The Subtle Art of Habit Stacking
Lately, much of my focus has been aimed at personal development in my never-ending quest to become the best version of myself. Right now, I am focused on habits and habit stacking. I am embarrassingly late to this game. In my early 20s, I took pride in being spontaneous and unpredictable. "Do the same thing every day? How awfully boring!" I don't know how I managed to accomplish anything with that attitude, but I did through sheer painful determination and willpower. I look back at that young, fickle version of myself, and she seems like a different person. Now I THRIVE on habits. Doing the same things daily and weekly is the ONLY way I can stay consistent and reach my definition of success in all areas of life.
Aristotle has a great quote you may have heard before: "We are what we repeatedly do...therefore excellence is not an act, but a habit." I find this quote comforting. To me, it means that I don't need to be especially gifted, determined, exceptional, or brilliant to reach excellence. All I need are consistent habits that I know will take me in the direction of my goals.
James Clear made habit stacking famous in his book Atomic Habits, and Jeff Olson expanded on the idea in his book The Slight Edge. Habit stacking is my new favorite hobby. Once habits are stacked, they not only take away the need for willpower but also eliminate my arch nemesis: decision fatigue. Here's how to stack your habits:
Steps to Stack Your Habits
Identify Your Current Habits Notice the daily routine you already have. Identify habits you perform consistently, such as brushing your teeth, drinking your morning coffee, or checking your email. These existing habits (even if they aren't ideal) will serve as anchors, or triggers, for your new behaviors.
Choose a New Habit Select a new habit you want to develop. Ensure it is small and manageable to start with so that you will stick with it. It can be any new habit. Do you want to drink more water? Do you want to meditate daily? Do you want to go to the gym consistently?
Link the New Habit to an Existing One Once you have identified both your current and new habits, link them together. Perform the new habit immediately before or after the existing one. For example, if you want to start meditating, you could do it right after drinking your morning coffee.
Create a Habit Stack Formula Use the following formula to create your habit stack: After/Before [current habit], I will [new habit]. For instance, "After I pour my morning coffee, I will read for 10 minutes." And make sure the two habits are naturally linked and in the same environment to make it easy and enjoyable.
Be Consistent Consistency is crucial for habit formation. Repeat the stacked habits daily until the new behavior becomes an automatic part of your routine. Consistent repetition will help reinforce the new habit. And if you know you must do the habits as they are stacked then it removes and and all decision fatigue.
Track Your Progress Keep track of your habit stacking progress. Use a journal, app, or habit tracker to monitor your consistency and celebrate your successes. Tracking helps you stay accountable and motivated.
Adjust and Refine As you become comfortable with your new habits, you can start stacking additional behaviors. Adjust and refine your habit stacks as needed to ensure they remain effective and manageable.
REMEMBER: Don't get too bogged down with being perfect with your new habit. As long as you consistently try to perform the stacked habits, you are doing it right.
Habit stacking is becoming such a powerful and efficient method for building new habits and enhancing my daily routine. By leveraging my existing behaviors (both good and bad), I have seamlessly incorporate positive changes into my life, leading to greater productivity and personal growth. If you decide to do this yourself, start small, be consistent, and watch as your new habits become an integral part of your daily life.
