Can’t Find Time For Self-Care? Try ‘Habit Stacking.’

We live in a world where it seems like everyone is doing their best.They get their work done, keep their houses clean, and spend time with loved ones – all while taking time for self-care.It can be frustrating to see other people “mastering” a balanced life, especially when you’re struggling to accomplish even two tasks on your to-do list.

Sure, sometimes doing nothing can be productive, and we all know that what we see on social media doesn’t always reflect reality.But if you’re having a hard time making some time for yourself, you may just need to develop some strategies.

That’s where “habit stacking” comes in, a term coined by author SJ Scott in his 2014 book on the subject.

Habit stacking may seem like another cheesy self-improvement technique, but it may just be a mental trick to help you stick to your goals over time.The strategy involves making a list of habits you’ve already developed-such as walking the dog or driving to work-that are already fairly easy and routine for you, and attaching new methods of self-care on top of them.

Ready to try it for yourself?Here’s how to make sure your habits stick:

Start by developing small habits

This can include anything you wish to improve.This should be a self-care technique that makes you feel good, but it doesn’t have to be something you always have time to do.

The key here is to start with as much detail as possible.Let’s say you want to get some exercise, but just writing “exercise” on your to-do list seems like a lofty goal.Instead, you can add a workout you want to master to the end of the habits you already have every day.

Diane Boden, host of the Minimalist Mom podcast and author of Minimalist Mom: Simple Living and Parenting, practices this every morning by doing push-ups after brushing her teeth.

“If I’ve practiced one behavior, why not connect another behavior to it?That connection is crucial to maintaining the new habit you want to develop,” she says, noting that eventually your new habit will become second nature.”Can you get yourself to the point where the habit you want to develop becomes reflexive?”

Make a list of the daily habits you’ve developed and then stack them in a logical way

Review your daily routine in your mind and jot down your automatic daily behaviors, such as Boden brushing your teeth.Other options include waking up, making coffee, changing out of your work clothes, or going to bed.

Putting these down on paper will help you understand the long list of possibilities and find the time of day that works best for you.For example, New York psychotherapist Allison Chawla suggests combining dinnertime with moments of gratitude.

Other potential combinations might be to meditate for a minute while making coffee, do a few yoga poses immediately after changing out of work clothes, or journal for five minutes while going to bed.

Boden prefers to stack habits by category, such as combining health and fitness habits.For example, you can drink a glass of water before and after your daily walk to improve your health habits in a variety of ways.

Build these combinations slowly to maximize success

The ultimate goal here is for your brain to automatically associate one habit with another, so it doesn’t happen overnight.

And don’t try to do too many things at once.Let’s say you want to try a variety of self-care habits, such as journaling and meditation.You shouldn’t string all these habits together or try all combinations in one day – that’s “stacking”.Focus on making journaling a daily routine, then jump into journaling and meditation.

Don’t get discouraged if it takes a long time. “It’s a lifestyle change, so people often don’t see the results they want because they’re productive in one area but lose that productivity in another,” says Andre Pinesett, a physician and student productivity and performance coach.

Keep in mind, too, that studies have shown that multitasking is inefficient and counterproductive, and that it’s not habit building and it doesn’t help, Pinesett adds.Instead of trying to develop all these habits at once (can you brush your teeth and do push-ups at the same time?), but rather use one habit as a cue to start the next.

Finally, make it a habit to recognize your progress

As you succeed in your larger goal of self-care, it’s vital to develop the habit of recognition.Take the time to recognize the efforts you make — whether it’s consistently journaling before bed or doing push-ups after brushing your teeth.You can do this by writing it down, which often helps reinforce positive emotions.

Stick with it and you’ll find that prioritizing yourself is easier than you think.