Mental Health

The easy method to build healthy habits (that actually works)

Habits (for better or worse) are a key part of our lives. Research shows that around 45% of our daily activities are driven by habit rather than in-the-moment intention. However, just like breaking habits can be tricky, so too can building new ones – no matter how keen we are.

“Evidence suggests it takes around 66 days for a new activity to become an established habit,” reveals Dr Marianne Trent, clinical psychologist and host of The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast.

Fortunately, there’s an approach that can help speed up the habit-forming process and enhance the chances of new behaviour patterns sticking: habit stacking. This term was first coined by S.J. Scott in his book Habit Stacking: 127 Small Changes to Improve Your Health, Wealth, and Happiness, and the concept has since gone on to be adopted worldwide.

Try this easy method to build healthy habits

What does habit stacking involve?

A favourite approach of Liz’s, habit stacking is easier than you might think.

“Habit stacking is simply a paired association,” says Marianne.

Rather than trying to establish a new habit on its own, link it with one you’ve already developed. This might be adding a handful of additional veggies to dinner to up the fibre intake. Or tagging 10 squats on the end of your usual morning run.

Marianne explains that this increases the chances of success because your brain gets to use neural pathways that are already established.

“Over time, the new habit flows naturally because it feels like our actions aren’t complete until all aspects are complete,” she says.

Doing several actions in close succession sounds like multi-tasking – so is there a difference?

Definitely, says productivity coach Juliet Landau-Pope. One example of multi-tasking might be watching TV or listening to a podcast while cooking or ironing, to make chores less boring. But there is a downside.

“Multi-tasking can leave you feeling frazzled because your attention is constantly divided,” Juliet shares. “By contrast, habit stacking isn’t necessarily simultaneous – you do one thing after another, not at the same time. The emphasis is also on developing routines, not just getting things done occasionally.”

The benefits of habit stacking

As noted earlier, starting a new habit can be daunting – especially if we know it’s going to take some time to get used to.

“Taking the first steps is often the greatest challenge,” Juliet states. “But finding an easy and innovative way to shift habits and develop healthy routines can be immensely liberating.”

In addition to amplifying good behaviours, there are wellbeing advantages to engaging in habits and stacking them up.

“Habit stacking is empowering, helping you to achieve personal and professional goals,” says Juliet. Research indicates that building just one habit, however small, increases self-confidence – in turn, providing the motivation to accomplish other goals and habits.

Establishing positive habits can also enhance our day-to-day efficiency, and the more habits we build, the more efficient we can become. One study found that developing good habits, especially in the workplace, allows us to build self-control and avoid distractions so we work more efficiently. Meanwhile, other research revealed that engaging in habits rather than spur-of-the-moment actions requires less thinking effort and time. This frees up cognitive space and resources to focus on other tasks.

When we succeed in tasks, our body releases a hit of dopamine, the ‘pleasure’ chemical. It perhaps comes as no surprise then that studies have found that those who engage in habitual behaviours experience lower stress levels than those who do not. Building and engaging in good habits can also help free us from negative thoughts and self-criticism around not achieving goals or tasks. This is important as frequent self-criticism is associated with concerns such as anxiety and depression.

Habit stacking tips for success

While we may have grand ambitions for our new habit stacking goals, it’s crucial to start small and be realistic. “Aiming to stack habits that take five minutes or less seem to produce the best success rates,” says Marianne.

Aim to add one habit at a time, rather than stacking several in one go. This will help to avoid feelings of mental overwhelm and increase our chances of success. “Once it’s in your regular regime, you can think about what else you might want to include,” Marianne adds.

Science suggests linking a new habit to an existing one in a similar vein may be beneficial. For instance, a US study gave participants a subscription to a news site to see whether they could make reading its contents a new habit. The researchers found that those with existing news reading habits were far more likely to engage with the site on a daily basis.

Finally, consider giving yourself a helping hand.

“Free apps, such as Trello, can dramatically increase your chances of achieving the goals you set for yourself,” says Marianne.

Habit stackers to get you started

Not sure where to begin? Don’t panic. Here are a few healthy habits to get you started:

Meal prep tomorrow’s lunch before cooking tonight’s dinner
Eat an apple after lunch to increase your fruit intake
Do a short burst of tidying while waiting for your cup of coffee to cool in the morning
Take a short walk outdoors after dinner
Put dirty clothes immediately in the laundry basket after getting undressed
Take a few minutes to write in a gratitude journal after doing your teeth at night