Habit Stacking: The Best Hack to Building a Lasting Routine

As moms, we know that establishing a proper routine for our kids makes life easier for everyone. If they’re on a schedule and know what to anticipate during the day, they tend to be a bit more easygoing. That sounds pretty brilliant, doesn’t it? As moms, we often don’t prioritize ourselves, so our routines revolve 100% around our children. That’s all fine and good, but it's equally important to establish a self-care routine. To make it happen —and it totally can —we need to leverage habit stacking.

What In The Heck Is Habit Stacking?

We’re so glad you asked. Habit stacking involves taking simple habits we already have and adding something new to our routine that we’d like to incorporate. This very simple concept can have a profound impact on our daily lives.

By Wix

“The thinking is that engaging in the already-existing habit will cue you to do your new one,” Dr. Lauren Alexander shared with the Cleveland Clinic.

Make A List Of Habits

Dr. Alexander suggests that first, we make a list of our current habits. It can be simple things like brushing our teeth, taking the dog for a walk, or making the bed. Once we've established our current habits, it’s time to incorporate a few new elements we’d like to add to our routine.

Make Of List Of New Habits You’d Like To Implement

If you’ve always wanted to make the bed or spend 10 minutes meditating or praying, add it to the list. If you’d really like to have a specific spot for your keys, purse, and shoes so you’re not running around like crazy every morning, put that on the list two.

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Start Stacking Habits Together

Ensuring that habits stack in a cohesive manner is crucial. It's best to plan to start a load of laundry after making breakfast, rather than during your lunch hour while you're at the office. If you’re in the habit of brushing your teeth, but flossing isn’t always your jam, that would be a good habit to stack. Then add on washing your face and maybe using a serum. If the habits stack and make sense, it will be easier to stick to the new routine.

Don’t Beat Yourself Up If Habit Stacking Is A Struggle

It might not come together quickly. Dr. Alexander claims it can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to nearly a year to establish a habit. Anyone who's ever tried a new workout routine or given up a vice like smoking knows that it’s hard, but in the end, rewarding.

“Generally, if people can attach new habits to ones that they already regularly do, they’re going to have some success,” Dr. Alexander explained. “But if the habits that they’re trying to attach to already-existing ones aren’t things they want to do in the first place, that will affect the likelihood of successfully forming the habit.”

Give it a try, but start small. And if it doesn’t work, try it again. Give yourself grace. None of this happens overnight, but if you’re giving it your best, that’s a win in and of itself.