{"id":4273,"date":"2025-12-05T12:10:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T12:10:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/?p=4273"},"modified":"2026-02-19T10:06:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T10:06:17","slug":"habit-stacking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/habit-stacking\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Master Habit Stacking &amp; Increase Productivity (in the Long Run)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>So you want to become more productive and think habit stacking is the way to go?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019re onto something there, but you should know that the results won\u2019t be immediate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Habit formation strategies like this are optimized for creating lasting habits \u2014 not for increasing productivity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, while the short-term ROI that habit stacking gives is often unnoticeable, it does pay dividends in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s talk details!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list key-takeaways\">\n<li>Habit stacking is an effective technique for building new habits.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>New activities should be manageable; you should perform them every single day if possible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Habit stacking implies doing one thing <em>after <\/em>another \u2014 performing both at the same time is habit pairing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To successfully build a habit, be mindful of which activity you stack it on top of.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-is-habit-stacking-and-how-does-it-work\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is habit stacking and how does it work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Habit stacking works by sequencing new behavior on top of already existing habits<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Say you\u2019re the resident email ignorer and you want to change this. If you just make it a goal to <em>check all new emails every day<\/em>, this likely isn\u2019t going to work. Not because that\u2019s too much work \u2014 it\u2019s probably not \u2014 but because the instructions<em> <\/em>are unclear.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When would you do this? Would you check all emails at once or several at a time? And how many would <em>several <\/em>be?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Waiting to <em>feel like<\/em> checking your emails isn\u2019t a viable strategy, and setting an alarm often results in problematic timing. Unless the alarm rings exactly while you\u2019re twiddling your thumbs, chances are you\u2019ll have something else going on and just ignore it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, with habit stacking, you could say, <em>\u201cAfter I start tracking time, I will go through the 10 most recent emails.\u201d&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"821\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Habit-stacking-illustration-821x1024.png\" alt=\"Habit stacking illustration\" class=\"wp-image-4587\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Habit-stacking-illustration-821x1024.png 821w, https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Habit-stacking-illustration-240x300.png 240w, https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Habit-stacking-illustration-768x958.png 768w, https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Habit-stacking-illustration.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 821px) 100vw, 821px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>In other words, you use a habit that you already have \u2014 even if it\u2019s just starting your time tracker \u2014 as a trigger to start the new activity. The instructions are clear, the trigger is precise, and the timing isn\u2019t problematic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This small detail makes consistency in habit building much higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background\">If you\u2019re curious about why this is the case, check out the section titled <em>The science of habit building <\/em>near the end of the article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"habit-stacking-examples\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Habit stacking examples<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To help kickstart your creative juices, here\u2019s a bunch of habit stacking examples, with a heavy emphasis on productivity at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They all follow the set formula:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background\">When\/After [trigger habit] I will [new behavior]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>After a meeting ends, I will write down 1-3 priority action items discussed and assign deadlines.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>When I start a deep work session, I will mute my phone and all notifications.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>When I finish a Pomodoro block, I will stand up and stretch for 1 minute.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>When I start work, I will first review my daily task list and prioritize it.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>After I set my code to compile, I will read a news article related to my industry.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>When I\u2019m done writing an important email, I will read it aloud to check for grammar and tone.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>When I stand up to leave my desk, I will take one piece of clutter with me to throw in the trash.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>When I receive an invitation to a meeting, I will check if I\u2019ll have at least an hour of time for deep work left over before accepting it.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>When a colleague asks me for help, I will spend 5 minutes thinking about the best way to instruct them, instead of giving them a solution.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>After I\u2019m done with a toilet break, I will refill my water glass and put it on my desk.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>After I complete my first task for the day at work, I will take a coffee break. (Not before!)<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>After I open a new browser tab, I will check my posture and adjust my back.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>When I pick up my phone, I will explicitly state what I intend to do (to stop myself from being distracted by the first thing that pops up on screen).