Habit stacking explained
Your existing routines are reliable cues. Attaching a small new behaviour to one of them, like stretching after you brush your teeth, means you do not have to remember it.
Start tiny. A two-minute version of the habit is easier to stack and easier to keep.
Try it today
- List habits you already do every day.
- Pick one as the anchor for a new, very small habit.
- Write the sentence "After I ___, I will ___" and stick it where you will see it.
Where it comes from
BJ Fogg's Tiny Habits work calls the existing habit an anchor. S.J. Scott used the name in his 2014 book Habit Stacking, and James Clear popularised it in Atomic Habits (2018).
Frequently asked questions
- What is habit stacking?
- Habit stacking is linking a new habit to one you already do, using the formula "After I [current habit], I will [new habit]".
- Where does habit stacking come from?
- BJ Fogg's Tiny Habits work calls the existing habit an anchor. S.J. Scott used the name in his 2014 book Habit Stacking, and James Clear popularised it in Atomic Habits (2018).
- How do I start with habit stacking?
- List habits you already do every day. Pick one as the anchor for a new, very small habit. Write the sentence "After I ___, I will ___" and stick it where you will see it.
- Which tools help with habit stacking?
- Tools in our directory that help include Loop Habit Tracker, Habitica, Routinery, TickTick. Each has its own page with pricing, pros and cons.