Struggling to Build New Habits? Give Habit Stacking a Go
The key with implementing any sort of change is to bring awareness to your current behaviours - those things you’re doing every day - or perhaps looking at the behaviours you’re lacking. This kind of self-awareness is crucial to get to a place of no judgement as you’re learning and to avoid overcomplicating things.
Use your current habits as a platform to start from. You’ll be surprised how much you already have going in your daily routines that you take for granted each day. For example, your brain is pretty efficient at remembering to take a shower in the morning, make a brew, and open the curtains, amongst thousands of other daily habits. The more you do something, the stronger your connection and efficiency around that action becomes.
The idea here is to take advantage of what you’re already doing by building new habits with them. So, how does this work? One of the most effective ways to build a new habit is to identify a current habit you’re doing daily that comes with ease and stack a new behaviour on top. This is called habit stacking.
How do I start habit stacking?
Habit stacking is the art of combining current habits with ones you want to start. Essentially, you take a habit you do every day and pair it with a simple new one. A great example is wanting to drink more water. Perhaps you love a coffee in the morning - as you wait for the kettle to boil, have a glass of water and hydrate before you caffeinate.
What is the goal of habit stacking?
The purpose of habit stacking is to create new routines without it being too taxing on the brain. It reduces the mental burden: all you have to remember is: after brushing my teeth I will do a deep squat stretch; before I pick up my phone in the morning I will read 10 pages of my book; after I have made my bed I will journal and meditate. The goal is to get this out of the cognitive load and just add it.
Here’s some more habit stacking examples
After I turn my alarm off in the morning, I will drink 8 ounces of water.
After I get out of bed in the morning, I will immediately make the bed.
After I brush my teeth, I will do ten minutes of yoga.
After I start the coffee maker, I will meditate for five minutes.
Before I have a coffee, I will have a 300ml glass of water
After I sit down for dinner, I will say one thing I am grateful for.
The reason habit stacking works so well is your brain is already wired into a routine, so this simple formula of ‘adding’ to what you’re already doing doesn’t require too much additional thought in the process. The habit stacking formula is: After/Before [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.” - James Clear
Habit stacking allows you to create a set of simple rules that guide your future behaviour. As you get comfortable in your approach, you have a game plan for an action that comes next.
Before I go to sleep, I will lay out my gym clothes ready for the next day
When I have finished eating, I will wash up the dishes straight away
When I have finished my morning walk, I will have a glass of water
When I have finished my workout, I will get 30g of protein
Before I go to sleep, I will journal
Now it’s your turn… feel free to try one of these examples if it really resonates with you and the changes you’re looking to make. Remember, the key is to keep it as simple as possible and so easy that you can do it. It won’t take too much to get overwhelmed, so keep it manageable even as you progress.
Happy Habit Stacking!
P.s. For further reading you need to buy and read James Clear, Atomic Habits book. It’s the first book that is on my reading list for ALL clients no matter what experience you have. Getting to know you and how your brain works to change your behaviours time and time again as you evolve will be one of the best things you can do for yourself.