<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>After I complete the last task at work for the day, I will close all irrelevant tabs before turning the device off.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-to-stack-habits-effectively\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to stack habits effectively<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are 4 steps to effective habit stacking:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Identifying existing habits,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choosing new activities,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stacking them, and&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reinforcing the stack.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s go through them one by one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-1-identify-existing-habits\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1: Identify existing habits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With habit stacking, you want the new activity to piggyback off of the consistency of the habit that precedes it. So step 1 is identifying the habits you can work with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>James Clear, the author of <em>Atomic Habits<\/em>, who popularized habit stacking, suggests <a href=\"https:\/\/jamesclear.com\/habit-stacking\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">making a table with 2 columns to identify potential triggers<\/a>:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>One for habits that you already have and&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The other for things that happen (to you) without fault.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Things I do everyday<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Things that happen (to me) everyday<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Get out of bed<\/td><td>I get a text message<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Eat breakfast\/lunch\/dinner<\/td><td>The video I\u2019m watching ends<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Change clothes<\/td><td>The sun rises\/sets<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Check emails<\/td><td>My phone rings<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Start\/stop working<\/td><td>I get the impulse to buy something<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Open business chat app<\/td><td>A colleague asks for help with a task<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Put shoes on<\/td><td>I receive a meeting invitation&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Shower<\/td><td>A meeting ends<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Your list will be more personalized, of course. Maybe you turn on your PlayStation everyday or you walk your dog.<\/p>\n\n\n    \n    <div class=\"flexible-banner banner-blue flex items-center py-4 pt-10 px-10 mb-8 overflow-hidden md:pt-4\">\n        <div class=\"banner-container w-full\">\n            <div class=\"flex items-center justify-center gap-10 flex-col md:flex-row\">\n                <div class=\"flex-1\">\n                                            <p class=\"font-humansans !text-2xl text-center !leading-tight text-white !mb-6 md:!mb-3 md:text-left md:!text-xl\">Manage projects like a pro<\/p>\n                                        \n                                            <p class=\"!text-sm text-white text-center md:text-left md:!text-xs !mb-6 md:!mb-3\">Assign tasks, set deadlines, track progress, and keep collaboration focused with comments and file sharing \u2014 all in Plaky.<\/p>\n                                        \n                    <div class=\"flex justify-center gap-3 mt-4 md:justify-start\">\n                                                    <a href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\"  class=\"btn btn-secondary !text-xs font-normal px-6 py-2\">\n                                Get started                            <\/a>\n                                                \n                                                    <a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/try\"  class=\"btn btn-transparent-no-border !text-xs font-normal px-6 py-2\">\n                                Learn more                            <\/a>\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                \n                                    <div class=\"banner-image\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/banner-plaky.png\" alt=\"Manage projects like a pro\">\n                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-2-choose-new-activities\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2: Choose new activities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Next up, choose what it is you want to turn into a habit.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then make it as unambitious and simple as you can!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ll explain why through an example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Say you want to make a habit out of doing 2 hours of deep work. The new activity shouldn\u2019t be, \u201c<em>I\u2019ll do 2 hours of deep work\u201d<\/em> \u2014 you probably won\u2019t be able to stick with it regularly, which will demoralize you and make you stop trying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, if you say, \u201c<em>I\u2019ll do 15 minutes of deep work\u201d, <\/em>that\u2019s manageable. You could even just commit to the prep work for the habit: \u201c<em>I\u2019ll turn off all notifications and put my phone in a drawer.\u201d&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-3-stack-new-activities-on-top-of-existing-habits\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 3: Stack new activities on top of existing habits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>So, once you\u2019ve scaled down the desired activity enough to do it consistently, you just slap it on top of a habit trigger and that\u2019s it, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nope!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you want the new habit to stick, you have to be mindful of what trigger habits you use and when they occur<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Going through 10 emails after you open your work laptop isn\u2019t likely to cause any scheduling issues. However, committing to deep work (even if it\u2019s just for half an hour) will be a problem if your work day often starts with meetings or urgent tasks that require you to be available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This doesn\u2019t mean you have to give up on the idea of deep work. Just stack it on top of a habit that won\u2019t result in problematic timing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, you could say, \u201c<em>After I finish the daily Scrum, I\u2019ll do half an hour of deep work.