Maxamizing Productivity: The Surprising Power of Habit Stacking

 

1: Introduction

Have you ever found it challenging to stick to a new habit? You are not alone. Many people struggle with creating new habits and making them stick. However, there is a simple technique that can make habit formation easier and more effective - habit stacking. In this blog post, you will explore the power of habit stacking and how it can help you build strong habits.

2: Understanding Habit Stacking

Habit stacking is the technique of building a new habit by adding it to an existing habit. The idea is to use an established habit as a trigger for the new habit. By doing this, you create a strong association between the two habits, making it easier to form the new habit. An example could be that after you eat, you brush your teeth. Eating is a habit that you already have and you associate a new habit namely brushing your teeth to it. This is the process called habit stacking.

Why would you stack habits? There are 2 options when creating a new habit: you can set a time in the day when you want to perform your habit like reading for example or associate it with another habit (habit stacking). The second option is often easier to execute because if you do your habit at a fixed time, you might often find excuses like that you are doing another task at the moment.

Habit stacking is also easier than the first option because you don’t have to find the courage to start each habit individually but just the courage to start 1 chain of habits.

3: Benefits of Habit Stacking

Habit stacking offers numerous benefits, including helping individuals to build new habits more easily and effectively. By linking a new habit to an existing one, the brain is already primed for action and the new behaviour becomes more automatic. Habit stacking also helps to save time and mental energy by allowing multiple habits to be performed in a single routine. Additionally, habit stacking can lead to a greater sense of accomplishment and momentum, as each successful completion of the stacked habits reinforces the motivation and confidence to continue with other positive behaviours
. By incorporating habit stacking into daily life, individuals can create a powerful tool for making lasting changes and achieving personal growth.

4: Examples of Habit Stacking

So now you know how to stack habits, which habits do you want to stack? In this paragraph, I’ll give a couple of examples to get you started. Also, you probably already have a habit stack without being aware of it. For example, do you always brush your teeth after your breakfast? If you come back from work, do you always turn your tv on? If you go to bed, do you check your emails or messages for one last time?

Some of these habit stacks might be amazing for you but some habit stacks might be detrimental for your health. By being aware of your habit stacks, you might choose which habit stacks you want to keep and which ones you want to change. Remember that you already have a huge advantage over others because you are now aware of your habit stacks and can start to think about which ones you want to keep and which ones to change!

5: Habit stacks you might want to include in your life

Now let’s talk about which habit stacks you might want to include in your own life.

1. Morning routine habit stack: Create a morning routine habit stack that includes healthy habits such as drinking water, stretching, meditating, and eating a healthy breakfast. An example could be that you start by meditating for 3 minutes sitting in your bed (habit 1), then drinking a glass of water (habit 2) and stretch for 1 minute (habit 3). After that, you can start your day with a healthy breakfast (habit 4).

2. Work habit stack: Create a work habit stack that includes productive habits such as checking emails, prioritizing tasks, taking breaks, and reviewing your progress. An example of a work habit stack could be to start each workday by reviewing your to-do list for the day (habit 1), followed by a brief meditation or breathing exercise to clear your mind and focus (habit 2), and then diving into your most important task of the day (habit 3). This habit stack helps you prioritize your tasks, clear your mind of distractions, and tackle your most important work first thing in the morning when your energy and focus are at their highest.

3. Exercise habit stack: Create an exercise habit stack that includes habits such as stretching, strength training, cardio, and cool down. An example could be to drink a glass of water (habit 1), put on your workout clothes (habit 2), run for 10 minutes (habit 3), stretch for 1 minute (habit 4) and take a shower (habit 5).

6: Conclusion

The most important thing I want you to remember is that by being aware of your habit stacks, you can choose which habits you want to keep and which ones you want to change. Habit stacking offers numerous benefits, including saving time and mental energy, creating a sense of accomplishment and momentum, and helping individuals to build new habits more easily and effectively. Additionally, incorporating habit stacks into daily life can lead to personal growth and positive changes. By creating habit stacks for morning routines, work habits, and exercise, individuals can take control of their lives and achieve their goals.

7: Your next steps

1. Reflection habit stacks: Take a moment to reflect on your current habit stacks. Consider which habit stacks have a positive impact on your health and which ones have a negative impact (2 minutes).

2. Habit change: Choose one habit that you want to create or add to a habit stack and think about an existing habit that you can use as a trigger for it. For example, if you want to start reading more, you could stack it with your morning coffee routine by reading for 10 minutes after you finish your coffee. (2 minutes)

3. Stay Connected: Click the “about me” on the right side and hit the Pinterest button to don’t miss my further posts about personal development. It will only take 10 seconds of your time, but the benefits of staying informed and motivated are priceless. (10 seconds)