A few days ago I posted a question box on Instagram about Habit Stacking…you know, those things you pair together so that one habit triggers another. I learned about Habit Stacking from James Clear’s book Atomic Habits. If you haven’t read it, it’s life changing!
I shared that I’ve been habit stacking three things lately and they make a big difference for me:
- Every time I lift weights at home, I wear teeth whitening strips. My weight lifting sessions are 30-40 mins, so this is perfect.
- After I drop my middle schooler off in the morning, I do my morning prayers out loud in my car on the way home. It’s a great way to focus better on my prayers and really just talk to God.
- I edit videos for instagram when I’m on the treadmill or the elliptical.
When I asked what habit stacks you do, I honestly wasn’t prepared for the response I received. Creative, practical, genius ideas, and so many of you asked me to share them, so here we are!
What Is Habit Stacking?
Habit stacking is the practice of pairing a new habit with one you already do automatically. The existing habit becomes the trigger, or “cue,” for the new one. For example: you already brush your teeth every morning, so you add calf raises to it. Over time, the new habit becomes just as automatic as the old one.
It’s one of my favorite productivity concepts that I’ve used for years, and it genuinely works, especially habit stacking for moms who are already so busy and want to be as efficient as possible. I wrote about my own experience with keystone habits here if you want to go deeper on the concept.
But today I just want to share all of your incredible ideas. I’ve grouped them by category so you can find what feels most doable for where you are right now. There’s something in here for everyone, I promise.
Exercise & Movement Habit Stacks
This was BY FAR the most popular category of Habit Stacking Examples. You guys are sneaking in movement in the most creative ways, and honestly I’m taking notes.
- Calf raises while brushing your teeth — this one came up so many times I lost count. Several of you also mentioned doing 20 reps specifically, because it makes you brush longer (genius!).
- Squats while brushing your teeth — same idea, different exercise. A few of you mentioned switching legs or hands partway through for an extra brain boost.
- Stand on one leg while brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand — this one is great for balance AND brain health.
- Leg lifts or squats while brushing your teeth
- Calf raises in the shower and deep squats while the morning coffee brews
- Squats while scanning or printing something at work
- Pelvic floor exercises at red traffic lights — I mean, YES.
- Walk the neighborhood while the kids are at music lessons
- Treadmill walks while lunch is heating up (for the work from home crowd!)
- Sit on the floor and stretch every time you start a show
- Plank while waiting for the toast
- Drink AG1 + supplements while working out
- Vibration plate in the morning while doing skincare and makeup
- Red light mask + vibration plate (multi-tasking at its finest)
- Using a walking pad while watching long sports games
- Read a Kindle while on the treadmill
Podcast, Audiobook & Learning Habit Stacks
So many of you are using “dead time” — commutes, chores, getting ready — to learn something new or fill your brain with good content. This is such a smart way to do it, and a habit stacking example I have done for years!
- Listen to a news podcast every morning while emptying the dishwasher
- Listen to audiobooks while doing dishes
- Listen to BibleRecap and walk on the treadmill
- The Bible Recap while getting ready in the morning
- Audiobooks while jogging
- Listen to audiobooks while driving and also while walking
- Audiobooks on the commute (for those who can never find time to “read”)
- Spanish lessons on the phone while waiting in the school pickup line — one person had a 3.5 year streak doing this, which is incredible!
- Meditations on the Calm app while driving to work
- Listen to a personal development book while eating breakfast and lunch
- Scroll Instagram only while exercising — love this one as a way to make social media feel intentional
Spiritual & Faith Habit Stacks
This category made my heart so happy. So many of you are weaving in scripture, prayer, and faith practices in such natural, beautiful ways.
- Listen to Come Follow Me while doing the face routine at night
- Listen to conference talks while putting on makeup
- Listen to scriptures while getting ready for bed
- Listen to scriptures/conference talks while showering and getting ready
- Read scriptures while nursing at night — one reader called it “double sacred instead of triggering,” and I just love that perspective.
- Listening to scriptures while on a walking pad
- Red light therapy and scripture reading (paired together!)
- Scriptures and vitamins with the kids in the morning — vitamins for physical health, scriptures for spiritual health. Love this framing.
- Listening to the Bible in a Year on the way home from school drop off
- Walk and pray the rosary
- When I walk my dog, I talk to God — “walk and talk” time
- Pray after making the bed — if the bed isn’t made, you know you forgot to pray that morning.
- Listen to a conference talk while in the shower
Skincare & Beauty Habit Stacks
Getting ready in the morning and at night is prime habit stacking territory, and you guys are USING it.
- Drink tea with collagen while reading before bed
- Water pik and toothbrush in the evening shower — never forget to floss!
- Floss while the kid is in the bath
- Floss in the shower every day
- Hang up clothes and clean the closet between applying layers of skincare
- Red light mask while listening to the Book of Mormon every morning
- Cuticle oil in the car — apply while at red lights
- Hair mask while taking an epsom salt soak
- Calf raises while brushing with your non-dominant hand for the last 30 seconds
Health & Supplement Habit Stacks
Never forget to take your vitamins again — pair them with something you already do automatically!
- Fill your water in the morning = reminder to take medicine/vitamins
- First cup of coffee + medications/supplements
- Put supplements right next to the coffee maker so you take them in the morning
- Take supplements with breakfast, especially fat-soluble ones like Vitamin D
- Morning hot chocolate + supplements (one reader mentioned it helps mask the flavor of beef liver pills, ha!)
Home & Chores Habit Stacks
Chores feel so much less daunting when they’re automatically triggered by something else. These are so smart.
- Name what I’m grateful for while sudsing up in the morning shower
- Clean the disposal and dishwasher every time the house cleaner comes — that’s how I remember!
- Watering can in the laundry room — when the first load of laundry starts for the week, water the indoor plants
- Always wash sheets the morning the house cleaners come, so they can put them on
- Switch the laundry before leaving for school drop off or pick up (laundry near the garage makes this work)
- Pack lunch while breakfast is cooking — it becomes so automatic!
- Put on gym clothes immediately after brushing your teeth in the morning so you don’t bail (and lay them out the night before!)
- Take a box of donations to Goodwill every time you get your teeth cleaned
- Unstack the dishwasher while waiting for the kettle to boil and tea to steep
- Brown extra hamburger meat for another night whenever you’re already cooking it
- Check email and social media notifications only on walks
A Few Good Reminders
And finally, one response that didn’t fit a tidy category but is worth sharing anyway:
- “Just be gentle with yourself. I’ve learned as I’ve aged to give myself grace.” — and honestly, this might be the most important habit stack tip of all.
So there you go! Over 50 habit stacking ideas straight from your incredible brains. I feel like the most popular theme is doing something for your body or your mind during the in-between moments: the shower, the commute, brushing your teeth, waiting for things to cook or load. Those little pockets of time really do add up.
My personal takeaways? I want to start doing calf raises while I brush my teeth (this came up SO many times that I feel like I have no excuse not to)
What are YOUR favorite habit stacks? Drop them in the comments — I have a feeling there are still so many good habit stacking ideas out there!
xx Merrick
