Time crunch? Spare us 20 seconds for the TL;DR: The article explains how habit stacking is all about linking a new behavior to an existing daily routine. Based on research from the Cleveland Clinic, the American Heart Association, and NIH, it shows that habits take weeks to feel automatic – the 21 day rule is outdated.

Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO (DOAC) podcast episode with Dr. Stephanie Estima shows how this method can help people remember supplements and other small health actions that better supports a sustainable wellness routine.

Building a wellness routine sounds great… in theory. Eat better. Move more. Stress less. I’d love to say it was that easy, but for the majority of us, that is sadly not the case.

Habit stacking is your secret weapon here: you simply attach a new habit to something you already do everyday. Simple!

Dr Stephanie Estima recently mentioned how powerful habit stacking can be for wellness as a guest on Diary of a CEO, talking about how habit stacking can help people remember supplements and other health habits. If it makes reaching the end goal easier, then we want to know about it!

In this blog, we’ll talk about how habit stacking works, why it fits so well into a wellness routine, what Dr. Estima’s advice adds to the conversation, and how to build stacks that work for your everyday wellness routine goals. Let’s go!

What is habit stacking, and how can it help me?

With habit stacking, you link a new action to something you already do on autopilot. That older, established action becomes the cue. So instead of saying, “I should remember to stretch today,” you say, “After I brush my teeth, I will stretch for one minute.” The first habit triggers the second.

Experts explain it in simple language. Cleveland Clinic says habit stacking works because it builds on routines that are already automatic, which lowers the mental effort needed to start a new behavior (Cleveland Clinic). The American Heart Association says nearly the same thing. It describes habit stacking as a way to connect small healthy choices to routines you already trust (American Heart Association).

Habit stacking works by identifying a habit or a behavior you want to start doing and tacking it onto something you already do on the regular.

That’s why habit stacking can feel less stressful than starting from scratch. You don’t have to create a whole new system. Just one small step. One small action placed next to one familiar action.

Research helps explain why patience matters. A large review in NIH’s PubMed Central looked at 20 studies and 2,601 participants and found that habit formation can take much longer than the old 21-day myth suggests. The median time was 59 to 66 days, and in many cases the average timeline stretched even longer (NIH PubMed Central).

Why habit stacking works so well for a wellness routine

A good wellness routine isn’t about doing everything. It comes from doing a few helpful things regularly enough that they start to feel normal.

Think about the habits people usually want to get dialled in:

• drink water in the morning
• take supplements
• do a short stretch
• practice deep breathing
• prep lunch
• take a quick walk after eating
• put phones away before bed

None of those habits take huge effort. Most of the time, they depend on timing.

Habit cueing makes routines much easier to maintain. For example, take three deep breaths while your coffee is brewing or right after brushing your teeth. Attaching a new behavior to an existing one removes the guesswork.

Wellness research also shows that people are moving away from all-or-nothing routines. Smaller routines, grouped together, are becoming more popular because they’re easier to keep up with in real life. Healthline also highlights studies showing that linking new behaviors to time-based or routine-based cues improved habit automaticity over 84 days (Healthline).

If a bit more background info would help, Everyday has a useful guide on what is habit stacking and another on building habit tracking into your wellness routine.

What the DOAC podcast adds to the conversation

Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO is one of the biggest podcasts going, and plenty of the people tuning in are there for health and self-improvement. So if someone on his podcast says you should habit stack, people listen! That reach is worth taking seriously, and worth keeping in proportion. An episode can hand you an idea worth chasing up yourself, but it isn’t a stand-in for advice from a professional who actually knows your health.

Luckily, Dr. Stephanie Estima is every bit the health professional, with 20 years of clinical experience. She notes that a lot of people - herself included - forget supplements not because they don’t care, but because nothing clearly prompts the action in the moment. Tie supplements to something already happening in the day and they’re much easier to remember.

