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?

[sister13]

Oh nice! I went to grab that conditioner because I thought it was a leave in conditioner but then realized it isn’t so I might try it next shower (if I remember)! @heartsmyface 

[heartsmyface]

@sister13  It’s really nice!  leave it in for ten minutes and it hydrates even the driest ends! 

[sister13]

Got in a quick habit stack for some self care tonight and remembered to snap a pic so I’d remember to post. Been so busy, but I felt I needed a little skin and hair care, and a well deserved glass of wine. 

I’ve had this Alpha-H mask for a while and I like it since I finished my mini of Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial™ AHA + BHA Mask Mini 0.5 oz/ 15 mL . The alpha H is pretty Gentle and exfoliates a bit but doesn’t irritate my skin (I still like babyfacial better!)

I didn’t have a lot of time but I remembered to:

(1) pour a glass of wine before heading upstairs (I have these cute vintage mini glasses from my mom)

(2) put a new series on my iPad (Pink Collar Crimes on Paramount +)

(3) pop the Alpha-H mask on my face

(4) add some hair oil Kérastase Elixir Ultime Refillable Hydrating Hair Oil  and  Fable & Mane MahaMane™ Smooth & Shine Hair Oil 1.8 oz / 55 mL #to my scalp and ends with a bit of scalp massage.

(5) brush out my hair carefully before my shower. This takes a few minutes since my last wash day was air dry and I hadn’t brushed it in a couple of days to hold the waves. 

I was pretty proud of this routine until I saw @itsfi’s routines, lol! 😂 @Mellmars1185 

 

[Mellmars1185]

@sister13 I love your habit stacking routine. It sounds like some well deserved YOU time! I should try the DE baby facial mini again. What do you wnjoy about it? Your hair care routine sounds lovely. I can imagine that the oils helped with making your hair easier to brush through, while distributing the product all over. I have also been brushing my hair before washing because I learned that the hair is more fragile when wet. Is the series you are watching a true crime show?

[itsfi]

@sister13, excellent routine! I hope things slow down a bit for you … and that you have more opportunities to wind down with a glass of wine. Cheers! Ahhh, I get notstalgjc whenever I see or read about Alpha-H, and Babyfacial, too. 

Making a note about Pink Collar Crimes. 📺 Only Murders In The Building is coming to a close soon for the season so I may need to find something else to watch. 

[sister13]

Thanks, it’s a documentary style true crime series about women/suburban mom’s doing crimes. It’s a bit cheesy but fits the bill for a low attention show, haha! @itsfi 

[heartsmyface]

@sister13  Oh this sounds like a perfect evening!  

[sister13]

Thanks! Well it was like a rapid fire self care session but glad I could fit it in! @heartsmyface 

[itsfi]

Habit Stack Check-In #5: Early Fall

The 3 habit stacking practices I've been aiming to do this year have been going pretty well. I've made some adjustments (which I've highlighted in bold and italics below) to account for weather and just what is working better for me these day.

Habit Stack: Morning Routine - Wellness + Hydration + Skincare + Makeup 

• Rise and shine; make my way to the kitchen to boil water and make myself a cup of warm water 
• Sip on the warm water while I stretch - 5-10 minutes - with the colder weather, it helps me to loosen my muscles and stretch a little in the morning
• Make my way back to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of cool water with lemon; and 
• Sip on my lemon water while I go through my skincare routine, usually taking sips as I wait for product to absorb before moving on to the next step, and taking my vitamins too (which I keep in the SEPHORA COLLECTION Supplement Case - this has come in handy when traveling and I've gotten into the habit of using it for my daily vitamins when I'm at home as well
• While waiting for the Sephora Collection Caffeine Eye Mask to do its thing (recommended wear time = 5 minutes to a brightened under eye area), (Habit-Stack-In-Progress!!)  I try to remember to reach for my 5-minute gratitude journal and work through the morning prompts 
• Once my skincare is done - SPF applied, I'll return to the kitchen to have breakfast (giving my SPF and skincare to sink in), then make my way back to the bathroom to
• Floss + brush teeth + mouthwash before
• Moseying to my room to get dressed and do my makeup, with the order depending on what I'm wearing
• Hair care and then I scurry about to grab 
• Jacket / Coat + Shoes + Purse + (possibly coffee to go) before heading down the stairs and out the door!

