        if later_tasks:
-            # Set the highest priority LATER task to NOW
-            later_tasks[0].state = TaskState.NOW
-            db.add(later_tasks[0])
-            db.flush()  # Flush to make the change visible for the next query
-
-            # Set the next highest priority LATER task to NEXT
-            if len(later_tasks) > 1:
-                later_tasks[1].state = TaskState.NEXT
-                db.add(later_tasks[1])
-    db.commit()  # Commit changes after initial NOW/NEXT setup
+    _seed_now_next(db)
+    db.commit()
 
     return templates.TemplateResponse(
         request,