Habit Stacking

If you find it hard to adopt new healthy habits or continuously stick to the ones you’ve already implemented, you may want to try habit stacking. Habit stacking - linking a new habit you want to build with an existing habit that’s already ingrained in your daily routine - can help you build sustainable, healthy behaviors without a massive overhaul of your regular routine. With habit stacking, you’ll be more likely to stick with a new habit because it’s attached to something you already do.

Here’s how it works:

• Identify an existing habit - one you do consistently, like brewing coffee in the morning, or packing your bag for work the night before.

• Pair the new habit. Attach the new behavior you want to this existing habit, such as laying out your exercise clothes when you pack your work bag, or charging your phone next to the coffee maker so you’re not reaching for it before you even get out of bed in the morning. 

Habit stacking allows you to stay consistent with your new habits, and allows you to implement small changes that lead to big results when it comes to your health. It also reduces the mental load of remembering what to do and when to do it - a common obstacle for many people when it comes to behavior change!

Here are some examples of habit stacking related to nutrition changes: 

Goal: Drink more water

Existing habit: Brewing coffee every morning

Habit stack: While waiting for your coffee to brew, enjoy a tall glass of water

Goal: Take your supplements

Existing habit: Brushing your teeth

Habit stack: Keep a days-of-the-week pill holder filled with your daily supplements and take them before or after brushing your teeth. Keep them right next to your toothbrush and toothpaste!

Goal: Meal prep for the week

Existing habit: Cooking dinner on Sunday evening

Habit stack: While the kitchen is already messy and the oven is on, roast an extra tray of veggies, bake chicken, and hard boil some eggs, or whatever will be helpful for you throughout the week. 

Start by choosing an existing habit you already do without much thought, then choose a new habit you want to implement to pair with it and watch as little changes compound into big results.