Habit Stack: Evening - Digital Detox & Self Care (to unwind, destress, and sleep better) after skincare routine 

• No using my phone or laptop at least 30 minutes before bed. If they're in my room, I move them out into small shelf in the hallway - close enough for me to get to my phone if it rings (or the alarm goes off), but not so close that it's right next to me. I've limited it to my phone or laptop as I have occasionally incorporated reading on my Kindle and/or listening to an audiobook as part of my unwinding habits.
• Monday & Wednesday evenings - PEMF mat for 20-40 minutes
• Tuesday & Thursday evenings - restorative yoga by candlelight 
• Friday, Saturday & Sunday evenings - varies, depending on my mood

Habit Stack: Leisure Reading with a Meal, Snack, or Cup of Coffee

• I have a goal of one book per month this year and I'm still on track with that 👍, but I haven't been practicing this particular habit stack as frequently as I was doing earlier in the year. I was aiming for 3 - 4 times per week and now, it's more like 2-3 times per week - at least 1-2 days during the week (15 - 20 minutes each occasion) and at least one time over the weekend, with this being a longer reading period (20 - 45 minutes).

I think these habit stacking practices, as adjusted should continue to work for me through the end of the year, @Mellmars1185. The PEMF mat may get even more use with the colder weather. 

[heartsmyface]

@itsfi  This sounds like such a good way to wake up.  I’m not very stretchy in the mornings but maybe that’s even more reason to try adding some stretches to my morning routine.  

[itsfi]

Doooo it @heartsmyface! Even if you start out with doing them in bed (and it gets you a few more minutes under the covers 😊). I feel like it adds a little spring to my step. The snap! crackle! pop! sounds took some getting used at first but all good now. 

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi Your morning routine sounds relaxing and productive at the same time! You are definitely getting in lots of hydration! Do you notice any difference in how you feel/skin? I love your idea of stretching in the morning. Movement seems to help wake me up in the morning, but fitting in a workout is difficult when I am so tired. How long would you say it takes you to do your morning routine? Your digital detox is very inspiring. The PEMF mat sounds lovely. I use a heating pad at night so the mat definitely sounds like a great habit stack. I need to do more research on this item to see what it does!

[itsfi]

Thank you so much for saying that, @Mellmars1185. 😊 I've been trying to make my morning routine feel less rushed - so that "being in the moment" involves less chaotic moments.

I need to get in more water on a consistent basis, especially when it's colder out - I just feel better when I do, and from a purely vain perspective, my skin benefits. I mean, diet, exercise, lifestyle choices (e.g., quality sleep, etc) are major contributing factors as well but the water intake helps too. Also, and it could just be me, but I find that if I start off drinking water (and being consistent with it), I'm more mindful of keeping it up throughout the day. 

Same with the stretching. Years ago, I used to be so much better about bouncing out of bed and being all excited to get to the gym, etc. Now, not so much. 🤣 I sometimes lie in bed thinking about what I might skip in my morning routine to get in an extra 5 minutes under the covers, without being too late getting out the door. That's not so much a great habit. 😏

Depending on how leisurely a pace I'm going or what step(s) I may be skipping (e.g., some mornings, stretching takes place while I'm doing my skincare routine or brushing my teeth/rinsing with mouthwash, or the eye mask doesn't happen, or breakfast is just a banana, or the makeup routine is the baaaare minimum), I can get through this routine between 30-45 minutes, I'd say. I clocked myself this morning, and came in just under 45. I tried to document it as best as I could - 

Here we go ... I went with tea this morning. Added a couple cubes of ice so it was easier to drink.

... and we're stretching. Most days, I stretch on my yoga mat.

Skincare

My face - forgot to take photos of my breakfast.

Ahhh, coffee ...

And we're done!

