Habit Stacking: Use What You Already Do

In Atomic Habits, James Clear introduces the idea of habit stacking — you tie a new habit to a habit you already do. (Read his full post here)

The logic is simple: your existing habits are already built into your day. If you attach a new habit to them, you don’t have to create a new trigger. You just link it to what’s already happening.

The formula is straightforward:
After / Before [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].

Here are a few examples Clear gives:

• After I pour my morning coffee, I will meditate for one minute.
• After I take off my work shoes, I will change into workout clothes.
• After I sit down to dinner, I’ll share one thing I’m grateful for.

I’ve tried this myself. Before every Instagram stream, I make it a point to message my friends that I’m about to go live. That message acts as my cue to start streaming.

Habit stacking works because it fits new habits into your existing routine instead of forcing you to start from scratch. It’s a simple way to grow consistency without relying on motivation.