What is Habit Stacking and How to Start It

Once, Mark said to me, “After I study for three hours in the library, I will have a cup of coffee.” I was thinking about his statement, and suddenly, the idea of habit stacking came to my mind.

Later, I realized that Mark was actually forming the habit of studying through another habit, which is coffee. Indeed, it is a great strategy to develop new habits with the help of small changes and already existing patterns. This is best possible through habit staking ideas.

Have you ever thought that babies have more neurons than adults? If it is so, then why are adults more skilled and experts in habits than babies?

Habit stacking is a life changer game and the best and most easy way to build new habits. If you are searching for an easy technique to develop new habits, knowing how to start habit stacking is important for you.

How can you know this technique? How can you master physical and mental performance? Let’s continue reading here if you want to learn the magnificent art of habit stacking.

What is Habit Stacking?

The term “habit stacking” was coined by author S.J Scott in his book Habit Stacking: 97 Small Life Changes that Take Five Minutes or Less.   

Stacking means to arrange things in an ordered pile or to pair up things. The meaning of habit stacking is to pair one habit with another. When you want to build a habit with the help of another habit that you already practice, it is habit stacking.

Inhabit stacking, you pair a habit not with a specific time, location, or object but with a habit that is already a part of your routine. You build habits based on other habits. It is a special form of implementation intention.

The concept of habit stacking is similar to the working of neurons. Neurons are the agents that transmit information between the brain and the body. The more you do something, the stronger the connection of neurons becomes.

By using that base, you can get more success and practice habits with more ease to become an expert. This is a biological phenomenon which is known as synaptic pruning.

Let’s understand it with habit stacking example.

• After I get a shower, I will review my goals for today. So, you see, with the help of one habit, I want to build another one.

Stages of Habit Stacking

According to James Clear, there are four stages of habit stacking.

1.      The Cue

A cue is the stimulus or trigger that initiates an action. For example, you pick up a book and start reading.

2.      The Craving

Craving is the motivation behind doing something. It is your desire and spirit to carry out a habit. For example, you want to read because you desire good grades and knowledge.

3.      The Response

The activity or habit you do as a result of motivation is the response. In the above case, starting reading and studying daily is the response.

4.      A Reward

A reward is the advantage or benefit you get at the end. In this case, improved knowledge and grades are the rewards.

How to Start Habit Stacking

The four stages given by Clear provide a clear ground for how to start habit stacking.

The starting point for habit stack is the cue or trigger. It acts as an impulse to do something new based on your daily activities.

There are three steps to start habit stack.

        I.  The Chain

 Associate a cue with a new action. Make the connection between what you have and what you want to do. For example, if you want to eat some nuts daily in the early morning and want to develop it as a habit, connect nuts with an object you use at that time.

Let’s say the object is a cup of coffee. So whenever you see your cup, eat some nuts.

     II.  The Sequence

A sequence is a series of steps you take to move habits into your routine. You set a series of patterns and then act on them to make them a part of your routine. For example, you want to develop the habit of a midday nap or short doze. You make a sequence for such a habit.

The sequence of habit stacking can be like after I go to college, I will work hard. After I study in the library, I will come back home. After I come, I will eat a good lunch. After I eat lunch, I will take a short doze.

So, for one habit, you follow the sequence of habits and slide them to your brain.

   III.  The Pair-up

While working on and stacking habits, add some musical or funny things to your schedule. Make some fun while you are forming habits through stacking. For example, listen to a joke from your friend when exercising together.

Why is Habit Stacking Significant?

Habit stacking is an important technique for forming habits through habits that are already part of your brain. It allows you to develop new habits through the habits you are already doing. It also helps you set new goals and achieve them.

For example, if you want to remain fit and have a strong, healthy body, you can do push-ups in the morning after brushing your teeth. Now, you develop this habit through another habit of your routine, which is brushing your teeth. So, habit stacking helps you get the goal, which is a healthy body.

It also strengthens your existing routine. When you develop habits through other ones, those habits become integrated into your brain, hence reinforcing them for future actions. For example, if you form a new habit with the help of morning coffee, so morning coffee becomes a strong habit of your schedule.

Habit Stacking Examples

There are many examples of habit stacking that help you understand this concept and form new habits. Some examples are given as

• After I get a shower, I will drink a glass of fresh water.
• After I drink water in the morning, I will practice some push-ups.
• After I walk for some time in the morning, I will get a good breakfast.
• After I get breakfast, I will sit in the shining sun to get vitamin D.
• After I work for three hours, I will take a break.
• I will meditate on my life after I take a break.
• After I complete my homework, I will use my phone to text my friends.
• After I earn money myself, I will go shopping.
• After I wake up, I will read some motivational and new content on personal development.

You can add an unlimited number of habits to the list based on your preferences.

Habit Stacking Ideas

Some habit-stacking ideas fall into the following domains. When forming new habits, think about the category of habit and which domain it belongs to, and then identify the clue, trigger, or existing habit in that domain to stack habits you want to build.

• Morning routine

After I make my bed, I will meditate for 3 minutes

• Healthy habits

Before I eat a meal, I will drink a glass of water.

• Productivity and work

After I complete my work, I will edit it for improvement.

• Fitness and exercise

I will run for 5 minutes after I watch the movie.

• Learning and personal development

After I read for one hour, I will play a vocabulary game to learn English.

• Relaxation and stress relief

After I finish assignments, I will go to the gym.

These are simple ideas covering most aspects of life. You can add a number of habits to any of the categories to start habit stacking.

Conclusion

In conclusion, habit stacking emerges not just as a strategy for building new habits but as a profound insight into the nature of human behavior. Through the simple act of pairing one habit with another, we allow the power of routine to compel us toward our goals.

Just as neurons forge connections in the brain through repetition, so too do our habits interweave to shape our daily lives. By understanding the stages of habit stacking – from the cue to the reward – we gain a roadmap for transformation, a practical guide for personal evolution.

As we reflect on the examples of habit stacking – from the morning rituals of water and exercise to the evening routines of reflection and connection – we see not just the outlines of habit but the contours of possibility. In each moment, in each choice, in each habit-stacking idea, we find the seeds of change waiting to be sown in the fertile soil of habit-stacking.

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