MAXIMIZING YOUR PRODUCTIVITY: HABIT TRACKING & STACKING TIPS

Have you struggled with productivity or establishing and keeping a new habit? We all know I have ambitious goals and aspirations but I too can find it challenging to conquer it all in just one day. The concept of habit stacking is a simple, but effective way to build and maintain habits with ease and to maximize productivity from day to day. And what I LOVE is how the Daily Grind Planner’s Habit Tracking Challenge Insert provides space to show the overlap between my habits and goals so that I can easily create a routine that stacks my habits and keeps me super productive!

Ok so what is habit stacking? Simple. It’s adding a new habit to your routine on top of an existing habit. Essentially maximizing your time by tackling multiple habits all at once to make your routine more productive. 

Part of my 121 Glow Up Challenge for the rest of the year is incorporating “glow up” habits from skincare to hydration to maximize each day with self-care habits that help me feel my best. 

By habit stacking these new “Glow Up” habits into my already established routine, I’ve been able to maximize my productivity and time, improve my self-care routine, and hold myself accountable. 

And with my Habit Tracking Insert, I’m able to track my daily habits and not only see my daily and weekly progress but how they ALSO align with my Top 10 goals for the month and, let me say, it’s SOOOO satisfying to see my habit tracking trends! 

Curious as to how YOU can become more productive in habit stacking and start incorporating new habits into your daily routine? Here are some of my TOP favorite habits to stack every day to feel productive!

CLEANING & READING 

If you know me well, you know I love a GOOD deep clean and declutter moment. It makes me feel SO much better when I clean the grimy places we often forget and purge all the things I don’t need, especially expired items! Even if I’m not doing a full deep clean, I still like to do a quick rundown of my space to keep things fresh and tidy, but I also LOVE to read, from murder mysteries to personal growth and educational books. So what do I do? Habit stack! Listen to an audiobook while you do a quick clean of your living space in the morning or right before you go to bed. This way, you’re being productive by cleaning up your space AND enjoying a hobby by listening to your latest read. 

SELF-CARE & MOVEMENT 

I love using hair masks and those typically have to sit in your hair for a while to get all the benefits from the product! And for me, getting some form of daily movement in, whether it’s a morning walk or a full blown workout, helps me feel my best and keep my energy levels high all day long. To stack both my habits of self-care and movement, I’ll put in a hair mask and let it sit in my hair while I complete a yoga session or pilates routine. This way, I’m getting both done at the same time and really taking advantage of the moment. 

SKINCARE & MEDITATION 

I like to do my skincare routine post-workout and for me, I enjoy taking my time with it rather than quickly rushing through it to get on with my day. So if I’m not documenting my skincare routine, I like to listen to a guided meditation to feel relaxed and reflect on my intentions for the day while I’m indulging in a self-care moment. If you’re doing any form of self-care whether that’s taking a walk or a bubble bath, turn on a 10-15 minute meditation video or audio and do it while you’re taking a moment for self-care. I bet you that you’ll enjoy this time for yourself WAY more by stacking both your skincare and meditation habits to really make the most of your “me time.”

WALKING & HYDRATION 

My goal for each day is to get at least 5,000 steps in and to drink 80 oz. of water. I find drinking water in larger cuppies helps me track how many fluid ounces I’m drinking when I finish each cup. And sometimes, I’ll use whatever task I’m doing to “time” my water intake. So if I’m going on my daily walk, I also set a goal for myself to finish one full cup/bottle of water by the time I’m finished with my walk. This way, I’m getting my step goal in for the day and maintaining my habit of walking daily AND I’m staying hydrated and being intentional about my hydration habit. 

Habit stacking helps you save time and energy while maximizing your progress and productivity! This way, you’re finding a way to do it all at once while still enjoying the process and feeling extra motivated to tackle even more. And to help with consistency, I use my Daily Grind Habit Tracking Insert every single day to really map out how I’m going to habit stack and how my habits are going to align with my goals. 

I wanted the Habit Tracking Insert to be effective, simple to use, and to show anyone how to build a productive daily routine that works best for them! I also love seeing how the weather, my mood and how my overall sleep impacts my productivity in my habits. It’s really mind-blowing to see how everything is so interconnected and the Habit Tracking Challenge brings awareness to my own habit tracking trends. By keeping habits and goals simple and trackable, it’s SO much easier to stay consistent, remain accountable, and to see results! 

Don’t be afraid of habit tracking or habit stacking! Give it a try and see for yourself how easy it is to incorporate into your daily routine. Get creative, make it fun and I hope this inspires you to take full control of your daily habits to make each and every day a productive and fulfilling one!