Habits are the building blocks of our daily lives. The routines we establish shape our productivity, health, relationships and success. One of the most powerful ways to build good habits is through habit stacking.
Habit stacking is the process of linking a new habit to an existing routine. For example, if you want to start a habit of reading more, you can stack that habit onto your existing bedtime routine. Once you finish brushing your teeth, immediately pick up your book to read for 30 minutes before bed. The key is to start the new habit right after finishing the existing one, so you trigger the new behavior automatically.
To make habit stacking work, choose an existing habit that you do daily and consistently. Then decide on the new habit you want to add. Make sure to start small and choose something sustainable. Once you have the two habits picked out, practice linking them together for a week. The repetition will help cement the connection in your mind.
Another example of habit stacking is doing pushups right after your morning coffee. Drink your coffee as usual, then immediately drop down and do some pushups. Start with just 5 to 10 pushups and build up from there. After a week, your mind and body will associate finishing your coffee with doing pushups. The pushups habit will become automatic.
The key to habit stacking is to be consistent and stick with it. Even taking just a couple days off can disrupt the association you’re trying to build. But when used consistently over time, habit stacking is a powerful way to reprogram your routine and make positive changes in your life.
Small changes can have big payoffs. What habits do you want to build? Choose a current habit to pair them with and get started stacking your habits today. Consistency and repetition are the keys to success. Stick with it and you’ll be developing better habits in no time!