[heartsmyface]

@itsfi  Your nails are adorable!   And slso, how do you have fantastic lighting sverywhere you go?   I swear there are only four places in my house where the lighting treats me well 

[itsfi]

I do a different variation of these googly eye nails every year @heartsmyface, to kickstart Halloween. Four spaces is great; I’m sure you have more, you just have to find them. More photo opportunities! 

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi I loved reading through your morning routine! The ice cubes are a great way to have your tea in a timely manner. I think being mindful about your choices and habits is a big part of being consistent! I totally hear you about debating to skip certain habits. I do that a lot with my workouts. Sometimes getting started is half of the battle. You are doing a great job with your habit stacking. It is motivation for myself. I definitely could use some of your tips and tricks to spruce up my routine. The straw also definitely makes for a fun experience for your lemon water! Photos and everything under 45 min! I am impressed. I wake up one hour and a half before I leave and I don't get this much stuff in in the AM.

Side note - Your nails are holding up so well. I thought you had gel nail polish on!

[itsfi]

"Sometimes getting started is half of the battle." 100% agree @Mellmars1185! I'm been trying to get in some long walks in the early evening; I'm more motivated knowing that it gets dark earlier so if I don't go when I have the chance, it won't happen since sunset will happen earlier and earlier. 

Yes, super happy with the straw. I read that using a straw when drinking lemon water can help with the acidity from the lemon not being so harsh on teeth. Done! lol, my photos were suuper quick - I was more focused on trying to document the process and less with lighting. I have to admit though that when I took the photo of the tea, I had tried to turn on the light on my range and accidently hit the button for the fan, at "high" speed (and therefore really loud volume) - that woke me up right away! 🤣

It's a good time to revisit morning routines - the colder weather motivates me to get it all done faster. lol. Is there something in your routine or a part of it that you find takes up more time than you'd prefer?

Awww, thanks. I'm too scared to do gel - my nails are doing better consistently but it's taken a lot of trial and error and time to get here, and I'm a smidge nervous that gel / curing under the lamp will set my progress back. I do love the idea of gel, especially the longevity. I go over my polish with a top coat every 2-3 days; that helps. I forgot to seal the tips of my nails this time and it's starting to show. 

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi The straw is an excellent idea for drinking anything acidic! So smart! Too funny about the fan.

In the morning, I would say my skincare and makeup takes up the most time. I like wearing a full face of makeup to work. However, I do work at home sometimes. On the days I WFH, my goal is to get up at the same time I normally get up for work and fit in a workout or go for a walk. I find it hard to do. But I think it is something I can work on.

Next time I do my nails I am going to try your idea of adding a top coat. How do you seal the tips?

[itsfi]

Oooooh, the walk in the morning would be a great way to start the day. Kudos to you for putting that on your to do list @Mellmars1185, especially when it gets cold out.

Sealing the tips - when I apply a color polish to my nails, between the first and second coat, and also if I remember, while applying the second coat, I try to gently brush the brush against the front edge of the tips of my nails to "seal" the color in, so to speak. (Let me know if that doesn't make sense and I'll try to explain that better). I should do the same thing with the top coat when I reapply a top coat over my mani every few days, but I don't always remember to do it. I find when I'm more consistent about it, it helps extend the wear of the polish - color chips / peels less at the tips. Depending on the polish and how rough I am on my hands, I can usually get 7-10 days of wear without the color beginning to fade or chip. If I'm wearing a more sheer color or a flesh toned shade, I can sometimes get it to last for 10-14 days. 

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi Thank you! That makes sense to me. I will try it out. I usually get 2 days out of a mani with my old top coat but with the glisten and glow, I have been getting about 5 days. I will try these steps out! This is very encouraging and will help me get through my collection.

[itsfi]

@Mellmars1185, Glisten & Glow is my favorite top coat. ♥️ Adds a great shine to my polish. I would love to hear how it works for you to reapply top coat every couple of days. The most challenging part of it for me is finding a good time to do it. If I do it too late in the evening, I’m prone to fall asleep before it’s fully dry. 🙊