What is habit stacking and how can I make habits stick?

One small study from 2018 found that those who flossed immediately after brushing their teeth developed a stronger flossing habit.

Bundling habits in this way may seem simple – obvious, even. But the power of habit stacking lies in its simplicity. As Henshaw says: “When we try and build habits or set goals and work towards them, so often we find them really overwhelming, and so we just don’t do them.”

Dr Gina Cleo, habit expert and author of The Habit Revolution, says science backs up this way of thinking.

“Habit stacking is actually one of the most essential strategies for building new habits,” she says.

“It works because of neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to rewire itself through repeated experience. When you consistently pair a new habit with an existing one, you’re effectively ‘piggybacking’ on an already established neural pathway.”

Through repetition, these neural pathways are strengthened, making once arduous tasks feel effortless and natural.

Some of the habit stacks Cleo incorporates into her own routine include:

• “When I sit down at my desk, I take five deep breaths.”
• “When I finish work for the day, I take my dog for a walk.”
• “When my head hits the pillow, I think of one thing that went well that day that I’m grateful for.”

Who can benefit from habit stacking?

Habit stacking can be helpful for anyone looking to change their behaviour – and stick to routine.

It can be helpful for those with ADHD, for whom sticking to daily routines and focusing on singular tasks can be difficult.

It can also be beneficial for children.

“Kids love routine,” says Cleo. “They know, for example, ‘this day equals school, and school means I have to take my school bag, and we have to leave at a certain time’. There are certain rules that they know, and it’s exactly the same with habits.”

A simple habit stack to teach children, for example, could be: “When I finish dinner, I take my plate over to the sink.”

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How to habit stack

It can be helpful to start by thinking about what new habits you’d like to form. Then, do an audit of your daily or weekly routine to identify existing habits that can serve as a “cue” for the new one.

Cleo recommends starting small, and using alarms if necessary until something becomes habitual. Indeed, making small changes, and being consistent with them, has been shown to be a more powerful effector of change than relying on motivation alone.

“It’s really important to remember that changing habits does not need to mean overhauling your entire life,” agrees Henshaw.

Of course, there are some days when even the smallest of tasks can feel like a chore. In these instances, Cleo recommends doing “the smallest viable thing you can do to stay on schedule with your habits”.

“Say you’ve planned to do a 10-minute meditation every day after brushing your teeth, and you just really don’t want to on a specific day. Instead of not doing it at all, I’d still do a one-minute meditation because that way your brain still associates that time of day with meditating, and you’re not breaking the routine or the cycle of the habit.”

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