How Habit Stacking Can Create Healthy Habits

Have you heard of habit stacking? It’s a goal-making method that helps you develop new healthy habits by “stacking” them onto existing habits.

A simple place to start is with your daily brushing routine. Why? Brushing your teeth is often called a “keystone habit,” meaning you can easily add more habits on to it. Here are a few ways to use your brushing routine to create even more healthy habits.

Habit Stacking for Your Daily Brushing Routine:

• Want to meditate more? Take a moment while brushing to let your mind rest and focus on your breathing.
• Want to improve your skin? Incorporate your skin care routine around the times you brush your teeth.
• Want to read more? While brushing your teeth for the dentist-recommended two minutes, try reading a few pages of a book, or listen to an audiobook.
• Want to be more mindful? Practice hyper focusing on how the bristles of your toothbrush as they move across your teeth to help you be more present in the moment.
• Want to stay up to date on current events? Scroll or listen to the major headlines during the two minutes while brushing your teeth.
• Want to be more positive? Make a list of the things you are grateful for and post them on your bathroom mirror. Then, read them while you brush.
• Want to practice more self-care? Add a few extra minutes to your oral care routine to apply a face mask or enjoy a little aromatherapy.

By breaking down a goal into smaller steps,  microsteps and stacking them onto habits you already have (habit stacking), you can transform your daily routines into goal-achieving activities.

Create a Habit Tracker:

Habit stacking is a great way to work toward your goals, but it’s also important to track your progress — how else will you know when you’ve succeeded? Consider making a habit tracker.

Whether it’s a sticker chart or more of a spreadsheet, what’s most important is to find a solution that helps you visualize your progress. If a physical chart to track habits isn’t your thing, try developing a spreadsheet online where you can track your ups and downs as you move toward success.

When it comes to tracking you brushing goals, don’t forget to use the Oral-B Connect app! It’s designed to help you track your brushing habits over time. You can even use the app as a way to track your progress for other habits and goals centered around your daily routine.

For instance, if you know you floss before you brush, you can use your brushing frequency as a way to gauge your flossing frequency as well. And if you brush every morning when you wake up and at night before you go to bed, you can use Oral-B Connect app as a way to track your sleeping habits. Get creative!

Regardless of how you choose to track your habits, once you’ve met a certain benchmark, try stacking a second or third habit onto your oral care routine to further push yourself toward improving your overall health and living a happier life.