<\/em>\u201d This way, you could let your team know what you\u2019ll be working on and ask them not to bother you for a bit unless it\u2019s an emergency.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-4-reinforce-the-stacks\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 4: Reinforce the stacks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve made the stack, you just need to reinforce it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I say <em>just<\/em>, but this is the most difficult part \u2014 sticking with the stack long enough to turn it into a habit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For reference, <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1002\/ejsp.674\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">it takes 66 days on average to form a habit<\/a>, though this can range anywhere between 18 and 254 days. So, consistency is key!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Doing something for 5 minutes every day is way more impactful for habit formation than doing that same thing for 35 minutes once a week.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"736\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Habit-Stacking-Consistency-736x1024.png\" alt=\"Habit Stacking Consistency\" class=\"wp-image-4589\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Habit-Stacking-Consistency-736x1024.png 736w, https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Habit-Stacking-Consistency-216x300.png 216w, https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Habit-Stacking-Consistency-768x1069.png 768w, https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Habit-Stacking-Consistency-1104x1536.png 1104w, https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Habit-Stacking-Consistency.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 736px) 100vw, 736px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>So scale down the new activity and do it every day (or every work day, if it\u2019s work-related). If you find it difficult to maintain consistency, either scale it down further or change the trigger habit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, once you\u2019ve successfully turned the new activity into a habit, you can continue stacking new activities on top of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>Further reading<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Habit stacking isn\u2019t the only way to increase productivity. In this article, Dr. Mithu Storoni, author of \u201cHyperefficient\u201d, shares other tips and tricks you can use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/train-brain-work-effectively\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to Train Your Brain to Work Even More Effectively<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"the-science-of-habit-building\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The science of habit building<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So why is it that you have to jump through this many hoops just to get a habit to stick?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>It all has to do with the way our brains change as we age<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you\u2019re born, your brain has a ton of neurons but very few synapses \u2014 connections between neurons that result in behavior. The more you perform an activity, the stronger the synapse associated with it becomes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is why, when you\u2019re trying to pick up a skill, like typing without looking at the keyboard or driving a car, it starts off difficult and gradually becomes easier and easier, until it becomes effortless. We call this muscle memory, but it\u2019s not the muscles that are responsible \u2014 it\u2019s the synapses in the brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You have more neurons in early childhood than you do during the rest of your life because your brain is essentially a blank canvas at that point. It needs to form all synapses from scratch.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the brain also likes efficiency, so it doesn&#8217;t leave unused infrastructure just lying around. That\u2019s why the synapses that aren\u2019t used basically get dismantled while the ones that are used get reinforced through a process called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/topics\/veterinary-science-and-veterinary-medicine\/synaptic-pruning\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">synaptic pruning<\/a> or \u2014 as I like to call it \u2014 <em>use it or lose it<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why is this info dump important?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, starting a new habit basically requires your brain to form a new stable synapse. And this gets increasingly more difficult with age. It\u2019s not that it <em>can\u2019t <\/em>do it, but it\u2019s lazy \u2014 it has all the enthusiasm of a DMV clerk (and works with just as much spring in its step).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Habit stacking is an effective <em>shortcut<\/em> because it relies on already existing brain infrastructure. You\u2019re not building a completely new synapse from scratch. Instead, you\u2019re hitching a ride on one that\u2019s already established to kickstart the process of building a new habit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In neuroscience, this is known as <a href=\"https:\/\/svenschild.com\/blog\/f\/hebbs-law-what-fires-together-wires-together?blogcategory=%23Trauma\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hebb\u2019s law<\/a>, which is often summarized by the phrase <em>neurons that fire together, wire together. <\/em>It still takes time and effort to form a habit this way, only much less of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>Further reading<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re curious to learn more about the inner workings of the brain, specifically how disorganization and clutter affect it, check out this article:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/how-disorganization-affects-brain\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How Disorganization Affects Your Brain (Explained by Science)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"habit-stacking-vs-habit-pairing\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Habit stacking vs habit pairing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, you might be thinking, <em>\u201cWhat if I changed the formula a bit so that instead of <\/em>after<em> it says <\/em>during <em>or <\/em>while\u201d, i.e.,:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background\"><em>I will brainstorm ideas for the next initiative while walking on the treadmill.