Habit pairing, or also known as habit stacking, refers to a strategy where you link a new habit you want to establish with an existing habit you already perform regularly. By effectively stacking the new habit onto the old one, it’s more likely to become ingrained in your routine. Sounds pretty simple, right? The idea is that you're more likely to remember to do it by associating the new behavior with a familiar action.
To start, identify a habit you do consistently and then add a new activity immediately before or after it; for example, if you are trying to drink more water: "After I brush my teeth in the morning, I will drink a glass of water." This makes it easier to adopt a new habit by leveraging the power of an existing routine.
Make sure to pick an activity you enjoy doing; then choose a task that you need to do more often but do not enjoy, don’t care too much about, or detest doing. You are pairing the good with the not so good to hopefully create a routine you’ll stick to by taking something that’s already a ritual and adding a new activity to it.
For example, when it comes to exercise, this could mean listening to your favorite podcast or audio book while going for a walk, or having a special TV show you only watch while on your exercise bike.
To really make habit stacking work, try to keep it simple. It’s best to start small with mini habits that are easier to establish, then build upon them over time. For instance, if your goal is to run a 5k but you’re not a runner, you might start with something like, “After I clean up dinner, I’ll take a 20-minute walk.” You can slowly increase your activity but continue to tie it to dinner clean-up, the established habit.
Many of us wish to adopt healthier habits, but turning those wishes into reality can be difficult. Often, the mere desire for change isn't enough; we need practical strategies to help us develop sustainable habits. Fortunately, this is a proven method that goes beyond willpower alone – habit stacking. This technique could be the key to creating lasting change, so why not give it a try? And ... as the new year approaches, bringing with it the tradition of setting resolutions, consider embracing this method. This strategy may just be the perfect tool for turning those often-challenging resolutions into successful, long-lasting habits. Good luck!