How You Can Use Habit Stacking to Achieve Your Goals
Habit stacking is a strategy for building new habits by attaching them to existing routines you already do daily, essentially "stacking" a new action onto something you already do regularly, which helps you consistently incorporate the new behavior into your life; for example, if you want to drink more water, you could "stack" drinking a glass of water right after brushing your teeth each morning.
How to use habit stacking:
Identify existing habits:
Think about daily activities you already do consistently, like brushing your teeth, making coffee, getting into your car or commuting to work.Choose your new habit:
Decide on the new behavior you want to implement, like meditating, stretching, reading, or journaling.Connect them:
"Stack" the new habit directly after your existing one, creating a mental link between the two actions.Examples of habit stacking:
Exercise and hygiene: Do 10 squats immediately after brushing your teeth.
Hydration and meals: Drink a glass of water as soon as you sit down to eat.
Mindfulness and screen time: Meditate for 5 minutes right after turning on your computer.
Learning and commute: Listen to a podcast while driving to work.
Reading and downtime: Read a few pages of a book before going to bed.
There are several benefits to habit stacking. You increase consistency because you are linking a new habit to an established part of your routine. That makes it easier to follow through and make it part of your daily life. By doing these little changes, you are effectively breaking down a larger goal into smaller steps making it less overwhelming to incorporate. Lastly and maybe most importantly for continued success, the act of successfully completing a new habit can boost our confidence and keep you going.
If you would like to learn more about Habit Stacking, you can listen to Episode 2 of the Rise Health Coaching Podcast here. Also feel to reach out with any questions!