That matches Dr. Estima’s wider habit-stacking advice. She talks about choosing small health actions, then attaching them to routines that already exist. Put simply, the message is to stop chasing a perfect routine. Let that go. Build better health through tiny connected behaviors instead.

Examples inspired by her advice include:

• While making lunch, take your supplements. Dr Estima puts them next to the salt so it’s right in view!
• After lunch, do some stretches – 5 minutes is fine.
• After your evening shower, sit down and write one line of gratitude in your journal.

They’re small changes, which is exactly why they stick!

How to build a stack that actually sticks

The best stacks stay small, clear, and tied to an anchor habit you almost never miss. If that anchor shifts every day, the new habit will wobble. It will.

Here’s a simple way to do it:

1. Pick a steady anchor

Good anchors can be:

• brushing your teeth
• making coffee or tea
• opening your laptop
• sitting at your desk
• eating lunch
• getting into bed

2. Add one tiny action

Keep it under two minutes to start. For example:

• take one supplement
• do three deep breaths
• stretch for 30 seconds
• write one priority
• fill your water bottle

3. Use a clear sentence

Use a simple pattern: After I do X, I will do Y.

Examples:

• After I brush my teeth, I will floss my teeth.
• After I open my laptop, I will write down my top task to get done for today.
• After I eat lunch, I will stretch for 5 minutes.

4. Track the behavior, not perfection

Showing up matters most. A simple yes-or-no log is often enough. Our own habit philosophy here at Everyday is big on this! Our bold, beautiful visual streaks help people stay accountable without overthinking each little detail.

As with anything new, we have to be mindful and set up realistic expectations. It’s important to consider what tasks feel manageable and realistic for you, as well as where they might fit in your day.

The stack needs to fit your real day, not your fantasy day.

Common mistakes that break a habit stack

A lot of people think habit stacking failed, but really the setup was the problem:

The new habit is too big

If your stack is “after work, I’ll do a full workout, journal for 20 minutes, meal prep, and meditate,” that’s not a stack. It’s basically a second job.

The anchor is unreliable

A weekly meeting or a random mood won’t make a good cue. Use something more steady, something that happens every day.

You add too many habits at once

Start with one, maybe two. Add more than that and even a smart system can start to feel like a lot to juggle.

Using tracking to support consistency

Habit stacking works even better when the progress is easy to see. A simple tracker can help answer:

• Did I do the habit today?
• Which stack is easiest to keep?
• Do weekends break the pattern?
• Is the habit too big or set at the wrong time?

Everyday focuses on beautiful visual streaks, with views for current and longest streaks, reminders, and easy logging across devices. The point is to make things feel simpler, not harder, with less friction. The best systems also leave room for real life!

Habit Stacking FAQs

What is habit stacking?

Habit stacking means attaching a new habit to one you already do regularly. The old habit becomes the reminder. This makes the new behavior easier to remember and easier to repeat.

Why did Dr. Stephanie Estima mention habit stacking on DOAC?

Because it works for the things people forget, supplements being the obvious one. The point was practical. Attach your supplements to something you already do and you’re more likely to take them, without leaning on willpower.

How many habits should I stack at once?

Start with one. If it still feels doable – even too easy – after a week or so, add another. People stay more consistent building slowly than trying to overhaul their whole life in one weekend…

Now make your routine easier

Habit stacking can help you lower your stress levels and increase your focus, which are important parts of a sustainable wellness routine. So now that you’ve learned how habit stacking works, here comes the fun part: trying it out for yourself!

Pick a habit you already do every single day – like making coffee, brushing your teeth, or locking the door – and add a easy, low-effort action right after it.

If you want to make your first step even simpler, after finishing this article, just write one sentence in this format: After I do ___, I will do ___.
Then try it tomorrow. A better wellness routine can absolutely start there.

If you’re feeling like you can take another step, have a go at downloading our Everyday habit app. Start with just one habit stack – your first three are completely free! – and build your new wellness routine from there. You’ve got this!