Every self-help book, productivity guru, and motivational speaker seemed to have THE answer I needed. You know that feeling, right? Your YouTube feed becomes an endless stream of “life-changing morning routines” and “10x your productivity” promises. My browser bookmarks were stuffed with productivity blog posts, and yes, I spent countless nights scrolling through r/productivity. Like many of you, I was searching for that perfect productivity system that would finally “fix” my life.
Looking back, I realise I was treating productivity like a magic pill — something I could just swallow and instantly become the person I wanted to be. I was so focused on finding the perfect system that I missed something crucial: the best system is one that works with your existing patterns, not against them. This is when I discovered habit stacking.
The concept is deceptively simple: instead of trying to force new habits into your life through sheer willpower, you attach them to habits you already have. Think of it like creating a chain of behaviors, where each link naturally leads to the next.
I already had a solid morning coffee routine (let’s be honest, that was one habit I never struggled with). So I decided to piggyback on it. Every morning, while waiting for my coffee to brew, I would write down just three tasks for the day. Not an overwhelming to-do list — just three essential things. It worked because I didn’t need to remember to “find time” to plan my day. The coffee routine was already wired into my brain, and planning naturally became part of it. Soon, this small success encouraged me to try more connections. After brushing my teeth, I would meditate for five minutes. After finishing dinner, I would spend ten minutes tidying up.
The beauty of habit stacking is that it works with your brain’s natural tendencies rather than against them. Our brains love patterns and routines. When we consistently do one thing after another, our brains begin to link these activities together. Eventually, completing the first habit creates an almost automatic urge to do the second one.
But I hit a snag. While the concept worked brilliantly, I struggled to keep track of my growing chain of habits. Traditional habit trackers treated each habit as an isolated checkbox, missing the crucial connections between them. The apps I found didn’t capture how my habits naturally flowed together throughout the day. This frustration led me down an unexpected path. During weekends and after work hours, I began developing my own solution. I wanted something that could visualize these habit chains and help others discover the power of habit stacking. The result was Chayn, an app designed specifically around the concept of linking habits together.
The most important lesson I’ve learned through this journey is that sustainable change doesn’t come from forcing ourselves into rigid systems. It comes from working with our natural patterns and gradually building upon what already works. Habit stacking isn’t about dramatic transformations — it’s about making small, strategic connections that add up to meaningful change.
Whether you use an app (like Chayn, which you can find on the App Store) or a simple notebook, I encourage you to try habit stacking. Start with one small connection. Find a stable habit you already have, and attach something new to it. Let that be your anchor, and build from there. [If you’re interested in trying Chayn for your habit stacking journey, you can find it on the App Store. I’d love to hear about your experience and any feedback you might have.]
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