There is a concept termed “The Diderot Effect”. That effect states that “Obtaining a new possession often creates a spiral of consumption that leads to additional purchases.”
And this pattern is one that you can spot anywhere.
You buy a dress and have to get new shoes and earrings to match.
You buy a couch and suddenly question the layout of your entire living room.
You buy a phone and have to get a pouch.
It’s a chain reaction of purchases.
Many human behaviours follow this cycle. You often decide what to do next based on what you have just finished doing. Going to the bathroom leads to washing and drying your hands, which reminds you that you need to put the dirty towels in the laundry, so you add laundry detergent to the shopping list, and so on.
No behaviour ever happens in isolation. Each action becomes a cue that triggers the next behaviour.
But why is this important?
When it comes to building new habits, you can use the connectedness of behaviour to your advantage. One of the best ways to build a new habit is to identify a current habit you already do each day and then stack your new behaviour on top.
This method is called Habit Stacking.
Habit Stacking, simply is:
“After (Current habit), I will (New habit).”
For example:
“After I take off my work shoes (current reoccurring habit), I will immediately change into my workout clothes (new habit).”
From this example, we know that such person is trying to build a habit of working out every single day.
The key is to tie your desired behaviour into something you already do each day. Once you have mastered this basic structure, you can begin to create larger stacks by chaining small habits together. This allows you take advantage of the natural momentum that comes from one behaviour leading into the next.
As a student, this is one concept you need to know and practice. Like I said earlier, the formula for Habit Stacking is:
After (Current reoccurring habit) I will (New habit).
After praying in the morning, I will read for one hour.
After coming back from campus/classes in the evening, I revise and read ahead of the next day for one hour.
Asides being a student, that concept is one concept that can work across board.
Also, habits like “read more” or “eat better” are worthy causes but these goals do not provide instructions on when and where to act, especially when trying to build those habits. Be specific and clear; After I close the door, after I brush my teeth, after I sit down at the table. The specificity is important.
The more tightly bound your new habit is to a specific cue, the better the odds are that you will notice when the time comes to act (taking actions).
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