The best way to start a habit: implementation intention & habit stacking

I've been getting into James Clear's book 'Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones' and chapter 5 is titled "The Best Way to Start a New Habit." I found it sooooo useful, and was quite taken with the study he begins the chapter with...

On p. 70 and forward:

In 2001, researchers in Great Britain began working with 248 people to build better exercise habits over the course of two weeks. The subjects were divided into three groups.

The first group was the control group. They were simply asked to track how often they exercised.

The second group was the "motivation" group. They were asked not only to track their workouts but also to read some material on the benefits of exercise. The researchers also explained to the group how exercise could reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and improve heart health.

Finally, there was the third group. These subjects received the same presentation as the second group, which ensured that they had equal levels of motivation. However, they were also asked to formulate a plan for when and where they would exercise over the following week. Specifically, each member of the third group completed the following sentence: "During the next week, I will partake in at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise on [DAY] at [TIME] in [PLACE]."

In the first and second groups, 35 to 38 percent of people exercised at least once per week. (Interestingly, the motivational presentation given to the second group seemed to have no meaningful impact on behavior.) But 91 percent of the third group exercised at least once per week - more than double the normal rate.

The sentence they filled out is what researchers refer to as an implementation intention, which is a plan you make beforehand about when and where to act. That is, how you intend to implement a particular habit.

That just blew my mind. Such a simple thing as writing down time and place can make quite a difference. The author notes implementation intentions are effective for sticking to goals whether it is writing down the time and date you will get a flu shot, exercise, or pretty much anything. As he says, the punch line is clear: "People who make a specific plan for when and where they will perform a new habit are more likely to follow through." What many think of as a lack of motivation is actually a lack of clarity.

It's a simple strategy. Just fill out this sentence:

I will [BEHAVIOR] at [TIME] in [LOCATION].

Meditation: I will meditate for one minute at 7 am in my kitchen.
Studying: I will study Spanish for twenty minutes at 6 pm in my bedroom.
Exercise: I will exercise for one hour at 5 pm in my local gym.
Marriage: I will make my partner a cup of tea at 8 am in the kitchen.

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A form of implementation intention is something called habit stacking. Habit stacking is where you identify a current habit you already do each day and then stack your new behavior on top (this was created by BJ Fogg as part of his Tiny Habits program).

The habit stacking formula is:

"After [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT]."

For example:

• Meditation: After I pour my cup of coffee each morning, I will meditate for one minute.
• Exercise: After I take off my work shoes, I will immediately change into my workout clothes.
• Gratitude: After I sit down to dinner, I will say one thing I'm grateful for that happened today.
• Marriage: After I get into bed at night, I will give my partner a kiss.

The key is to tie your desired behavior into something you already do each day.

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I found this chapter so enlightening. Such simple strategies really click for someone like me. I mean, it's not like this is rocket surgery. Yet it's often the easiest of things that we take for granted... and we find ourselves struggling to keep our head above water.

Good stuff!