Forming new habits can be tough, experts estimate it can take anywhere between two and eight months for a new behaviour to become a habit, so as is the Luminary way, here's a hack that could speed it up for you - Habit stacking!
Skills are formed when our brains make connections between neurons, the more we practice that skill, the stronger and faster those connections become - skills feel easier and become habitual.
You already have a long list of habitual skills; for example, taking a shower first thing in the morning, tying your hair up before a workout, calling a loved one when you jump in the car to drive home - these are things you just do, you don’t have to make a special effort or think about too much.
Here's the shortcut… You can build on this existing 'connectedness' by attaching a new behaviour to an established one - this is known as habit stacking.
How does it work?
Let's say you want to stay hydrated and drink more water - try taking sip of water every time you check your phone.
If you want to increase your knowledge on a certain subject, use your commute time to read a book or listen to a podcast.
You’d like to feel more gratitude? When you sit down to dinner with your family, share something you're thankful for.
It’s as simple as that. Find something you already do habitually and attach a new behaviour to it.
You can slowly build your stacks, adding new behaviours one-by-one. Do make sure you're picking complementary habits to stack, the timing and environment need to be right. But, with a little bit of effort, you’ll have winning routines before you know it!
Get in touch if you'd like one-to-one coaching or for regular tips and hints on productivity, join the Luminary facebook group. Thanks for reading!
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