<![CDATA['Habit Stacking']]>Read a piece about this recently. The idea is, if you want to start a new habit, 'stack' it on top of an existing one.

For example, every morning I come down, start the coffee and my eggs, and unload the dishwasher while I wait for the eggs to boil and coffee to brew. Used to be I'd grab a coffee when done with the dishwasher and go sit in the living room for 10-20m checking social media (IOW, wasting time). After that I'd eat breakfast #1.

Now I grab the coffee, go to the digital piano and do passage work.

The idea is, by 'stacking' the habit (temporally) on top of an existing one, it will form much faster.

Seems to have worked for me (YMMV). I'd been playing only in fits and starts since my party last year, and I really want to focus on a few pieces for an upcoming party or parties this summer.

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/topic/39606/habit-stackingRSS for NodeTue, 12 May 2026 23:37:45 GMTSun, 10 May 2026 18:58:33 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to 'Habit Stacking' on Mon, 11 May 2026 02:48:53 GMT]]>Some of you don't have young kids and it shows.

My morning routine is usually when my 5-year old scurries in at 6am (he's been getting up between 5-6am since he was 1), so he and I head down as I make coffee, I turn on a fish show for him (he loves fishing shows), then I turn on my work computer. From there any idea of a routine is laughable... but I wouldn't change it, time is flying and I can't believe my 2nd-born (the 5 year old) will be in Kindergarten in a few months.

Anyway back to the idea... habit stacking makes sense. And the advice from the 103 year old... totally, I mean I would retire in a heartbeat if I could but I have so many other passions I'd love to pursue (non-fiction writing, travel, golf, reading classics I skipped in school) so my mind would stay busy. For the 2nd one (don't carry hatred) abso-fucking-lutely. I was just teaching my kids yesterday while driving about becoming a brain ninja... aka if someone does something bad to you, you'll "win" if you don't let it make you upset and react. Like if someone cuts you off in traffic, or is mean to you, immediately put it out of your head and don't let it get to you. My wife actually gets annoyed at how quickly (like in 1-2 seconds) I'll put an annoyance behind me. Like the other day she spilled a 250-count ibuprofen bottle and it scattered all over the kitchen floor. She couldn't believe I wasn't bothered by it as we picked all of the tablets up... I told her "why get mad? the only option right now is to just clean it up and move on."

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362438https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362438Mon, 11 May 2026 02:48:53 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 'Habit Stacking' on Sun, 10 May 2026 23:20:14 GMT]]>

@Horace said:

I’m more inclined to habit slacking where I skip good habits most days but still call them habits.

Habit slacking, lol.

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362436https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362436Sun, 10 May 2026 23:20:14 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 'Habit Stacking' on Sun, 10 May 2026 21:34:33 GMT]]>Advice from a 103 year old doctor. Rings true to me. The first one is particularly appealing and is why I still work.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/at-103-years-old-i-m-the-world-s-oldest-doctor-my-3-rules-for-a-long-happy-life-are-so-simple-i-tell-it-to-all-my-patients/ar-AA22Q2Og

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362433https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362433Sun, 10 May 2026 21:34:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 'Habit Stacking' on Sun, 10 May 2026 21:32:32 GMT]]>Beats the hell out of me. Of course, I have normally been lucky enough to have full time jobs that did not require full time hours unless I was travelling. Never did much like being managed closely.

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362432https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362432Sun, 10 May 2026 21:32:32 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 'Habit Stacking' on Sun, 10 May 2026 21:04:37 GMT]]>How did we ever find time to work a full time job, Mik?

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362431https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362431Sun, 10 May 2026 21:04:37 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 'Habit Stacking' on Sun, 10 May 2026 21:02:48 GMT]]>That's just the first two hours or so. Maybe three if I go for a second coffee. Then it's grocery shopping, meal planning, guitar, working out either at the gym or cardio in the basement. Then it's time for a little vino and cooking. Intersperse a little financial management and some charity admin and I stay pretty busy.

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362430https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362430Sun, 10 May 2026 21:02:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 'Habit Stacking' on Sun, 10 May 2026 20:40:43 GMT]]>God I'm looking forward to retirement.

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362429https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362429Sun, 10 May 2026 20:40:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 'Habit Stacking' on Sun, 10 May 2026 20:31:19 GMT]]>I do the same morning routine, sans the piano. Coffee, dishwasher while it's brewing, NYT puzzles, a little bit of work and browse of social media.

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362427https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362427Sun, 10 May 2026 20:31:19 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 'Habit Stacking' on Sun, 10 May 2026 19:53:29 GMT]]>I’m more inclined to habit slacking where I skip good habits most days but still call them habits.

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362426https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/362426Sun, 10 May 2026 19:53:29 GMT