How To Use Habit Stacking To Reset & Simplify Your Life

Ok. So, maybe you’re thinking “what does habit stacking even mean?”.

If you haven’t heard this term before, it’s not just a trend that’s part of a YouTubers 5am morning routine (not hating on those videos, I’m a total sucker for investing hours a week into a ton of lifestyle vlog type YouTube videos. This is actually where I first heard of habit stacking last year; on Carter Sullivan’s YouTube channel – a fellow Canadian that I really enjoy watching each week ). Since then I have read Atomic Habits by James Clear, a novel which the author summarizes as: “An Easy & Proven To Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones”. And I would have to agree, this book has changed a lot of the way I think & act in every day life!

Habit stacking is actually a powerful technique that has been used by individuals for centuries to create new habits that align with your values and help you achieve your goals in a ✨ healthy and less overwhelming way. ✨ We do this by adding a new habit to an existing healthy habit that you already do consistently to make it stick. It is the most effective and sustainable way to adopt new behaviors and routines.

These existing habits usually, are triggered by something.

For instance, when you wake up in the morning you may be triggered to make your bed as soon as you get up. So maybe… stack that habit of making your bed with speaking some positive affirmations to yourself or incorporating the breath work that you’ve been wanting to add into your daily routine and start your day off on a positive note with some mental clarity.

Habit stacking has been super successful for many people because it eliminates the need to rely on willpower and motivation to successfully incorporate them into your routine. Personally, I tend to have a really hard time changing my routine & finding motivation, sometimes in just the smallest things. But, by identifying my habits and what triggers me to complete those daily habits, I was able to set myself up with a healthy way to stack new ones on top of the existing – with no stress!

Here are some of my tips to stay consistent with habits & routines:

ONE | Start Small

When building new habits, I think one of the most important things to remember is to start small. Habits can be overwhelming, and by starting with a small habit, you can build momentum and confidence.

Let’s just say if your goal is to start meditating – you can start by meditating for just one minute each day. This may seem like a small accomplishment, but it’s realistic & a great way to get started & build momentum! Setting unrealistic goals is going to set you up for failure. You know the old saying.. “slow and steady wins the race”.

TWO | Identify Existing Habits

To start habit stacking, identify an existing habit that you do consistently. This could be anything from brushing your teeth to making your morning coffee.

Once you have identified an existing habit, think about how you can add a new habit to it. For me, I wanted to start drinking a big glass of water when I woke up. So what I did was I stacked the glass of water with my morning coffee. I told myself that I can have my coffee if I drink my water beforehand.

THREE | Link The New Habit To An Existing Trigger

To make the new habit stick, it’s important to link it to an existing trigger. You’re looking for a something that signals you when it’s time to start a habit.

Who else has a hard time throwing out food or cleaning their fridge out?! If you are anything like me it feels like borderline torture. So I was thinking how can I do it more often but also make it seem like less of a big deal? I decided that every Friday on garbage day when my fiancé would take the kitchen garbage out of the bin, I would throw out a couple things in the fridge that needed to be tossed. It now has become second nature and not only is it getting cleaned out more frequently but I notice things I have in the fridge more that I forgot I purchased and I’m able to make use of it before it goes bad! I love less wastage!

FOUR | Make It Easy

We all want to be successful with what we set out to do, so we need to make the new habit as easy as possible. This means breaking it down into small steps and removing any hurdles that may prevent you from doing it.

Last year I did a virtual boot camp from home, it started at 6am, 4 days a week. This was so hard for me.. to tell you the truth, I LOVE sleeping. I am not an early bird. So to set myself up for success and make it a little easier for me I started with laying out my workout clothes the night before, setting an exercise reminder on my phone, and had my workout shoes, yoga matt, water bottle, everything, ready to go the night before. All I had to do was get up, get into those clothes & do it.

FIVE | Celebrate Your Successes

Finally, celebrate your successes! Building new habits takes time and effort, and it’s important to acknowledge your progress along the way.

When you achieve a milestone, take time to celebrate and reward yourself. Eat that piece of chocolate, buy the outfit you wanted, enjoy a Starbucks. This will help to reinforce the habits you have formed and will motivate you to continue.

All in all – habit stacking is a powerful technique that can help us build new habits and achieve our goals. By starting small, identifying those existing habits, linking to an existing trigger, making it easy, and celebrating your successes, you can create lasting change in your life!

Let’s get to stacking and become more productive, more motivated, and more confident. I’m rooting for you! x

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