‘Habit stacking’ and how it can unlock your sustainability goals

The new year is a great time for a lifestyle reset. But when we set the bar too high, we inevitably blow it. We end up blaming ourselves and go back to the status quo. So when it comes to truly sustainable resolutions, I have decided to keep mine simple by focusing on four macro goals: body, mind, community, and our planet.

After reading Atomic Habits – Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results, by James Clear, I am all about “stacking habits” versus going for enormous and rather unrealistic goals. For those who haven’t read the book yet, habit stacking is about setting simple goals to add to your routine – one clear step at a time.

Habit stacking works best when the cue is highly specific and immediately actionable. Many people select cues that are too vague. I made this mistake myself. Back in December, I decided to start to make lunchtime walks a habit. So, my habit stack was: “When I take a break for lunch, I will go for a walk.”

At first, this plan sounded rather doable. But soon, I realised the logistics involved were unclear. Would I do my walk before I ate lunch? After I ate lunch? Where would I go?

After a few not-so-great days, I changed my habit stack to: “When I close my laptop for lunch before I eat, I will go for a walk around the block.” Killing the ambiguity freed me up to really pursue the habit.

Switching off for 30 minutes and going outside for short walks is one of my key three goals for 2024.

Getting outside has a host of physical and mental health benefits, including relieving stress and anxiety, helping us get more exercise, increasing our so badly needed vitamin D intake, and helping us get better sleep.

You can choose to wake up just a little earlier so you can get a quick sunrise stroll in. You can also eat meals outdoors, commit to taking phone calls outside when possible, or plan a walk after dinner each evening.

Another important area for me is community. I want to spend more time with the people I’ve known for years, and decades in some cases – those who have been with me through different stages of my life and know the arc of where I’ve come from and how I got to where I am today.

Equally as important will be spending time with those I’ve only met recently. There’s so much fun involved, so much curiosity and endless opportunities – and I want to explore all that. The reality is, that the older I get, the more I value human connections.

Each person has something to teach you – a new mannerism, bravery, a new point of view. There’s always something to be learned so this year, and in 2024, I am making more effort to meet the people I know and to be open to new connections.

Last – but certainly not least – I am focused on amplifying my sustainable living message. Be it through the work I do with businesses and clients in general or simply when chatting to my kids about our planet and the importance of our choices, I want to share that conversation with as many people as I possibly can.

I’d like to invite you to educate yourself on areas you think you could be doing better – I am always here to help – and to go out there and share your experiences with your loved ones.

A positive attitude towards our planet is contagious. Whether it’s carrying a water bottle or a coffee cup to more complex areas such as switching your energy provider or swapping your diesel vehicle to an electric one, give yourself grace and compassion when trying to make changes.

So, I wish you a new year packed with small wins – whatever it is that you choose to do, I hope you get there at your own pace, consistently, and considerately.

Have you any resolutions worth sharing? Reach out @iampatkane

Article inspired by Chapter 4 of the New York Times bestselling book Atomic Habits by James Clear.