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Starting Small to Achieve Big Impact — Habit Stacking |
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Starting Small to Achieve Big Impact — Habit Stacking |
Back in the mid-1990s, people talked about “big hairy audacious goals” — large-scale goals with high stakes. They were truly larger than life, and the only way to accomplish them was by achieving a series of smaller goals. You can apply that same philosophy to your wellness goals, too. The Power of Keystone Habits
Small Yet Mighty Even the smallest actions can be significant. “When you start with a small, healthy step like one glass of water or a two-minute stretch, you remove the pressure of perfection,” explains Flott. “By being consistent with those tiny, positive choices, you create a habit that leads to big payoffs over time. It’s that frequency that builds your self-confidence and makes your foundation a little bit stronger every day.” Habit Stacking
Try It! Try habit stacking with a small, keystone habit.
Make sure your new habits are becoming part of your foundation by reflecting on your progress. Three to four weeks after you begin the habit, review your progress. It’s okay to miss a day or two along the way. But if a particular habit isn’t sticking, figure out why (e.g., distractions or unclear purpose). Think about doing “some,” if you can't do “all.” For example, if you don’t have time for a 10-minute stretch, just do one for 30 seconds. The goal is to keep the momentum alive, but flexible, to stay true to your wellness blueprint. As legendary martial arts master Bruce Lee said, “Long-term consistency trumps short-term intensity.” Make it Stick: Blueprint Your Environment A great way to support your new habits is to design your physical environment to work with you. By setting up your space to make healthy choices, you ensure you're creating a blueprint that stays strong without having to overthink it:
Small successes make us feel strong and help us realize the power we possess to make positive changes in our lives. As we learn to strengthen our foundation with keystone habits, the sky is the limit for our future! PATH Resources Learn to master small, manageable habits before trying to tackle larger goals. Here are a few ideas you’ll find on PATH.
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When your smaller efforts meet with success, they become the foundation upon which you build. “In wellness, we call these Keystone Habits — small actions that initiate a powerful effect across your entire wellness blueprint,” says Hayley Flott, PDRMA Wellness Consultant. “For example, prioritizing seven hours of sleep can lead to better food choices and more emotional control later in the day, reinforcing the physical and emotional dimensions of your foundation. The small habits you build first lay the groundwork for accomplishing larger, more challenging goals.” Some keystone habits to consider are stretching, drinking water, getting at least seven hours of sleep or practicing mindful meditation.
We do many things throughout our day on automatic pilot and without conscious thought. Take advantage of this by matching new habits to your automatic ones. This is called Habit Stacking — linking a new behavior to an existing routine to secure it into your foundation. For example, try filling a water bottle after you brush your teeth in the morning and drink a few cups before lunch to support an increased hydration habit. Stacking your new habit with an existing one is a great way to introduce behaviors successfully and help them become consistent practices.