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Strictly speaking, <strong>this isn\u2019t habit stacking<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Habit stacking involves sequencing activities \u2014 not doing them simultaneously. First you do activity A, then you immediately follow it up with activity B.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What you get when you pair activities instead of sequencing them is called <a href=\"https:\/\/imbusybeingawesome.com\/habit-stacking-vs-habit-pairing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">habit pairing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Does this distinction matter?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No, not unless you\u2019re trying to argue semantics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you just want to be more productive, use whatever works for you \u2014 and habit pairing does work!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can pair mundane activities like washing the dishes or driving with listening to audio books or educational podcasts to learn while doing chores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The key here is to pair complementary activities \u2014 usually some manual labor, like doing chores, with an activity that is mentally stimulating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At work, we tend to already be mentally engaged by our regular tasks, but that doesn&#8217;t mean that habit pairing has to go out the window. Some people use under-desk treadmills to <em>walk<\/em> while attending meetings. In this case, they\u2019re pairing physical activity with work. And <a href=\"https:\/\/news.stanford.edu\/stories\/2014\/04\/walking-vs-sitting-042414\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">walking actually boosts creativity<\/a> and concentration!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if you have the opportunity to make yourself more productive by pairing two things that won\u2019t negatively impact each other, do it! Who cares what the technical term for it is.<\/p>\n\n\n    \n    <div class=\"flexible-banner banner-blue-medium flex items-center py-4 pt-10 px-10 mb-8 overflow-hidden md:pt-4\">\n        <div class=\"banner-container w-full\">\n            <div class=\"flex items-center justify-center gap-10 flex-col md:flex-row\">\n                <div class=\"flex-1\">\n                                            <p class=\"font-humansans !text-2xl text-center !leading-tight text-white !mb-6 md:!mb-3 md:text-left md:!text-xl\">Choose a pricing plan that fits your needs<\/p>\n                                        \n                                            <p class=\"!text-sm text-white text-center md:text-left md:!text-xs !mb-6 md:!mb-3\">Pick a set of superb features to take your business to the next level. The CAKE.com Bundle gets you Clockify, Plaky, and Pumble at a 53% discount!<\/p>\n                                        \n                    <div class=\"flex justify-center gap-3 mt-4 md:justify-start\">\n                                                    <a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/bundle\"  class=\"btn btn-secondary !text-xs font-normal px-6 py-2\">\n                                Get started                            <\/a>\n                                                \n                                                    <a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/try\"  class=\"btn btn-transparent-no-border !text-xs font-normal px-6 py-2\">\n                                Learn more                            <\/a>\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                \n                                    <div class=\"banner-image\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/banner-pricing.png\" alt=\"Choose a pricing plan that fits your needs\">\n                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"502\" src=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Productivity-is-productivity-meme.jpeg\" alt=\"Productivity is productivity meme\" class=\"wp-image-4283\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Productivity-is-productivity-meme.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Productivity-is-productivity-meme-299x300.jpeg 299w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"habit-stacking-is-not-a-productivity-technique-per-se\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Habit stacking is not a productivity technique <em>per se<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Habit stacking is not a productivity technique. It\u2019s a habit building technique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, you <em>can <\/em>use it to strategically build habits that will make you more productive, as you\u2019ve seen in the examples I\u2019ve provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But habits take time \u2014 especially if they\u2019re big things that are supposed to have a large impact on your work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Doing 15 minutes of deep work won\u2019t transform how you work overnight, which brings me back to the point I made in the intro:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Habit stacking offers low short-term ROI. It\u2019s just not optimized for that.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background\">The most important thing for habit building is to be consistent, so don\u2019t be afraid to start small \u2014 your efforts will snowball into something bigger if you give them time.<em>Looking for tools to become more efficient at work? Increase your productivity quickly with Clockify, Pumble, and Plaky \u2014 all part of the <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/bundle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>CAKE.com Bundle<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Habit stacking is a way to build new, lasting habits by sequencing them right after already existing ones. Read on to learn how to stack habits like a pro.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":4321,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-workplace-productivity"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Master Habit Stacking<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Habit stacking is a way to build new, lasting habits by sequencing them right after already existing ones. 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