Are you familiar with habit stacking?
In a published excerpt from his bestselling book, Atomic Habits, James Clear describes the significance of stacking our habits, “Synaptic pruning occurs with every habit you build. […] Your brain builds a strong network of neurons to support your current behaviors. The more you do something, the stronger and more efficient the connection becomes.
You probably have very strong habits and connections that you take for granted each day. For example, your brain is probably very efficient at remembering to take a shower each morning or to brew your morning cup of coffee or to open the blinds when the sun rises … or thousands of other daily habits. You can take advantage of these strong connections to build new habits.
How?
When it comes to building new habits, you can use the connectedness of behavior 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 behavior on top. This is called habit stacking.”
The 1-2 Punch for Habit Stacking
The effectiveness of habit stacking depends on finding the right baseline trigger for your new habit (or habits). Clear describes choosing one activity that you are already doing with a general sense of automaticity, and incorporating your new, desired habit into your schedule by linking it to this particular activity in the minutes immediately following.
Let’s say you’re ready to start consistently tongue scraping after reading about its countless benefits for oral health and gut health. Great! Brushing your teeth is something that you’re already doing every day, at least twice per day. You can easily use the habit stacking method by pairing the tongue scraper with your toothbrush.
Keep in mind: greater specificity paves the way for better outcomes. Your trigger may be, “After I set down my toothbrush, I will scrape my tongue.” Boom, you have a stack for success (and cleaner teeth).
Great, But Make It More…Mushroom-y.
We formulated each of our proprietary herbal supplements, and packaged them into the Daily Dose Bundle, to successfully take you from sunrise to sunset. Every single day. There’s no denying: Rise, Aura, and Zen have been powerful rituals for our community since their inception. However, supplements will always be supplemental to healthy habits and lifestyle practices.
You deserve to experience the peace, presence, and performance that result from taking care of your mind and body. Wherever you go, there you are; right? Your mind and body are the home you can’t escape, so it only makes sense to support them with a rock-solid foundation for lasting well-being.
Try layering your daily dose with the following habits for an even greater impact. Let’s stack your way to vitality…with ‘shrooms!
Rise, Lion’s Mane Mushroom, and Journaling
What’s one step in your morning routine that is so deeply ingrained in you that you could do it sleepwalking? Coffee, right? Or, maybe it’s matcha. We voted nervous system jitters “OUT” for 2023, after all.
Either way, an early morning, warming beverage is something most Americans rely on. We won’t tell you what to do with your daily cup of coffee, but we will invite you into an elevated morning ritual. Before you retreat to your bedroom at the end of the day, set your jar of Rise next to your coffee maker (or ceremonial-grade matcha powder), and place your journal next to your jar of Rise.
When you wake up and shuffle through the kitchen to your beloved coffee maker, start the brew and take 1-3 capsules of Rise. When you take a seat with your steamy mug, open your journal and start writing. Whether you choose to brain dump and find the subconscious threads, or draft a power list for your day, this time is an opportunity for you to create clarity, find focus, and begin your day with self-reflection.
Here is your stacked morning trigger: “After I start brewing my coffee, I will take (1, 2 or 3) capsules of Rise. After I sit down at the table with my coffee, I will journal for ten minutes.”
Aura, Chaga Mushroom, and Sunlight
Next up: lunch. Like your morning beverage, this meal isn’t something you’re prone to skipping. Pack your plate with a few key nutrients for gut and brain health, which you can find explained in greater detail here. Food is medicine; and thoughtfully choosing what to eat midday will determine the course of your afternoon and evening.
Set your jar of Aura next to your plate. If you work (and eat) from home, this will be easy. However, if you head into an office, then this practice will require an additional step of remembering to slip your jar of Aura into your purse or lunch bag.
When you finish eating, pop a few capsules and head outside for an easy but brisk 5-10 minute walk. The movement will buffer the spike to your blood sugar before you sit down for another long stretch of work, and the added dose of sunlight will naturally boost your mood and mental clarity.
Here is your stacked afternoon trigger: “After I eat lunch, I will take three capsules of Aura. After I take Aura, I will walk outside for ten minutes.”
Zen, Reishi Mushroom, Evening Breathwork
Your final stack will carry you into a long night of restful slumber. Similarly to our example above, we’ll use brushing your teeth as the catalyst for a more mindful sleep hygiene routine. While we definitely encourage scraping your tongue, we’ll jump from your toothbrush to your jar of Zen. It’s best to keep your sleepytime stash in your bathroom, and ideally placed somewhere that’s impossible to miss. Our suggestion? Plop it down right next to your toothpaste.
When you finish plopping a pea-sized dollop of toothpaste onto your toothbrush and return the tube to its drawer, pop 1-3 capsules of Zen. Then, continue with brushing your teeth. When you’re ready to hop into bed and wind down with a good book, start with a simple breathing practice.
There’s no need to complicate it: find a comfortable position in bed and lengthen your inhalations and exhalations to six seconds each. Continue with this breathing pace for 3-5 minutes. As you do this, your nervous system will move from over-activation to regulation and you’ll notice a blanket of mind-body relaxation settle over you.
Here is your stacked evening trigger: “After I put toothpaste on my toothbrush, I will take (1, 2 or 3) capsules of Zen. After I get into bed, I will breathe mindfully for three minutes.”
There you have it: a fungi-friendly and functional habit stacking practice for a complete day of wellness. When you decide to give it a go, don’t forget to stop by and let us know how great you’re feeling!