Habit stacking is the ability to use the momentum of one successful habit to build more positive habits into your routine. The idea is simple, but it does take some time to reinforce these behaviors. If you think habit stacking could help you improve your productivity, it’s good to know where to start. Here are some things you can try.
Why Habit Stacking Works
Habit stacking works by incorporating new activities with established habits to encourage you to do them. If you are already taking out the trash, it’s a good time to swing by the mailbox and pick up your mail. For example, when you review your emails in the morning, take a few minutes to update your To-Do list.
Start Small
In the office, if you ask yourself what small task you can add to any other job, your productivity will increase significantly. Small increments can make a big difference. For example, if you have a small task that takes up time but is still critical to your day, tack it onto the end of a more complex task that you handle every day. Keep doing it, and that small task will become incorporated into the bigger one.
Always Ask, “What Can I Do Next?”
Habit stacking won’t necessarily come naturally, so take time to incorporate tasks together. Whenever you finish one regular task, ask yourself, “What can I do next?” As you string tasks together, your processes become more efficient for everything.
Build in Collaboration
Habit stacking is specifically great for teams. You can build in collaboration with every new addition of a task. For example, if you have morning meetings, add a brainstorming session to the end. That brainstorming would happen anyway, but now it is tacked on to one regular habit and won’t take additional time out of regular work.
Are you ready to take your career to the next level? See what CornerStone Staffing is working on today.