How to ask for what you want
LeadershipCatherine Brenner, Louise Adler and Sam Mostyn offered their advic...
Become a part of the FW family for as little as $1 per week.
Explore MembershipsTurn words into action. Work with us to build a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
Learn MoreHear from notable women around the country on topics including leadership, business, finance, wellness and culture.
Mark your diariesTwo days of inspiring keynote speeches, panel discussions and interactive sessions.
Learn MoreCatherine Brenner, Louise Adler and Sam Mostyn offered their advic...
Em Rusciano outlines four lessons we can all take from her own sei...
In our latest series, Making The Case, Future Women's arguer-in-ch...
Putting survivors of family violence at the centre of the story.
Listen NowFW Advance will give you the knowledge and skills you need to fast track your career as an emerging leader.
Learn MoreA program for mid-career women and exceptional graduates to fast track their career journey.
Learn MoreConnect with expert mentors and an advisory board of like-minded women to solve a professional challenge.
Learn MoreA famous and very productive woman once declared that a spoonful of sugar helps with even the most difficult daily tasks.
While Mary Poppins, the beloved fictional character, used a carpet bag and whimsical magic to get through her day, following a similar principle could make positive change in our lives. That principle is habit stacking.
It’s the perfectly simple yet powerful technique that involves building new habits by piggybacking them to existing ones.
American self improvement author, SJ Scott introduced the concept in his 2014 book, “Habit Stacking: 97 Small Life Changes That Take Five Minutes or Less.” According to Scott, even the busiest individuals find a few minutes to brush their teeth. Yet incorporating equally small habits into our lives often proves elusive.
He believes habit stacking hinges on selecting the right “trigger”— an existing habit that serves as a reminder for your new one. This trigger should be something you consistently do at a specific time or place.
Now, habit stacking isn’t about writing a novel while learning Mandarin, becoming a CEO in 10 days or demanding a rigorous 28 day commitment like traditional habit-forming methods. It’s about enhancing overall well-being.
“It’s about really listening to what your lifestyle needs, whether or not you can stick to it and observing it without judgement.”
For instance, if you want to call your parents more often (new habit), you can stack it onto doing the dishes (trigger). If you aim to read more books (new habit), stack it onto sitting and enjoy your morning coffee (trigger).
“It’s about making life more enjoyable by pairing a challenging or boring habit with something you genuinely enjoy,” Australian designer and productivity expert, Deborah Ho, told FW.
“I’m always striving to optimise my life, and while I’m quite disciplined, I do have days where my only priority is getting out of bed or out the door. The productivity hacks I want to implement have to be easy.”
You might be wondering, “How can I stay committed to the habit I’ve chosen to stack?”. Digital tools can be a huge help (we must apologise if ‘using my phone less’ is a habit you are striving for) while you find your feet, it’s simply a matter of finding one you like.
Deb loves using Loop Habit Tracker app on Google Play to monitor her habits. She finds the user interface intuitive and enjoys the satisfaction of ticking off completed habits.
She said even simple tasks like brushing her teeth get a checkmark, providing a sense of accomplishment and motivation.
“I’m always going to brush my teeth in the morning, I’ve done it since I was a child. But I love being able to say ‘Yeah! I brushed my teeth today!’” Deb laughed.
“[The app] is a good reference for me because as I’m building habits over time I tend to lose track.”
However, there’s a fine line between optimising routines for productivity and overwhelming yourself with too many habits. Deb emphasised the importance of not overloading your day with stacked habits.
“With the work-from-home situation, a lot of people are happy not to have the commute time. But for me, the reason I go into the office is because of the commute time. That’s the only time where I’m actually limited in what I can do,” she explained, using the walk along Pyrmont Bridge as a way to clear her mind before work.
As for advice for others, Deb kept it simple.
“The main advice I would give is, ‘Go easy on yourself’. It’s about really listening to what your lifestyle needs, whether or not you can stick to it and observing it without judgement,” she said.
So, why not give it a try and see how it can transform your daily routines and boost your productivity? Habit stacking might just be the sugar that makes those daunting tasks go down a little smoother, helping you become more productive and happier in the process.
Not an FW member? Future proof your career with a Gold membership today. Join now
If you’re not a member, sign up to our newsletter to get the best of FW in your inbox.