Anchoring All Your Habits to the Greatest Daily Determinant of Capacity
Last night, I turned over my phone and sat on the floor next to my bed to stretch and read. The night before, I did the same thing. Same the night before that.
It has become my most important daily discipline because I’ve realized something fascinating:
This habit impacts the following 24 hours in a more positive way than anything else I do.
- The stretching and reading, while beneficial in themselves, calm my mind and body before I sleep.
- The quality sleep leads to more energy and the ability to wake up early.
- Waking up early with energy allows me to pray, exercise, read, walk the dog, and help get our kids ready for the day.
- The prayer, exercise, and morning routine put me in a healthier, more thoughtful position to respond to the day’s challenges and prioritize my efforts properly.
- Responding and prioritizing the day results in higher productivity, shorter workdays, and more career success.
- Finishing the day feeling productive, complete, and successful makes it easier to put the phone away, sit on the floor next to my bed, stretch, and read.
I’ve discovered that putting my phone away to sit, stretch, and read is the habit that enables, perhaps more than anything else, other important habits to happen. This discovery about my own habits is also backed up by science and research. Here’s how you can apply it to your desired habits.
Trigger Desired Habits with Existing Cues
In “Atomic Habits,” James Clear says that we’re more likely to start and/or follow through on any challenging habit if it’s “stacked” to follow other habits that happen naturally or come easier.
For instance, if you want to exercise, lay out your exercise clothes on the floor after you put on your pajamas. Then in the morning, go to your place of exercise after you have your morning coffee.
If important habits don’t follow another key habit, they will require constant contemplation and strong will.
Clear explains the brain science behind habit stacking and the formula to make it happen.
Determine the Initial Trigger that Enables the Entire Stack
Putting my phone away as I sit down on the floor to stretch and read has become my “Anchor Habit.”
Like an anchor keeps a boat in place, this single cue keeps my entire habit stack working.
The reason it has become the Anchor Habit in the stack is because, at my stage of life, quality sleep usually is the greatest determinant of daily capacity.
What is your greatest determinant of daily capacity?
It might be a:
- Nutritious meal
- Great workout
- Clean kitchen
- Sleeping child
- Walk in a park
- Daily devotional
- Journaling exercise
Whatever it is, it likely won’t be perfect. You might get sick, your kids may keep you awake, work might get extra busy, you may need to travel, or you might just not want to be too rigid.
Maybe it’s 5-6 days per week. Imagine just committing to the Anchor Habit.
While the other habits throughout the day will still require discipline and intention, it will all be more likely to happen if you nail the Anchor Habit.
What’s your Anchor Habit and how can you double down on your commitment to it?
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