Habit stacking is a behavioural correction method that is spoken about a lot in the world of psychology. It is the process of building new habits on top of pre-existing habits to create better routines you can stick to. We are all set in our ways and wired into solid, consistent daily habits – although we may only sometimes be acutely aware of them. Such as walking to the bathroom when we wake up. Brushing our teeth before bed, turning the coffee machine on when we wake, etc. Our brain is incredibly efficient at creating and sustaining these habits, and habit stacking allows you to use these neural connections to develop new habits and potentially healthy routines.
Ok, so, How do I do this?
When we look into the process of habit stacking – we can take advantage of the neural connection already wired within a current routine and stack it with a new behaviour on top. Hence, the term habit stacking. Habit stacking requires intention, especially in the context of health, to link a desired habit to an already established one. Rather than attempting to implement a new healthy habit and relating it to a particular time of day (e.g., we may all have the intention of drinking a glass of water 30 minutes before a meal, but this does not always go to plan),
Habit stacking can be highly beneficial for health as, over time, it creates long-lasting, consistent behaviour change and takes us out of this fad dieting, all-or-nothing mindset. Once habits are implemented, they become structural parts of everyday life, allowing you to build and maintain long-term consistency and change.
Remember – consistency over intensity, always.
As discussed in James Clears’ book “Atomic Habits” (a MUST read)
The habit stacking formula is as follows –
AFTER/BEFORE (CURRENT HABIT), I WILL (NEW HABIT).
FOR EXAMPLE…
After I wake up, I will open the Headspace app on my phone and meditate for 5 minutes.
Before I drink my coffee, I will have a glass of water with greens powder.
After I finish my morning meeting, I will go for a 15-minute walk around the block before sitting down again.
After I finish my evening shower, I will lay out my workout clothes for the next day.
Luckily for us, our brains love habits. As the famous saying goes – “neurons that fire together wire together”. Habit stacking can be very effective for health and well-being, as the current habits you have patterned into your behaviour are already hard-wired. When linking a new practice to a pre-cycled behaviour, you’re far more likely to stick to that new behaviour.
Once you have thought through and come to terms with some pre-existing behaviours, it’s time to think about some potential new habits you would like to implement.
Once this basic structure is achieved, we can take advantage of the neural momentum that leads you from one behaviour to the next. Before you know it, you’ll have a bank of stacked habits that become as simple as brushing your teeth!
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