Harnessing Habit Stacking for ADHD: Small Steps, Big Changes

Introduction - What are habits and how do you build them? 

A habit is something that we practice regularly and find difficult to give up. Often habits are relatively small, almost automated behaviours that we perform without too much conscious effort. Where we recognise the need for habit formation we are recognising the possibility that we can change the future. Working to develop the habit is embracing that possibility and proactively working to effect the change we want. Habit stacking is a technique for achieving this change.

Habits need ‘triggers’. We might, for example, lay out our clothes for the day before taking a shower or take medications while waiting for the coffee machine to make our morning brew. One already established habit triggers the action we wish to take towards establishing the new habit. To create a habit from these actions requires repetition and consistency until the ‘trigger’ becomes an automated and almost unconscious action.

ADHD and habit challenges 

ADHD undoubtedly makes establishing and maintaining habits difficult. The ADHD brain struggles with consistency, often rebels against structure and routine, struggles with motivation and follow through, distractibility and impulsivity. Intention and action become misaligned as a result.

What is needed is a strategic approach that accounts for the unique challenges of the ADHD brain.

Habit stacking – What is it and how can it help? 

Habit stacking reduces the mental load of trying to remember a new routine by capitalising on an existing habit to create the automated trigger required to initiate the new action.

In my experience coaching adults with ADHD I’ve discovered that habit stacking is particularly effective for tackling common challenges like self-care, organisation and time management. The key, I think, is to make the action as small as possible.

A client, ‘Chris’, wanted to develop a regular exercise habit but recognised that creating a regular workout session at his local gym was too big and overwhelming, and wouldn’t build on any exercise habits he already had. His solution? Do 5 press ups before each visit to the bathroom. The regular gym workout was aspirational but the press ups felt immediately doable and by using bathroom visits as the trigger something which he felt he could much more easily incorporate daily. 

Identifying and taking the minimum action that can be taken is key. Once that minimum action becomes a habit it can be built upon.

Overcoming your habit stacking challenges 

With my clients, often the biggest thing that gets in the way of forming new habits is the idea that they are setting themselves up for failure. ‘I’ll never stick to it, so I won’t be successful.’ However, success is achievable with effective strategies. Accountability can be surprisingly effective, and reminders can help, particularly if they are visual and require an action. Whatever personally works to support your trigger and help initiate the action you wish to take that will lead to the habit you wish to build. 

Using habit tracking apps can be another effective strategy, to add accountability, reminders and track the cumulative gains of your micro excellence. There are many, Daily Habits could be a good place to start, or check out Apple Apps or Google Play. These offer the benefits of being able to visualise progress, provide reminders, and track and set measurable goals.

Another potential issue surrounds the idea of thinking too big. Instead, think ‘minimum delightful product’. Personally, I’d ideally like to do 20 minutes of yoga every morning when I get out of bed, but 2 minutes is my minimum delightful product. 

Stacking for success – Progress, not perfection 

Success isn’t about big steps and quick progress but small steps that lead to significant improvements over time. Harness the power of micro excellence; the idea that small consistent improvements can lead to significant results. Consistency is not about perfection; it's about choosing to show up, day after day, even when you don't feel like it. For the ADHD brain, this isn’t easy but it's not about being inflexible, it's about being persistent. It's about progress, not perfection.

What about the habits that we used to have that somehow mysteriously stopped being habits without us really noticing at the time? Changes in routine or large life transitions like moving house or changing jobs often cause fundamental upsets with maintaining habits. We recognise, with hindsight, that the missing habit was something we used to do but somehow the trigger became disrupted. The habit is still there, latent, waiting, but we need to either refresh the trigger or identify a trigger we can use in our new routine and reconnect trigger and action.

We can effectively support our way towards overcoming our habit forming challenges and create lasting positive change. Habit stacking can help create the changes we want to make, one small micro-excellent step at a time. Keep going, even when it feels like you're wading through treacle. Your future self will thank you for it.

About the author

Tony Coward is an accredited ADHD Business Coach who specialises in working with business professionals and entrepreneurs.

Book an introductory call with Tony and download his free kickstarter guide at Nomadd Coaching.