You already have certain habits and routines you do each day. Maybe you have nightly rituals that help you sleep better, or you always start your day with a cup of coffee. Habit stacking uses those established behaviors and stacks new habits onto them. The idea is that pairing a new behavior with one you already do makes it easier to remember and incorporate into your routine. It takes less mental effort, which could make the new habits more effective.
Looking at some examples of habit stacking can make the strategy easier to understand. Say you pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea each morning for a kick of caffeine. It's such a natural part of your day that you automatically head for your mug and your favorite creamer as soon as your feet hit the floor.
Maybe a new habit you want to incorporate is taking vitamins your body needs, but you always seem to forget them. By pairing the vitamins with your morning coffee or tea ritual, you're more likely to remember. You might place your vitamins right next to your coffee maker so you have the visual reminder as well.
If you're feeling stressed, you might decide to add relaxation techniques to your day. Doing those techniques in the morning helps you set a relaxed tone. You might pair your new relaxation practice with brushing your teeth or showering. As soon as you finish that task, you go directly into your relaxation exercises.
Perhaps your goal is to start doing a daily Bible study. If you already have an established prayer time, you might slip Bible study in before or after you pray. Because both activities fuel your faith and relationship with God, it makes sense to tie them together.
The activities you do each day are already wired into your brain. You don't really have to think about them because that wiring makes them almost automatic. As you get older, it can become more challenging to create entirely new neurological wiring that helps new actions become automatic.
Instead of starting from scratch, habit stacking takes advantage of the synaptic connections you already have for your established routine. It takes less mental effort to add a new action when you tie it to something that's already established in your brain.
The existing behavior also becomes a reminder of the new habit you're creating. It's easy to forget the new action when you're first incorporating it into your day. Instead of having to remember it on its own, you get a little prod when you do the original activity.
Habit stacking seems like a simple idea, but it can take a little effort to start. These steps can make it easier.
The activities you'll use as the triggers for your new habits are probably so automatic you don't really think about them. Before you plan your habit stacking, take a day to observe your routine. Look at the things you do every day consistently and with little thought or effort. This might include showering, brushing your teeth, praying, drinking coffee or meeting up with a friend. Evaluating your normal routine gives you several options to use when you start habit stacking.
Think about the goals you want to accomplish and what you want to add to your daily routine. Make a list of those things you can incorporate using habit stacking. It's often easier to narrow it down to one new habit at a time. Even with habit stacking, adding too many new behaviors at once can become overwhelming.
Decide which part of your current routine you want to use for your new habit. Think about two activities that have a logical connection or what time of day you want to do the activity. Say you want to add a short walk early in the day. Look for an existing habit you do earlier in the day.
Stacking habits on your existing routine can make them easier, but you can also do other things to set yourself up for success. If adding a daily walk is your new goal, you might set out your walking shoes near where you'll do the established behavior and arrange to meet a friend to go with you. Rewarding yourself for remembering your new habits can also help you be more successful.
