Habit Stacking

Habit stacking is a powerful behavior change technique popularized by James Clear in his book "Atomic Habits." It involves linking a new habit you want to build to an existing habit you already do consistently.

The Formula

The basic habit stacking formula is:

"After I [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT]."

For example:

• "After I pour my morning coffee, I will drink a glass of water."
• "After I sit down at my desk, I will write my to-do list."
• "After I finish dinner, I will read 10 pages of my book."

Why Habit Stacking Works

The technique leverages several psychological principles:

• **Existing Neural Pathways** - Your current habits are already wired into your brain. Attaching new behaviors to them piggybacks on this established wiring.

• **Implementation Intentions** - Research shows that deciding when and where you'll perform a habit dramatically increases follow-through.

• **Reduced Decision Fatigue** - You don't have to decide whether or when to do the new habit—the trigger is automatic.

Habit Stacking for 75 Soft

Apply habit stacking to your 75 Soft Challenge:

• "After I wake up, I will drink my first glass of water."
• "After I finish lunch, I will go for my 45-minute walk."
• "After I get into bed, I will read my 10 pages."
• "After I check my email, I will log my meals in my tracker."

Building Habit Chains

You can stack multiple habits together:

"After I wake up → I drink water → I stretch for 5 minutes → I review my daily goals"

This creates a morning routine that runs almost automatically.

Tips for Effective Habit Stacking

• **Choose the right anchor** - Pick a habit you do consistently at the same time
• **Start small** - Make the new habit easy to complete
• **Be specific** - Vague intentions lead to vague results
• **Match energy levels** - Don't stack a high-energy habit after a draining one