Habit Stacking involves pairing a new habit with an established one to create seamless, productive routines. By linking a new behavior to something you do consistently, you leverage the momentum of your existing habit as a natural trigger for the new one.

This strategy simplifies incorporating new habits into your daily routine, thus implementing meaningful change over time.

The formula is straightforward: After doing an existing habit, follow it with a new one.

This method is effective because it taps into automatic behaviors, reducing the effort needed to start something new.

How to Start Habit Stacking

Here’s the 3 step process to create a new habit to pair with an existing one.

1) Identify Habits

Choose a habit you perform consistently, like making coffee or finishing a client call. Pair it with a new habit you wish to incorporate. For instance, after making your morning coffee, aim to jot down your top three tasks for the day.

2) Linking Habits

Attach the new habit to the end of the existing one, solidifying the connection. This repetition helps cement the new behavior into your routine, gradually making it as automatic as the established habit.

3) Reinforce Over Time

Over time, your brain will associate these linked actions, easing the friction of initiating new habits.

Personalizing Habit Stacking

Here’s an example. My morning begins with reading something inspirational—all triggered by my alarm clock. It was awkward initially—I mean, who wants to read first thing when they could sleep in? Nevertheless, it soon became ingrained in my morning ritual. Once reading became automatic, I added exercise, using the completion of reading as a cue.

This pattern continued with each subsequent habit, including a cold shower after exercising. Inspired by Robin Sharma’s “The 5 AM Club,” my routine gradually evolved, aligning with new aspirations and strengthening over time.

Ideas For Life Coaches

As coaches, implementing habit stacking can elevate both personal and professional pursuits. For instance, after completing a client session, take ten minutes to draft a social media post. This ensures ideas are fresh and content creation becomes effortless, maximizing your productivity without sacrificing quality.

Another personal example involves scheduling my glass-blowing studio time. When my wife mentions her aerial arts class on Mondays, I ensure my own hobby time is booked, ensuring both our passions receive attention.

For your coaching business, consider using habit stacking around your calendar to streamline work tasks. Align existing habits as cues for new actions that directly contribute to business growth, ensuring a consistent output of creative content and strategic planning.

By building on existing behaviors, you reduce the starting friction for new habits, facilitating a smoother transition into productive routines. For personalized guidance on how to implement the habits that will take your coaching business to the next level, sign up for a free mini session below.