If you haven’t heard about this yet, it’s a new-ish (circa 2012) phenomenon that’s proven to be incredibly effective for accomplishing small goals or daily habit changes.
So, what is it?
It’s habit stacking.
Stanford professor B.J. Fogg calls this a tiny habit. The idea is that you plan to do something so ridiculously small that there would be no reason you won’t do it.
It’s simply connecting the new habit you’d like to start (say flossing, doing push-ups, writing, …you get the idea) to something you already do each day (like walking into a meeting, sitting on the toilet, checking your phone or brushing your teeth). These are non-negotiable daily acts that you do naturally on autopilot without even thinking about it.
A quick example of habit stacking:
“I’m going to take a mindful breath just before I open up my email (or refresh it).”
OR
“I’m going to get up and get a glass of water every time I check my phone at work”
(If you’re looking for specifics on mindful breathwork or water hygiene, check out these two links.)
Back to Habit Stacking…
You’ll need the anchor (your every day action item) + your new habit. Go ahead think of something now you’d like to incorporate every day to your life that’ll give you massive ROI - it could be time, health, muscles, etc.
So, let’s fill in the blanks…
“After [your anchor], I will do [new habit]”
Let me know how it goes by emailing me what you tried and how you anchored it. I love hearing successes and what’s working for you.
Friends don’t let friends fail at goals or resolutions or flossing :) If you found this helpful, share with a friend who may benefit from a fun new approach to accomplishing goals.
And here’s the unforgettable and entertaining Tedx from The coolest Stanford Professor, BJ Fogg. Enjoy!