Habit Stacking Thread 📚

[Mellmars1185]

Hello BIC! Habit stacking is something I have been doing mindfully for the past few years now and thought it would be fun to discuss and share here. It has helped me save time, be more efficient and have more time for what is important to me (spend time with family/friends, scroll on BIC, read).

What is habit stacking?

Habit stacking is essentially exactly what it sounds like: taking a new habit and adding it to something you already do habitually. Habit stacking works by identifying a habit or a behavior you want to start doing and tacking it onto something you already do regularly.

Example (I do all of these at the same time):

First Habit - Prepping and making a meal in the Instant Pot

Second - Put a load of laundry on while the food is cooking

Third - Putting hair oil on my scalp or put a hair mask in

Forth - Work out (while I am working out, dinner is cooking, laundry is washing and my hair is getting a treatment)

I thought maybe this could be a space where we discuss our habit stacking, share ideas, support, learn and motivate eachother. 

What habit stacking did you do today? 

 

 

Spoiler

I am open for suggestions for this thread. Maybe we can do challenges weekly or monthly?

[Mellmars1185]

@heartsmyface Whitening your teeth and a morning walk sounds very peaceful. Maybe all of your neighbors are trying to beat the heat by being out early? They say the early bird gets the worm?!? 😆 oh I know what you mean about the lisp and those strips. They really do work though!!

[heartsmyface]

@Mellmars1185  Well, from talking to them they are either beating the heat or bypassing the no lawn watering bylaws.  Now I know how they keep their grass green. 

we have funny laws where you’re allowed to water your shrubs daily but not your grass - except once a week where you have a three hour window to water grass.  There’s a vendetta against grass.  

[itsfi]

This is brilliant @heartsmyface! I’m trying to use whitening strips. I took a few with me on my vacay and it did not go well - my teeth were so sensitive. 😩 Maybe I’ll try this, but start off slow - or maybe I’ll be distracted by walking. I don’t think any of my neighbors will be up though. 😆 

[heartsmyface]

@itsfi  Well that was my thought too.   But apparently there is a whole world of morning people and they happen to also be very social.  

I like that it’s easier to time the process on a walk.  Doing it at night sometimes results on me sleeping in them and then I get VERY sensitive. I’ve never had the thickest enamel so my teeth have a natural yellow tinge from the dentin. It hurts (serious nerve pain) to get it professionally lightened so here I am with strips making sure any surface stains from my tea addiction are at least gone.   

[Mellmars1185]

Hey everyone! Bringing back some love to this thread. I was wondering if you did any habit stacks this week? If not, do you think it would be something you would be interested in?

@Sunnysmom @CynthieLu @danielledanielle @itsfi @niki172 @heartsmyface @faeriegirl @sister13 @Samtian @missjeanie @lmaster @SportyGirly125 @melissapurple22 @Missnur @Saradestin @CookieGirl1 @ather @Buootiful @Guessgal 

[sister13]

Hi @Mellmars1185 - The only one I can think of recently is deadheading my morning glories while I'm grilling outside since it's right next to the grill. I can't stray too far around the yard or I'll forget and burn the food, but since it's right next to it, I can do that, lol. Deadheading s cutting the spent blooms and helps spur the plant to put out more blooms! 🙂   

[Mellmars1185]

@sister13 That is a great habit stack! Plus being ourdoors while cooking is so nice 🌞 🌼🌸🌻

[Sunnysmom]

This is a terrific idea @Mellmars1185, thanks for starting this.  I’m getting tons of inspiration reading what all everyone does. Also feeling like I should be doing a lot more! 🤣 One little thing I do that comes to mind is a bit of self care when I’m doing a pup walk. I find at least 3 things that bring me joy- always different. Sound of birds, flowers, happy people or pups. Helps calm my squirreling brain too. I also do a little gardening while I am tending to pup stuff outside. Lol. Little habits of cleaning a drawer out while I cook pup food, reading the current news, doing some laundry or just tidying up help too. Love to read all of this. What a cool idea! 💞

[CynthieLu]

Those are great stacks @Sunnysmom👌

And taking the time to find things that bring you joy and help calm your mind, that's absolutely beautiful. ✨

[Sunnysmom]

It’s such a great reminder. I think @Mellmars1185 should patent this too! 🥰

[Mellmars1185]

@Sunnysmom Thank you for sharing! You are such an amazing pup mom ❤️. Walking can be so calming. I think that is a great way for you and your pups to get fresh air (and for you to clear your mind). Finding joy in things cam really set the tone for a positive day and mindset.  I really am getting inspired to walk from this thread. I think I need to write 'go for a walk' on my to do list. Can you garden all year round where you are? Where I am about late May - September is when I am able to garden. 

[Sunnysmom]

Thanks @Mellmars1185 , they’re truly such an important part of my life and help me in so many ways! They deserve service dog status 💯! 🤣 I hope even small walks can be beneficial and cumulative, I hear they do! 

Yes we can garden all year but sometimes it looks much better and worse than others! Lol It’s kind of a raggedy time right now for example! Ugh. I’m not a huge fan of digging in the dirt too much (leave that to the hubs lol) but I love to do other stuff! The The BIC Plant and Gardening Thread is a fun one to get such good inspiration too! I can’t believe how talented some folks are! 🌸 

[ather]

@Mellmars1185  Great idea!! I love habit stacking! I love to take a nice bath and paint my nails since I am confined in the bath I can’t ruin them! Since I don’t do well staying still! 

[CynthieLu]

Clever! @ather 

I like to do my nails after I'm done everything in the evening. Cleaning, pj's, face care etc.

I sit and watch a favorite show or movie and they mostly dry, and then they have all night to set. 😉

[ather]

@CynthieLu  so smart! I should do that. I always forget to wash my face and I’m messing my nails up! But that’s a great way to relax! Doing my nails is my fav way to end my day! 

[Mellmars1185]

@ather Smart idea! I should try that next time. Ny husband got me one of those wooden bath trays and I have never used it. He would be so happy if he heard I used it. Up until now I actually forgot I had it!. Thank you for this! How long do your nails typically take to dry?

[ather]

@Mellmars1185  Ooooo I need to upgrade my bathroom and get one of those trays. Such a great idea! I usually paint a coat wait 10 minutes between coats. And maybe 20 mins after the last coat before I do anything. Even if I am using a quick dry! Just to be safe!!! 

[CynthieLu]

Thank you for the tag @Mellmars1185 I think these are good discussions. They give me handy ideas for my own life. 

I tend to think about habit stacking around the house, when I'm doing chores mostly. For example,  I'll tidy the kitchen the same time I prepare meals, if it's a dinner that requires alot of attention I can organize, tidy etc.. while I'm in the area between steps in the meal.

[heartsmyface]

@CynthieLu  I do this too.  It’s a little mantra I have to leave things better than I found them.  So if there’s a mess arounf an area imm using I’ll attempt to tidy it while doing what I’m doing.  
I’m not sure If this makes me a happier person overall cause sometimes it feels like I’ve been cleaning all day, but clear spaces make me calm. 

[CynthieLu]

I really like that mantra, and it just makes sense! @heartsmyface 💖 I also relate, I don't know if it makes me happier on all levels ( some members of my household leave things like a tornado passed through 😩) but I gain alot of peace from a little bit of clean and tidy in the areas of our home.

[Mellmars1185]

@CynthieLu Great idea. I think cleaning as you go makes things so much easier at the end of a meal. It is nice to make things a bit easier for ourselves when we can ☺️