Habit Stacking: The Secret to Transforming Your Health and Wellness

Ask a family member to join you in your habit-stacking to make it more fun. Photo courtesy of Canva

You already have a full to-do list. Trying to start a new health and wellness habit like exercising, meditating, meal prep or journaling might feel overwhelming. Yet it’s often when we are the busiest or the most stressed that we realize something in our life needs to change to help us feel better. Feels like a Catch-22, right? 

Here’s the good news:

Habit stacking is a simple but effective hack to jump start your wellness without feeling overwhelmed. In this post, I’ll explore the power of habit stacking and how it can be enhanced by having a wellness vision.

What is Habit Stacking?

At its simplest, habit stacking is attaching a new habit to an existing one. By leveraging the power of your current routine, you're building on an existing habit and making it easier to adopt the new one in a seamless manner. By strategically stacking habits, you can create a domino effect that leads to a complete transformation of your lifestyle over time. 

Let's see what that might look like:

1. Morning Routine:

Start your day on the right foot by stacking habits that will create a positive tone for the rest of the day. For example, after washing your face, stretch for three minutes, followed by a three-minute meditation or box breathing session. 

2. Exercise:

If you struggle to find time for exercise, habit stacking can be a lifesaver. For instance, if you're a coffee lover, commit to going for a brisk walk around the block right after your morning cup of joe. This way, you're combining the pleasure of coffee with the benefits of physical activity. Or if you have a favorite TV show you watch regularly, do some pushups, squats or planks before you watch it and after it’s over. 

3. Evening wind-down:

If you often find yourself scrolling on your phone at bedtime, try using your phone as part of your wind-down routine or for healthy meal prepping. You could listen to a funny podcast or some calming music while you do a few yoga poses, or you could bookmark a healthy smoothie recipe to make the next day for breakfast. Try not to feel guilty about scrolling but instead, harness this habit to your advantage to give your wellness habits a boost. Just make sure you turn on your nighttime screen setting so the blue light of the screen doesn’t interfere with your body’s natural circadian rhythm, and set a timer to remind you when it’s time to put the phone down and go to sleep. 

The power of a wellness vision

While habit stacking is a powerful tool on its own, having a wellness vision can take your health and wellness journey to the next level. A wellness vision is a clear and inspiring picture of your desired state of well-being. It acts as a guiding light, motivating you to stay committed to your habits and goals.

By visualizing your ideal state of health and wellness, you can tap into your inner motivation and make habit stacking even more effective. For example, if your wellness vision includes feeling energized and calm so you can meet all the demands of your day and still have gas in the tank left to be present with your family each night, you can stack habits like regular exercise, healthy eating, and self-care activities to bring that vision to life.

Want a taste of wellness vision creation? Check out this short video.

Putting it all together

Incorporating habit stacking into your daily routine is a powerful strategy for creating lasting health and wellness changes. By leveraging existing habits and attaching new ones, you can transform your lifestyle over time in a way that doesn’t feel overwhelming. And when combined with a wellness vision, habit stacking becomes even more impactful, helping you stay motivated and focused on your goals, while having them anchored in your big-picture “whys.” 

If you need support as you make these changes, I’m here to help. Schedule a free consultation here.  I’m a nationally certified, Mayo Clinic-trained health and wellness coach, and I love chatting all things holistic wellness with folks!