Laura Henshaw: How to make healthy habits stick

ARTICLE

06 July 2023

4 mins read

As CEO and co-founder of the health and fitness app Kic, Vogue columnist and author – Laura Henshaw knows how to create healthier habits that help you achieve your goals. And that’s where habit stacking comes in – habit stacking is a technique that allows you to create new lasting habits, based on your old ones – adding the things you want to do more of to the things you’re already doing. Laura’s here to share her wisdom on how to make the habits you want in your life last (even with a busy schedule).

First, find your why

When we bring new habits into our lives, it adds another thing to our to-do lists. That’s why I like to think through why I want to implement a new habit and how it will positively impact my life – I ask myself, “What’s the purpose of this habit in my routine?” and “How does it align with my values?” Then, when I start to question if I have time for my new habit, I can go back to the meaningful reason why I’m prioritising it to maintain momentum.

Beware of too many habits

In January, when I had more time off, I set unrealistic habits for myself that I wanted to continue for the rest of the year. I scheduled daily exercise, meditation and healthy food prep – all the things I know make a big difference to my health and wellbeing. But then I added 30 minutes of learning French every evening. By February, I found myself up at 11pm conjugating verbs and sacrificing sleep, even though I know the importance of sleep for a healthy and happy next day.

A big part of the reason my dedication to Duolingo didn’t last was because of timing. Learning a language at night made my brain too busy and impacted my wind-down routine. When my new habit wasn’t working, I went back to my why and realised all this habit was doing was making me feel overwhelmed. If your habit stacking impacts your wellbeing negatively or simply takes up much time, ask yourself – is this sustainable for my life? Your schedule needs space for your new habits to set yourself up for success.

Be specific and clear with your new habits

Let’s not overcomplicate something that can be simple. Rather than being vague, make your new habits specific (define when you’ll do your new habit) and clear (define exactly what your new habit is). I found a useful habit-stacking concept in James Clear’s popular book ‘Atomic Habits’. You can apply this same simple formula to design your own habit stacks.

Here’s how the habit stacking formula works:

After/Before [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].¹

How AIA Vitality can motivate you to build healthier habits

Moving your body more, getting enough sleep and completing regular health checks are not just great habits, they’re also great for your health and wellbeing and you can earn AIA Vitality Points at the same time.

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Laura Henshaw’s wellness habit stacks

You can use habit stacking in so many ways – but here’s how I do it myself. They're all small, simple changes but they make a big difference in keeping consistent and healthy when things get busy.

Habit 1: Before I get ready for work, I move my body

This is a new habit I’ve been loving because before I’ve arrived at the office, I know I’ve already done something for myself that day. For many of us, getting up early or switching between seasons from summer to winter can be barriers to moving in the mornings. For me, winter’s darkness means I need a complete mindset shift to stay motivated to get up early. The morning alarm never gets easier but I always come back to my why, and that’s the impact morning movement has on me mentally – I feel in control of my day when I move first thing.

Habit 2: After I get into bed, I put my phone away

My wind-down routine used to be not great. To stop putting down my phone right before I went to sleep, I started implementing that once I’m in bed, I put the phone away. Sometimes I read or meditate and other times, I simply take time to drift off without a glowing phone screen in sight. It’s made a huge impact on my wellbeing to swap the screen for more sleep so my phone’s not the first and last thing I look at each day.

Habit 3: Before I watch TV on a Sunday, I meal prep for the week ahead

This habit has been a game changer for me. Before it’s time to relax on a Sunday, I write a shopping list, get groceries and prep my food for the week ahead. It’s saved me so much stress making last-minute meal decisions and gives me more precious down time during the week.

Here's the hot tip: create habits around what you care about

My advice for habit stacking is to start small rather than trying 10 new habits at once. You can give my habits a try but don’t feel like you have to implement the same habits as me or anyone else. Take the time to work out what habits will positively impact your life, health and wellbeing, around the things you truly value because someone else's habits may not help you achieve your goals.

Footnotes:
¹ https://jamesclear.com/habit-stacking

Laura Henshaw

Laura Henshaw is a student, entrepreneur and model with a keen focus on mental and physical wellbeing. She co-founded Keep It Cleaner, an online health and fitness program, and will soon publish a book designed to encourage young women to live their best lives. The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.

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Copyright © 2023 AIA Australia Limited (ABN 79 004 837 861 AFSL 230043). This is general information only, without taking into account factors like the objectives, financial situation, needs or personal circumstances of any individual and is not intended to be financial, legal, tax, medical, nutritional, health, fitness or other advice. The source information of the articles is current as at the date of publication and may be subject to change. While the information contained herein is believed to be accurate, AIA Australia expressly disclaims any and all liability for representations or warranties, expressed or implied, contained in, or for omissions from, the information.

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