My favorite part of the morning...coffee! We try to have it ready the night before, coffee in the filter and water in the pot. We have a BUNN so this is not necessary but it’s one less step in my morning routine. We have been doing this for 24 years now so it’s a habit, but it wasn’t always. So, how do we make our daily behaviors habits?
We “stack” them. What is habit stacking? According to James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, the best way to form a new habit is to identify a current habit you already do each day and then stack your new behavior on top.
Examples I suggest to my clients daily:
Current habit: New habit:
Wake each morning Drink 8 ounces of water
Drink morning coffee Bible Study/Gratitude Journal
pack your lunch and work bags
Start crockpot meal
Shower Clean a part of the bathroom
Apply make-up listen to audiobook/podcast
Curl hair wear booty band
calf raises
Get dressed pack gym bag/lay out clothes for next day
Eat breakfast clean counter/unload dishwasher
Brush your teeth take your vitamins
Leaving the house throw in a load of laundry/delay wash
shake out the rugs
scrub your floors as you leave
take out he trash
Come home from work Unpack workout bag and repack
Unpack lunch and repack
Charge devices
Put on athletic/comfy clothes
Cook dinner Laundry
Check emails
Update grocery list
Do a quick full-body workout
After supper Load dishwasher
Kids are doing homework Check emails
Check kids’ school bags
While kids shower/bathe Lay out kids’ pajamas
Listen to audio book/podcast
Make tomorrow’s to do list
Skin care
Body weight exercises
Put kids to bed Pick out their clothes for tomorrow
When kids are asleep Down time: skin care
take a bath
meditate
stretch
watch TV
read a book
gratitude journal or devotions
Years and years of our constant behaviors lead us to our daily habits. Our brain is one of the most important and powerful parts of our body, and it’s job is to be very efficient. Therefore, wanting to change a particular behavrior or habit can be extremely difficult. Habit stacking makes this change a bit more manageable, since we are adding the new with the old!