Creating new habits takes time and commitment, so it’s easy to fall short when trying to form new patterns. But people on TikTok are buzzing about a habit-forming hack, claiming it can help them stick.
This is called habit matching and involves pairing the habit you want to form with something you already do. “When I learned about stacking habits, I was reborn,” Shelby Sacco said in one TikTok posts. Fellow content creator Brigette Muller shares in another video that she can “do so much” with this tactic.
Although it’s getting a lot of attention, habit stacking isn’t exactly a new concept. But what does making a habit involve, and can it help you keep your New Year’s resolutions this year? Psychologists explain.
Habit matching is a psychological technique that involves pairing a new habit with an existing one to make it easier to remember and maintain, Amir A. Afkhami, MD, PhDsaid a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at George Washington University Health.
“The idea is to ‘fit’ the new behavior onto a well-established habit, using the current habit as a cue,” he said. For example, if you want to start stretching more and always drink your morning cup of coffee, you might want to start stretching for five minutes right after you finish your last sip.
Habit matching can also involve “pairing a less desirable action with an action that is more pleasurable,” Hilary Ammon, psychologistsaid the clinical psychologist and founder of the Center for Anxiety and Women’s Emotional Wellness Health. This could include listening to a podcast while folding laundry or saving your favorite TV show to watch while you exercise.
By pairing an established habit with something you want to add, the new habit is “integrated into the already established routine,” making your new habit more likely to stick, he said. Dr. Aaron Breedloveclinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral health at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
Again, habit stacking is not a 2024 phenomenon. SJ Scott coined the term “Habit Stacking” in his 2014 book, “Habit Stacking: 97 Small Life Changes That Take Five Minutes or Less,” but the concept dates back even further.
“Habit matching has its roots in behavioral psychology, beginning with (Harvard psychologist) BF Skinner,” Breedlove said. Health. Skinner’s work showed that positive reinforcement increases the chance that a behavior will be established, while punishment or lack of reinforcement decreases it, Breedlove said.
Experts agree that changing habits can be an effective way to form new habits. “I often use the skill of habit matching in therapy, especially when working with clients with ADHD,” Ammon said.
“The method works because it harnesses the power of existing routines, making it easier to remember and perform new behaviors without requiring additional motivation or willpower,” Afkami said. “When you associate a new habit with an already ingrained one, such as doing 10 push-ups after brushing your teeth, the new habit feels like a natural extension, reducing resistance to starting something new.”
The habit of stacking is used in several different areas of science, Breedlove said. “You have something called ‘context-dependent memory,’ which is just our mind associating context with different behaviors,” he said. “Neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to form and reorganize connections—also plays a role.”
Forming habits “exploits the brain’s neural pathways, which are strengthened by repetition,” Afkami said. “When a new habit is associated with an existing one, the brain uses the same neural pathways involved in the original habit, making it easier to adopt the new behavior,” he added.
Over time, repeated pairing strengthens the connection between the two habits in the basal ganglia, the brain region responsible for habit formation and automation, causing greater consistency for both, Afkami said.
Ammon calls habit a “trigger” in the brain to create new routines. “The brain will be much more receptive to modifying an existing routine versus creating a completely new one, in terms of memory,” she said.
However, a lot depends on how you implement the alignment of habits, stressed Afkami. If the existing habit is not well established or you are inconsistent with it, the new behavior you are trying to match it with may not become habitual. For example, if you’re hoping to stretch every day and pair it with exercise, you probably won’t be successful if your exercise routine is uneven.
“Additionally, being overwhelmed with too many stacked habits can lead to burnout or confusion, making it difficult to maintain momentum,” Afkami said.
To start building habits, find a habit ingrained in your routine, such as washing your face or having a cup of tea, Afkami said. “Then, pick a small, specific new habit you want to develop, such as a few push-ups or meditation,” he said. “Pair the new habit directly after the existing one, using the established habit as a trigger.”
If you can pair something you enjoy, it makes it even more likely that you’ll actually have the habit, Ammon said. “Think about what times of day might be best to incorporate new routines and whether they can tie in with existing routines,” she said.
Overall, it’s best to keep the new habit simple and consistent. “Over time, the repetition will help it become automatic, because the brain associates the two behaviors,” Afkami said.
Research shows that there is no magic amount of time needed to make a habit stick. But certain factors can affect how long it takes for a new behavior to take root.
“Habit formation will work faster if the anchoring habit is a strong daily habit and the stacking habit is relatively simple,” Breedlove said. “Repetition is key. For example, taking medication when you brush your teeth should be associated fairly quickly.”
But more complex and disconnected habits will take longer to solidify, he said. “Something like matching mediation after checking your email isn’t really compatible and it’s hard to do them together,” Breedlove pointed out.
Afkami said it usually takes at least a few weeks for a new habit to stick. “It’s important to be patient,” he said, “because habits can take time to take root and feel effortless.”