This article is part of SU Dining Services Newsletter The Zest. View other articles and newsletter issues on the The Zest archive.
Have you ever had a goal you were wholly committed to – only to see a breakdown in the steps to getting there? We intend to exercise, build muscle, lose weight, study better, or be more social. Still, for some reason, we don’t get consistent. Building new habits is hard. We are wired to continue our existing ways. Bringing in new practices involves creating new neural pathways. It’s no wonder we have trouble. But this doesn’t mean we are doomed never to change – not at all.
Habit stacking is a way to bring new behaviors into your life with gentle changes. It involves “stacking” or adding a new goal to an existing habit. This way, it’s easier to remember to do it. The best part of habit stacking is that it doesn’t require massive changes – you can start small and add on as you go. There are different approaches to go about stacking habits – here are a few.
Linking
Link a habit you perform consistently with a new habit you are creating. The old behavior works as a cue to do the new practice. For example, you want to remember to take a multivitamin with breakfast. Think about your breakfast routine. Say you tend to have cereal and a glass of orange juice for breakfast—link pouring your juice with taking your vitamin. Set yourself up for success by putting the supplement in plain view near the glassware. You want to make adding the new habit as easy as possible. The more accessible and convenient the new habit is, the more likely you will continue doing it.
Sequence Method
Sequencing involves using a series of related habits you already do in a particular order and adding a new one. For example, say you want to increase your water intake and have a morning routine where you get up, start your coffee, wash your face, get dressed, and drink your coffee. You can easily add drinking water to this routine. For example, get up, start your coffee, and drink water as you continue your morning routine until your coffee is ready.
Sequencing habits can make change feel more familiar and less random. You are simply adding onto a sequence of habits you usually do routinely.
Pairing Method
Pairing involves bringing together two habits that can be done simultaneously. This can be particularly powerful if you pick something you love doing and add a new habit to the mix. For example – listening to your favorite music or podcast – bundle this pleasure with a new practice, walking. Can’t get yourself to do those dishes? Pair that with listening to your favorite upbeat music. This way, you will look breeze through an activity because it is associated with something you enjoy.
How to get started – choose a cue.
The key to habit stacking is to choose a reliable trigger or cue. You use this existing habit to remind yourself to do the new pattern you’re building. You’re simply adding one small action to follow your routine activity. Think of your daily routine and current habits. Make a list and consider where the new behavior may fit.
“ After I __________________, I will __________”
For example, suppose you want to improve your eating habits by eating more fruits and vegetables. In that case, you might use the trigger of leaving your morning class with eating the apple you’ve packed in your backpack.
“After I leave social studies class, I’ll eat my apple.”
If you want to increase your study time, try “After I leave class, I’ll go to a quiet place in the library and review my notes for 15 minutes.
Choose a trigger already part of your daily routine to cue the new behavior reliably. Remember, aim to make tiny, painless changes you can build on over time.
Getting Started
Start a new habit that fits well into your daily routine. Stack one new habit with an established one, your cue or trigger. Perform the stack for at least a week or two until it seems easier. Once you’re in the flow, you can add another habit to the stack or expand on the new one.
For example, you return to the dorm after class and do two pushups. After a time, add two more pushups, then some jumping jacks. Eventually, you may decide to go to the gym at that time. You then create a chain of healthy behaviors that become second nature. And when they do, you’ll be well on your way to improving your nutrition and health, or whatever goal you stack towards.
Building Healthy Lifestyle Habits with Stacking Options
Drink More Water
- Link- Fill water bottle + take a drink
- Sequence – wake up > turn on coffee maker > drink water until coffee is ready
- Pair -drink water while working on class assignments three times daily
Prep and eat more vegetables
- Link – Make a sandwich or warm leftovers for lunch + slice some raw vegetables or fruit to add to your plate
- Sequence – make dinner > prep extra vegetables for next day’s lunch
- Choose your meal in Commons > Cruise by the salad bar to add a few raw veggies
- Finish your meal in Commons Dining > As you’re leaving, grab a whole fruit to snack on later
- Pair -prep vegetables for the week while listening to your favorite music or podcast
Consume healthier snacks
- Link – put groceries away + portion healthy snacks; nuts, fruit, or raw veggies.
- Sequence – Add fruit or portioned nuts to your backpack in the morning > snack after class
- Pair – eat an apple while listening to music.
Habit stacking is an easy and effective way to add healthy lifestyle practices. By linking a tiny new behavior to established habits, you can gradually build healthy new habits that will last throughout your college career and into your adult life. So give it a try – you may be surprised at how easily and painlessly habit stacking can help you reach your goals and lead to improved health, nutrition, and perhaps your study habits or finance management.
Are you interested in learning more about your health and nutrition?
Contact University Dietitian Terry Passano for individual meetings or to speak to your group.
Email: thpassano@salisbury.edu
Phone: 410-5489112
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