What Is Habit Stacking? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

What Is Habit Stacking?

Your guide to building new habits that stick.

497
What Is Habit Stacking?
Pexels.com

Have you ever made a resolution to do something new, like drink more water or have vitamins everyday? I've made tons of resolutions like that, but they've never really stuck.

So when I came across S.J. Scott's book "Habit Stacking: 97 Small Life Changes That Take 5 Minutes Or Less" (free for Amazon Prime Members by the way), I was pretty excited.

Habit stacking, according to Scott isn’t supposed "to nag you about developing positive routines." He actually aims to show us how to create a simple routine that we are to repeat every day.

This routine is managed by a checklist so we don't have to remember all the good habits that we need to do every day. All we need to do is remember to follow the checklist.

Scott says that these little changes can have a lot of impact on your life, and you can check out the science behind being consistent with them too.

His focus is to "make giant leaps forward in your business, strengthen your personal relationships, stay on top of your finances, get organized and improve your health."


So how do you stack habits?

Check out Scott's 8 elements below:

1. Each habit takes less than five minutes to complete.

This makes sure that your tasks are easy, which makes you more likely to do them.

2. It’s a complete habit (or an action that cannot be built upon).

This means that you can't keep making it harder, like exercise. It's like drinking a glass of water when you wake up.

3. It improves your life.

That's the whole point of this exercise.

4. It's simple to complete.

Given that your tasks are short, they probably aren't too rigorous. This way you can see improvement quickly.

5. Your whole new routine takes less than 30 minutes.

This will make sure you aren't overwhelmed.

6. It follows a logical process.

An example: if you plan to drink a glass of water, brush AND floss, take out your trash from the kitchen, brush your hair, and moisturize it's probably a good idea to split the tasks into bathroom and kitchen so you don't have to move back and forth between the two rooms.

7. It follows a checklist.

This is so all you have to remember is to follow the checklist.

8. It fits your life.

This is so habit stacking makes you feel great and start your day off better!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

565271
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

452043
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments