Habit Stacking Thread 📚

[Mellmars1185]

Hello BIC! Habit stacking is something I have been doing mindfully for the past few years now and thought it would be fun to discuss and share here. It has helped me save time, be more efficient and have more time for what is important to me (spend time with family/friends, scroll on BIC, read).

What is habit stacking?

Habit stacking is essentially exactly what it sounds like: taking a new habit and adding it to something you already do habitually. Habit stacking works by identifying a habit or a behavior you want to start doing and tacking it onto something you already do regularly.

Example (I do all of these at the same time):

First Habit - Prepping and making a meal in the Instant Pot

Second - Put a load of laundry on while the food is cooking

Third - Putting hair oil on my scalp or put a hair mask in

Forth - Work out (while I am working out, dinner is cooking, laundry is washing and my hair is getting a treatment)

I thought maybe this could be a space where we discuss our habit stacking, share ideas, support, learn and motivate eachother. 

What habit stacking did you do today? 

 

 

Spoiler

I am open for suggestions for this thread. Maybe we can do challenges weekly or monthly?

[Mellmars1185]

Today during my morning routine, I included a couple of habit stacks:

• Ice rolled my face while drinking my morning coffee. This also woke me up. My SO even tried it after he saw me doing it!
• Listened to an inspiration Podcast while getting ready for work this morning. It set the tone for a good day.

[caitbird]

@Mellmars1185  great job, I love both of these ideas! I have never tried ice rolling before, but it sounds like it would really wake you up! Right now I am trying to build & stick to a more consistent and positive morning and evening routine. I think this thread will be very helpful for that!

[Mellmars1185]

@caitbird Thank you! I am excited for the changes in your routine you are making and the positive impact it has for you. I feel like just a small change in a routine can make such an impact. I am looking forward to hearing about it! For myself, writing things down helps. I like to write everything down that I want to accomplish in the day.

[caitbird]

@Mellmars1185  oh same! I make a to-do list every day, it's the only way I can keep track of everything (and I still sometimes forget things 😅). Part of the appeal of habit stacking for me is that if I can get in the habit of doing something regularly in my routine, it will be easier for me to remember and not let it slip my mind.

[itsfi]

Habit Stacking Check In - It's been about 4 weeks since I started practicing habit stacking and I thought it'd be a good time as any to check-in with how I've been doing and what, if any, adjustments I've made to my habit stacking routines. @Mellmars1185 

HABIT STACK #1 - Reading for leisure

• Current Habit - Cooking dinner
• New Habit - Read for leisure while waiting for dinner to finish cooking
• Goal: 2-3 times per week 

• How's it going? - Started off really well, but the last week-and-a-half hasn't been great as far as reading for leisure, and I didn't do much cooking (other than reheating leftovers) during that time either. I did get back to cooking dinner last night so that is a plus. 
• Changes made / to be made - I've been contemplating audiobooks (not entirely as I love seeing the written words and holding a physical book). I think I will give audiobooks a try with this habit stack, starting next week or the week after, maybe? I'll continue to read my other book, but and will look to carve out some time for that. 

HABIT STACK #2 - Scalp Care (Pre-wash oil)

• Current Habit - Workout followed by shower
• New Habit - Regular hair scalp, skin & body care in and post-shower, followed by mapping out weekly wardrobe and meal prep for the week
• Goal: 1-2 times per week 

• How's it going? - I keep to this habit stack more regularly on Sunday nights, and scalp care for now involves Fable & Mane HoliRoots™ Pre-Wash Treatment Oil for Thinning Hair (part of Pan It! - 2023 Challenge) and BREAD BEAUTY SUPPLY Scalp-Thingy: Scalp Massager. 
• Changes made / to be made - Once per week instead of trying to get in an additional day. 

HABIT STACK #3 - Digital Detox & Self Care (to unwind, destress, and sleep better)

• Current Habit - Skincare + hair care ( Kérastase Nutritive 8H Magic Night Serum Hydrating Treatment for Dry Hair 3.04 oz / 90 ml  or an overnight mask)
• New Habit - Move phone to hallway and add restorative yoga by candlelight, followed by laying out clothes for the next day and foot, hand & cuticle care before calling it a night
• Goal: 2 - 3 nights per week 

• How's it going? -  This habit stack was one I just recently started, but so far, so good (for the most part). 
• Changes made / to be made - Will try to add some time to read (physical book) before bed 

[caitbird]

@itsfi  great job! These are all really positive habits to add into your routine (also, restorative yoga by candlelight sounds sooo nice!), I love it. As always, you continue to inspire me!

[itsfi]

@caitbird, thank you. 😊 Multi-tasking is something I have done for almost my whole life so grouping activities together is something with which I have some familiarity. Making certain activities a habit sounded great and with the habit-stacking concept, I decided to try it and center it around self care, wellness. It’s been trial and error, with tweaks here and there because sometimes I get ahead of myself. It's been great to put it to a trial and make adjustments based on what is more doable, practical. We’ll find what works. The restorative yoga offers some nice quiet time for me; always good. 

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi Thank you for the update. Do you find that the habit stacking is saving you time when you are able to do it? I like your new idea to read before bed. That way you are getting your digital detox at the same time. I find reading before bed helps me fall asleep quickly 😴. 

[itsfi]

@Mellmars1185, I tend to multi-task when I do a lot of things, so in that sense, habit stacking as a technique  wasn't so hard to wrap my head around. Making something a 'habit', ohwever, presents a little more of a challenge for me, particularly since I wanted to put a self-care focus on what the new habit would be. It's been nice to weave that component into the other "action items" or "to do's" on my list, and especially to find ways to do it that feels less like checking something off my list and more an activity that is more natural (or a habit). Not sure that makes sense. 

I'm really looking forward to reading after restorative yoga and before bed - that will be fabulous for unwinding and self-care if I can get both of those activities to become habits. I know I need to make sure to set a limit on how long I read - I can easily get engrossed in a book and be up until the middle of the night, which would defeat the purpose of aiming for better (and possibly, more) sleep. I can either set a timer on my cell phone (sure, it's not a pure digital detox then but I'd be fine with it) or I can use a mechanical egg timer for it. 

[Mellmars1185]

I had to call my cell phone service provider today. Instead of getting frustrated with how long I was on hold for, I decided to put my phone on speaker phone and make dinner at the same time. Dinner ✔️, cell phone issue fixed ✔️.

[niki172]

@Mellmars1185 now I want your Instant pot recipes lol!

My habit stacking is:

putting a load of laundry in the wash

clean up the house and/or pay bills while the washer is going

put the load in the dryer when it's finished

take a shower

and then start the dishwasher before

starting my makeup/skincare that day

It helps get a lot done especially on the weekend when you want to maximize your time.

[Mellmars1185]

@niki172 It sounds like you have your habit stacking down packed. It also sounds like you get a lot done early in the day. That is something I want to work on. I want to start waking up a bit earlier so I can fit some of my daily tasks done in the morning, so I can relax more later in the day. 

[itsfi]

@niki172, your habit stack sounds fantastic. It makes for a super efficient and productive weekend morning.

[niki172]

@itsfi it gets a lot done especially after the build up of things that didn't necessarily get completed during the work week. Now if there were only a button I could press to clean the kitty litter box 😅.

[heartsmyface]

@Mellmars1185  I had to wash 15 beauty blenders tonight so I decided to mask cause I figured it would take a long time.  Sure enough, the 20 minute masking session was done by the time the last sponge was clean.  

Aaaaaand nows a good time to meditate while I do a hand mask to recover from all the sponge squeezing:). Juice Beauty GREEN APPLE™ Peel Sensitive SEPHORA COLLECTION Holiday Mango Hand Mask 

[Mellmars1185]

@heartsmyface This sounds like a wonderful beauty habit stack! Clean Beauty Blenders = Soft hands. Sounds like a win win to me. What kind of meditation do you do? I have been trying some out on a music streaming app.

[itsfi]

Sheet masking + washing beauty blenders or brushes is a great pairing, @heartsmyface. I may have to give that one a try. 

[itsfi]

I have one other habit stack I want to try to incorporate on a regular basis from now until end of May (and hopefully beyond if this works out well for unwinding) @Mellmars1185.  I'll aim to do this 2x per week. 

Current Habit - skincare routine, part 2 - face oil and, if necessary, spot treat with Peace Out Salicylic Acid Acne Healing Dots 

New Habit - Kérastase Nutritive 8H Magic Night Serum Hydrating Treatment for Dry Hair 3.04 oz / 90 ml (one night during the week) and for the other night, an overnight hair mask that can go on dry hair. Put hair up or in a quick braid.

followed by: 

Current Habit - light candle, do light stretching, lay out work clothes for the next day, and try to rest and unwind before bed

New Habit  - restorative yoga (20-40 minutes) to unwind & destress, followed by [putting cell phone in the hallway - this will help with my digital detox], moisturizing feet, applying cuticle oil to nails and hand cream. Lights out and time for bed

[heartsmyface]

@itsfi  This sounds so relaxing.  Laying out clothes for the next day is relatively new to me and gosh has it saved me so much stress in the mornings!   

[itsfi]

@heartsmyface, the restorative yoga by candlelight is something I'm hoping will help me unwind and sleep better. It'll be good to for some extra stretching and relieving soreness and aches. Oh, laying out clothes the night before has saved me many moments of standing in front of my closet, staring, and thinking "I don't have anything to wear" when in reality, I have plenty but can't make up my mind. 😂