Habit Stack Your Way to Success: A Habit Stacking Summary

What is Habit Stacking?

I first heard about habit stacking when reading Atomic Habits – a fascinating book by James Clear. In fact, so-called ‘habit-stacking’ was part of the inspiration behind the name of this site.

In a nutshell, habit stacking can be an effective way to create new habits by linking them to existing ones. In other words, by using an existing habit as a cue, you can make it easier to remember and integrate new habits into your daily life.

In the book, Clear outlines the four stages of habit stacking: cue, craving, response, and reward.

The cue is the existing habit that will trigger the new habit.

The craving is the motivation to perform the new habit.

The response is the new habit itself.

The reward is the positive reinforcement that comes from completing the new habit.

Clear recommends starting with a small habit and linking it to an existing habit. For example, if you already drink a cup of coffee every morning, then you could add a secondary behaviour to this existing habit – such as taking a vitamin tablet.

Over time, people can add more habits to their stack, creating a chain of positive habits that become automatic and integrated into their daily routines.

Overall, Clear’s approach to habit stacking emphasises the importance of starting small, focusing on consistency, and using positive reinforcement to create lasting change.

By following these principles, you can create a chain of positive habits that supports your health, productivity, and overall well-being.

The Benefits of Habit Stacking

There are several benefits to using habit stacking to create new habits, including the following:

1. Simplifies habit formation

By linking new habits to existing ones, habit stacking simplifies the process of creating new habits. It eliminates the need to remember to perform new habits by using an existing habit as a cue.

2. Increases consistency

Habit stacking can increase consistency in habit formation by creating a routine. Once a habit stack is established, it becomes easier to perform the new habits consistently.

3. Saves time

Habit stacking can save time by combining multiple habits into one routine. This can be especially useful for busy people who want to create positive habits but struggle to find time to do so.

4. Boosts motivation

By creating a chain of positive habits, habit stacking can increase motivation to perform new habits. The positive reinforcement from completing each habit can create a sense of accomplishment and motivation to continue the habit stack.

5. Improves overall well-being

Habit stacking can lead to improved overall well-being by creating a chain of positive habits that support health, productivity, and happiness. By integrating new habits into daily life, people can improve their physical and mental health, productivity, and overall quality of life.

Habit stacking can be especially useful for people who struggle to create new habits or who have difficulty remembering to perform them.

Some Examples of Habit Stacking

1. Morning routine habit stack:

– After waking up, read positive affirmations

– After reading positive affirmations, do yoga

– After doing yoga, take a cold shower (or a hot one if you prefer!)

– After taking a shower, meditate for 30 minutes

2. Healthy habit stack:

– After brushing teeth, fill up a water bottle

– After filling up a water bottle, drink the entire bottle

– After drinking water, eat a piece of fruit

3. Productivity habit stack:

– After checking email, write a to-do list for the day

– After writing a to-do list, complete the first task on the list

– After completing the first task, take a five-minute break

4. Evening routine habit stack:

– After finishing dinner, wash dishes

– After washing dishes, do a quick 10-minute tidy of the house

– After tidying the house, read a book for 30 minutes before bed

Whether these specific stacks appeal to you personally is not important. What’s important is that they demonstrate how habit stacking can be used to create a chain of positive habits that become automatic and integrated into daily life.

More Ideas for Inspiration

Video

Finally, this video by Productivity Guy is a fantastic place to start. Besides explaining everything you need to know in 2 minutes, there are some nice little examples here to show how you can combine habits to work on different areas of your life.

How to Start Your Habit Stack Today

If you want to start habit stacking to form your own positive habits, here are some steps to follow:

1. Identify existing habits

Start by identifying existing habits that you perform consistently, such as brushing your teeth, making coffee, or checking your email. These habits will serve as cues for your new habit stack.

2. Choose new habits

Select one or two new habits that you want to integrate into your daily routine. Start with small habits that can be completed in five minutes or less, such as drinking a glass of water, doing a quick workout, or meditating for a few minutes.

3. Link new habits to existing ones

Use an existing habit as a cue for your new habit. For example, if you want to start meditating, link it to your morning coffee habit. After making your coffee, spend five minutes meditating.

4. Track progress

Keep track of your progress by using a habit tracker or journal. This will help you stay motivated and accountable for completing your new habit stack.

5. Add new habits

Once you have established a habit stack, you can add new habits to it over time. Start with one or two new habits and gradually build up to a longer habit stack.

Remember to start small and focus on consistency. Over time, your habit stack will become automatic and integrated into your daily routine, leading to improved health, productivity, and overall well-being.

So, what do you think? Ready to try it for yourself? What habit stacks could you create? Have you already had some habit-stacking success? Tell us all about it in the comments!