Elevate Your Year: The Power of Habit Stacking

Now that we are almost a full month into the new year, many of us find ourselves at a crossroads – either enthusiastically holding onto the resolutions we made or grappling with the overwhelming societal pressure to maintain those new routines. In early December, I started to think about how I wanted to show up in the new year. These thoughts led me to start reading Atomic Habits by James Clear, where I found simple yet powerful strategies for building habits that truly stick.

In Chapter 5, "The Best Way to Start a New Habit," Clear introduces the concept of habit stacking, which involves integrating new habits into existing routines. This is not about achieving transformative results in a week – an unrealistic idea we've all likely had at one time or another. Rather, it’s about making small changes within your daily routine.

Let's take a moment to unpack the wisdom behind habit stacking. It's the idea that tiny yet strategic changes in our routine can lead to significant and lasting transformation. The brain seamlessly integrates the new behavior by connecting the desired habit with an existing routine, making it easier to adopt and sustain. To make this practical and action-oriented, Clear cites BJ Fogg's habit-stacking formula: 'After I [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].'

To put this in a real-world situation, here are goals for the upcoming week: After I end the video call, I will stand up for a 1-minute stretch break or after I start my client meeting, I will silence all other alerts on my phone and on the computer to be completely present. While committing to stretching or being focused are good goals, they don't provide clear directions on when to start, how long to continue, etc. Connecting your new habit directly to something you already do in your daily routine increases the likelihood you will follow through with it.

These small changes embedded within our routine will pave the way for transformation that is both supportive and sustainable to our lifestyles. What new habit might you stack onto an old one this week? It's a journey worth taking, one tiny habit at a time!