The Science of Habit Stacking to Build a Healthier Life
The road to a healthier life can be long and contain bumps. So, how can you make the journey easier? Some experts recommend habit stacking. With this approach, you can rejuvenate your routine and become more productive.
Here’s how habit stacking can improve your life.
What Is Habit Stacking?
You likely have a set routine at home, work and other places. Your habits may seem set in stone, and changing them requires a lifestyle renovation. What if you could add minor changes to make your day healthier? Habit stacking implements new habits by attaching them to your current ones — who says you have to give up what makes you happy?
When you stack habits, you make a healthy lifestyle more accessible for yourself. For instance, your commute could be a 30-minute drive from your house. You already make the trip daily, so add the habit of listening to a wellness podcast. Now, your drive to work is more productive because it’s become educational. After a while, the stacked habits become second nature.
Why Does the Brain Like Stacking Habits?
The brain enjoys stacking habits because of the cue-routine-reward loop. With this habit strategy, your current routine triggers the new behavior and produces a positive reward. Therefore, you’re more likely to stick to it.
Experts have found it could also help dietary habits. A 2021 British Journal of Health Psychology study found cue-based planning helped habit formation due to automatic behavior responses.
Habit stacking also lets your brain gain confidence and self-esteem. When you accomplish two things simultaneously, your brain releases dopamine as the reward system. The feeling is significant enough to return for more later, thus cementing the habit into your routine. You may feel inspired to find other areas where you can stack behaviors.
How Is Habit Stacking Beneficial?
With a minor behavior change, it’s easier to make your healthy routine more consistent. You also save time by combining tasks instead of letting them be separate. If you can check two boxes at once, you can make your day more efficient.
Experts recommend habit stacking regardless of your industry. For instance, a 2021 Abdominal Radiology study recommended habit-stacking and other life hacks to improve self-care in the field. The researchers built their suggestions around James Clear’s “Atomic Habits,” a habit-forming guide emphasizing efficiency and environmental cues. With expert guidance, you can begin stacking habits and building a better life.
What Are the Best Examples of Habit Stacking?
The most critical element of habit stacking is adding behaviors to tasks you already do. So, how can you incorporate it into your life? Here are # suggestions to build a better daily routine.
TV and Exercise. Watching TV is part of most people’s routine, as the average person watches about 2.5 hours daily. How can you make your life better while watching your favorite programs? Find time for exercise during ad breaks or between episodes. Associate these times with 10 pushups or jumping jacks to incorporate exercise. Alternatively, you could walk on a treadmill while watching the show.
Music and Working. If you need a mental health boost, music is among the best options for motivation and energy. Use it when you need to be most productive if it’s not distracting. It could also be a time to check out new music and other artists you’re curious about. When you stack these habits, you associate work with more opportunities to listen to your favorite artists.
Coffee and Journaling. Coffee is an essential pick-me-up in many routines. What do you do while you drink java? Implement journaling as part of your morning itinerary. This habit improves mental clarity by aiding self-discovery and concentration. Stack coffee and journaling into one task to make your mornings more productive. Alternatively, save the journaling for nighttime and pair it with tea.
Bedtime and Reading. Your bedtime routine is crucial to your sleep quality. Ideally, you turn out the lights and put down your electronics well before closing your eyes. How can you stack good habits around bedtime? Try associating your nighttime routine with reading. Once you get into bed, read a chapter from a book. With this habit change, you can learn something new and reduce your screen time before bed.
Cooking and Hydration. When you’re in the kitchen, you burn plenty of energy while cooking. After all, you must carefully watch the stovetop or oven to ensure the food doesn’t burn. During the chaos, you may forget to hydrate. Stack good habits by drinking a glass of water before starting any prep. With improved hydration, you feel more energized and able to think clearly.
Reaping the Benefits of Habit Stacking
Changing your established routine can be challenging. If it becomes too difficult, you may disregard the desired habits and end up at square one. So, how can you make these adjustments more sustainable? Try stacking these habits and making minor changes. With habit-stacking, you can sprinkle positive behaviors and make healthy living more accessible.
Mia is a professional health and wellness freelance writer with over five years of experience writing for sites like Real Simple and The Everygirl. Mia is also the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Body+Mind magazine. You can follow Mia and Body+Mind on X and Instagram @bodymindmag!