Habit Stacking in Action: Two Worked Examples
Theory is useful, but seeing how these principles come together in a real-world routine can make all the difference. Here are two detailed examples of habit stacks, one for ending the day with intention and another for starting it with focus. Notice how each new habit is a small, minimum viable action linked to a pre-existing, solid anchor habit.
Example 1: The Evening Wind-Down Routine
Goal Identity: To become someone who is calm, organized, and rests well.
The Problem: Sarah often works late, then collapses on the couch, scrolling through her phone or watching TV until she’s too tired to do anything but fall into bed. She wakes up feeling groggy and unprepared for the day ahead. Her evenings feel reactive and draining.
The Anchor Habit: The one thing Sarah does consistently every night is wash the dinner dishes.
The Habit Stack Design:
“After I place the last clean dish in the rack, I will walk over to my closet and lay out my clothes for tomorrow.”
This first action is a minimum viable action. It takes less than two minutes. The friction is low because she’s already in motion. The reward is a less stressful morning. This reinforces her identity as an organized person.
“After I lay out my clothes, I will walk to the kitchen and put the kettle on for herbal tea.”
This action creates a sensory cue—the sound of the kettle, the smell of the tea—that signals to her body and mind that it’s time to wind down. This is an act of self-care, reinforcing her identity as someone who rests well.
“After I take the first sip of my tea, I will open my journal and write down one good thing that happened today.”
This is a tiny, two-minute gratitude practice. It’s not “write three pages,” which can feel intimidating. It’s just one sentence. This shifts her focus from the stresses of the day to a moment of positivity, reinforcing her identity as a calm person.
“After I close my journal, I will plug my phone in to charge across the room, not next to my bed.”
This final step is a crucial act of friction design. By increasing the friction to mindless scrolling in bed, she is creating an environment that supports her goal of resting well. The routine is now complete.
This entire stack takes maybe 10-15 minutes, but it completely transforms Sarah’s evening from a reactive, screen-filled haze into a proactive, calming ritual. Each step flows logically and physically from the last, making it easy to follow.
Example 2: The Morning Focus Primer
Goal Identity: To become someone who is focused, hydrated, and intentional with their work.
The Problem: Mark starts his day by grabbing his phone off the nightstand. He immediately gets pulled into a vortex of emails, news alerts, and social media notifications. By the time he gets to his desk, he already feels behind and distracted.
The Anchor Habit: Mark’s love for coffee is deep and unwavering. He stumbles to the coffee maker every morning on autopilot.
The Habit Stack Design:
“After I press the ‘start’ button on my coffee machine, I will drink a full glass of water that I set out the night before.”
This is a classic example of decreasing friction. The glass of water is already there, waiting for him. The reward is immediate rehydration after a night’s sleep, reinforcing his identity as a focused and healthy person (a hydrated brain is a more focused brain).
“After I finish the glass of water, I will do two minutes of simple stretching next to the counter while the coffee brews.”
This attaches the new habit to the “dead time” of waiting. It doesn’t require extra time in his schedule. This simple act of movement gets his blood flowing and wakes up his body, reinforcing his identity as someone who is intentional with their energy.
“After I pour my coffee, I will sit at my desk and write down my single most important task for the day on a sticky note.”
He is not allowed to open his laptop or check his phone yet. The coffee is his reward for this moment of planning. This minimum viable action of identifying one priority ensures that even if the rest of the day gets chaotic, he knows what matters most. This reinforces his identity as a focused person.
This stack takes less than ten minutes but completely reorients Mark’s morning. Instead of starting his day in a state of digital reactivity, he begins with hydration, movement, and a clear intention. He is now in control of his morning, not his inbox.
