The other day I heard a little quip on the radio. A physician was talking about staying healthy during this challenging pandemic. He mentioned a practice called “habit stacking”. Instead of getting rid of bad habits or attempting a whole new one, why not incorporate a habit alongside something you already do?

I liked that idea. The physician gave examples of more physical practices- doing pushups before taking a shower, performing squats while brushing teeth. His suggestions were not originally his. Turns out there is a book by the same name (no surprise) called Habit Stacking by S.J.Scott.

It seems like a doable and easy plan- add one extra thing to what you already do. In a way it reminds me of the “sneak the zucchini into the bread because you cannot taste it anyway” mentality- a simple act that you will hardly even notice but can provide some benefits.

But I was thinking of other habit stacking items we could do- offering a pleasant comment to the salesclerk, saying hello to the people you pass on the street, giving a quick prayer of daily thanks when you roll out of bed.

Just recently I have also heard about “atomic habits”. Again, the idea that small changes can compound one on a trajectory of self-improvement. Like all psychology, the theories make sense when you think about your own life. Unknowingly, I have been able to make changes by doing that. For example, when I wanted to increase my water intake I started drinking a glass upon arising and an extra glass before I refill my coffee cup. Before I knew it, I was drinking my allotted water amount.

What about you? What habits do you want to cultivate? What small change can you incorporate with something you already do? Work-related? Health-related? Relationship-wise? What do you currently do that would be easy to “stack” on another habit?

Life is paradoxical. Sometimes the hardest things are the simple ones. And sometimes the biggest changes occur with the littlest actions.