7 Habit Stacking Ideas for Your Best Year Yet

1. Move While Brushing Your Teeth

Get in a few extra steps, squats or calf raises while you brush your teeth. With two minutes in the morning and again at night, those reps can really add up.

2. Tidy While Brewing Coffee

As you wait for the water for your coffee or tea to brew and then again as you wait for the grounds or tea leaves to steep, take a few minutes to tidy your space. Even with just one cup of coffee or tea a day, you can get five to 10 minutes of cleaning done if you drink multiple cups, think how clean your space will be!

3. Take a Walk After Lunch

Maybe you keep promising yourself to go for a walk or get your workout in after work, but when that time rolls around, you’re too exhausted to do anything but lie down (guilty!). Instead, commit to a 10-minute walk immediately after lunch. If you have a long lunch break, you may even find yourself walking for longer once you get started.

4. Call Loved Ones While You Walk

No matter what time of day you get outside for a walk, you can use this time to catch up with friends and family. Whether it’s a 10-minute walk or an hour-long stroll, this is a great way to check in with those you love and nurture your relationships.

5. Add Gratitude To Your Planner

You sit down, grab a pen and start listing all the day’s to-dos in your planner. But before you dive into work, take a second to jot down something you’re grateful for as well. It only takes a second but offers you a bit of reflection and mindfulness before you start your day.

6. Stretch While You Watch TV

Stretching is important, but it often falls to the back burner on our busy days. So when you sit down to unwind with some TV, do gentle stretching. You could easily get 30 minutes to an hour of stretching in while you relax with your favorite show.

7. Learn While You Do Chores

While doing laundry emptying the dishwasher or mopping floors, turn on an audiobook or podcast to help you learn while you clean. You can even sign up for audio learning courses through apps like Listenable or Coursera to learn new things in short snippets, perfect for multitasking (and habit stacking).