Forming Good Habits

by | May 26, 2020 | Parenting

How to add Productivity to Your Day

There are some habits which most of us manage to do everyday. Things which are so obvious or expected that you probably don’t even include them on your daily to do list. Things like getting out of bed, brushing your teeth or feeding you pets or children. Barring any severe mental or physical health issues these things don’t feel optional. Which makes them perfect for improving your own productivity and health.

I recently read ‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear and he discussed something called habit stacking. Taking something you do automatically and adding on another habit afterward. For example, you could say “After I brush my teeth I will do 10 push up”. The idea is to start with a reliable habit and then adding something simple to it. As this new habit becomes a regular part of your schedule you can then expand it. 10 push ups could eventually become a full work out.

It was interesting to realize I had already been utilizing habit stacking in my morning routine. After I turn off my alarm I drink some water. Once I get up I make the bed. And after my girls start eating breakfast I unload the dishwasher. The last one came about because I hate sitting down to eat breakfast that early, but also want to keep an eye on my girls while they eat. So I unload the dishwasher while they sit nearby eating breakfast. This habit has been easy to continue because I realized how nice it is to have an empty dishwasher to keep the sink clear throughout the day.
Habit stacking, even when I didn’t know I was doing it, has added routine to my day. In my job things can get out of control very quickly, whether it’s emergencies or diagnosing a serious illness during what was supposed to be a routine appointment. When my day otherwise feels out of control, having these predictable habits helps me to stay productive.

If you want to start working out but find yourself procrastinating or struggling to stick with it then try to add it to something you already do routinely. Stop at a gym on the way home from school drop off or on your way home from work. If you want to create a more routine cleaning schedule add it to another activity, such as the bathroom always gets cleaned after soccer practice on Mondays.

Our lives are busy, and anything we can do to keep us clear and focused on our goals, will help us reach them sooner. If you are interested in reading Atomic Habits by James Clear you can purchase it from Amazon here.

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