In Atomic Habits, James Clear tells us:
“Habit stacking is a strategy you can use to pair a new habit with a current habit. The habit stacking formula is: After I [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT]. Your morning routine habit stack might look like this: After I pour my morning cup of coffee, I will meditate for sixty seconds. After I meditate for sixty seconds, I will write my to-do list for the day. After I write my to-do list for the day, I will immediately begin my first task. Or, consider this habit stack in the evening: After I finish eating dinner, I will put my plate directly into the dishwasher. After I put my dishes away, I will immediately wipe down the counter. After I wipe down the counter, I will set out my coffee mug for tomorrow morning.”
James Clear tells us he learned the habit-stacking tactic from Dr. BJ Fogg’s tiny habit recipe.
After I [current habit], I will [new habit].
After I [stop at a traffic light], I will [take a deep breath].
After I [need to go to the restroom], I will [walk to the farthest restroom in my building].
After I [feel irritated], I will [label my emotion or name it to tame it].
Can you think of a current habit that can serve as an anchor for a new habit?
