As a busy stay-at-home mom, you have more than your fair share of things to do every day!
Between taking care of the kids, cooking, cleaning, errands, and work, it can be hard to find time for anything else, let alone things that you really want to do.
But what if I told you there’s a simple productivity hack that can help you achieve more in less time?
That hack is called habit stacking!!
And I’ve used it to change my day-to-day habits and routines more than once!
Habit stacking is a productivity technique that involves linking a new habit with an existing habit, making it easier to integrate the new habit into your routine. It is a technique that has been used by successful people for years to help them achieve their goals!!
And it can work for you too.
In this blog post, I’ll explain what habit stacking is and how you can use it to achieve more in less time, even as a busy mom.
(This post does have affiliate links in it, which means if you choose to purchase from that link, I receive a small commission. See my disclosure statement for more info.)
Step 1: Identify your existing habits
The first step in habit stacking is to identify your existing habits. These are the things that you do without thinking, such as brushing your teeth, making coffee, or checking your email. Take some time to make a list of your current habits so that you can identify the ones you can stack.
Step 2: Choose the habits you want to stack
Once you have identified your existing habits, the next step is to choose the habit you want to stack. This habit should be something that will help you achieve your goals and is easy to integrate into your routine.
For example, I wanted to start reading the bible every morning. So, I stacked bible reading with my morning coffee.
Step 3: Link the new habits to existing habits
Now that you have identified the habits you want to stack, the next step is to link the new habit to your existing habit.
So, for me, every time I poured my cup of coffee, I grabbed my bible.
In the beginning, I read my bible on my favorite couch while sipping my coffee. After a year of doing this, I read the entire bible!
So, then I wanted to start studying the bible. Which required pen and paper. So, instead of stacking my bible study with my coffee, I stacked it with my work.
I poured my cup of coffee and walked down to my office to work. But first, before working, I opened my bible and notebook.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
Step 4: Make it a routine
To make habit stacking work for you, you need to make it a routine. This means committing to your new habit and doing it every day until it becomes an automatic part of your day.
This may take some time, but it’s important not to give up. Stick with it, and soon your new habit will become second nature.
Now, I just can’t start my workday until I do my bible study first! It’s part of my work routine.
So much so, in fact, that if I don’t work, I also don’t read the bible. 🤦🏻♀️
Step 5: Track your progress
Finally, it’s important to track your progress to see how you’re doing. You can do this by using a habit tracker app or simply keeping a journal. This will help you identify any areas where you need to improve and keep you motivated to continue habit stacking.
When I first started, I read The One Year. It was easy to track my progress because if I fell behind, I missed a daily bible reading and would have to catch back up.
After that, I tracked it in my planner. I created a specific section for bible study. It’s in my daily blog planner if you want to use it.
Now, however, it has become such a routine that I don’t really track it. I have my journal that I write my notes in, and my spreadsheet with all of the bible verses I’m studying. I simply highlight the verse after I’ve studied it.
Habit stacking is a simple but crazy effective productivity hack that can help you achieve more in less time momma!! It is a great way to change your habits and daily routine.
By linking a new habit to an existing habit, you can make it easier to integrate new habits into your routine and achieve your goals.
As a busy mom, habit stacking can help you find more time for yourself, your work, and your family.
So why not give it a try and see how it works for you? What habit are you going to stack? Let me know in the comments below!! 👇🏻
