Written by Alexandra Dawson
Why This Might Be the Only Self-Help Practice You’ll Ever Need
If your brain feels like static and just brushing your teeth counts as an emotional win, this one’s for you.
Habit stacking isn’t about completing the 75 Hard challenges or having an Instagrammable glow up. Instead, it’s a sustainable way to make your life 1% more manageable — one tiny moment at a time.
What Is Habit Stacking? (And Why It Actually Works)
“Habit stacking takes advantage of the areas of our lives that are already automatic and reliable. It's a technique where you attach a new habit to one you already engage in consistently.” — Dr. Lauren Alexander, PhD
Habit stacking works because it taps into neuroplasticity (your brain’s natural ability to form new connections).
So, Instead of carving out a whole brand-new path, you add a tiny “scenic detour” to an existing routine.
✅ Example:
– After you brew coffee, you journal for 2-5 minutes.
– After you open your laptop, you take three deep breaths.
How to Start Habit Stacking (Without the Spiral)
1️⃣ Pick One Anchor Habit You Already Do
(like: Brushing my teeth, making my daily coffee, opening up my laptop, scrolling on my phone.)
2️⃣ Attach One Tiny, Emotionally Supportive Action
(Drink a few sips of water, name a feeling, take a deep breath or three.)
3️⃣ Make It Clear
Write it down:
"After I [anchor habit], I will [new habit]."
4️⃣ Repeat — Even When You Forget
Forgetting is part of the process. Read that again. Say it outloud. We all forget things that aren’t part of routines, until we don’t. The key is that you come back to it when you do remember.
The Reality Check: This Will Take Time (And That’s Okay)
"Habit stacking can work. But calling it ‘easy’ is overstating it.” — Cleveland Clinic
What to Expect:
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Week 1–2: You forget constantly and feel like you’re failing (you’re NOT!)
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Week 3–4: You remember ~50% of the time and can adjust as needed.
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Month 2–3: New habits start to feel automatic.
👉 Goal: Not perfection. Self-kindness disguised as routine.
Troubleshooting Habit Stacking
When you find yourself saying: “I keep forgetting”
👉 Make it more visible (sticky notes, phone alerts)
👉 Pick an anchor habit you already do every day
When you realize that “You suddenly got busy and stopped after 2 weeks”
👉 Normal. Life happens. Restart when ready.
👉 Adjust the new habit until it feels easy.
When you find yourself thinking that “It feels really forced”
👉 New habits feel weird at first. Give it 2–3 weeks.
👉 If it still doesn’t click, try a different ritual or routine.
Reward the Routine (Your Brain Will Be Thanking You)
Our brains crave instant gratification. So why not use that to our advantage? How? By finding ways to pair your new habit with a tiny treat.
✅ Examples That Work:
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Do emotional check-in ➔ Get fancy iced matcha
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Do deep breathing ➔ Hop on TikTok or Pinterest for 5 mins
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Do quick stretch ➔ Watch an episode of your favorite show
❌ What Doesn’t work:
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Rewards that make you feel worse later (e.g., doom scrolling for hours on end when you’re already drained or going into debt to reward yourself with something overly expensive- like purchasing a hyper marked up Labubu Doll on ebay -trust me we’ve all been there)
Final Take: Feelings Before Fixing
Habit stacking is about making space for yourself and your life so that you can tackle tasks that you need to get done in order to make more room for the things you actually want to explore — not making you into someone else.
It’s about making micro changes, or doing one tiny action that reminds you: 💫 “I am a human being, not a productivity machine.”
It doesn’t have to be complicated or elaborate:
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Brushing your teeth + naming one feeling.
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Folding laundry + noticing one emotion.
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Opening your laptop + three sips of water before checking your work email.
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Unloading the dishwasher + being fully present.
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Going to Costco to get gas so you don’t run on fumes + listening to your favorite podcast on the way.
✅ The goal? To become 1% more present with the person you already are.
TL;DR for Emotional Humans
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Habit stacking = Adding tiny emotional moments to habits you already have.
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Works because brains love tiny wins more than drastic overhauls.
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2–6 months to feel automatic (forgetting is part of the process).
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Start tiny. Stay honest. Spiral responsibly.
