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Try this!
Now that you’re ready to turn a behavior into a habit, break it down into the smallest steps possible. (And we meansupersmall.) Once you’ve nailed doing that with the help of the list below, you’ll start habit stacking!
Let’s dive a little deeper...
When it comes to building habits, we’re more likely to create ones that stick when we break them down into smaller micro-habits. Let’s say you’re looking to take a nightly post-dinner walk. Start small at the beginning and then lean on habit stacking.
1. List the super small steps in the behavior you want to turn into a habit.
To take that walk, it might include: Putting your sneakers on and grabbing your headphones to listen to a podcast.
2. Find a cue for the first micro-action on your list
Your cue is getting up from dinner.
3. Practice that first micro-action every time you encounter the cue
Put on your sneakers as soon as you get up from dinner.
4. Once that first micro-action turns into a habit, try adding the next micro-action on your list...
Now that you’ve nailed getting dressed for your walk, next up is getting your headphones.
5. ...and keep adding the next micro-action until you’ve built that full habit!
Nice job! Now get a water bottle and keep working your way down the list of micro-actions.
Did you know?
Time can also be a micro-habit. Not ready for a 20-minute walk? Start with 5 minutes and then you can (habit) stack to the full 20 minutes!
