Life can get very busy, especially if you are a parent. In addition to work and trying to have some semblance of a social life, you likely have school pick-ups and drop-offs, school functions, practices, kids’ birthday parties seemingly every weekend, etc. On top of that, you have chores, and if you are trying to live healthier, you also have cardio to do, weights to lift, and meals to prep. The tasks of life can be very hard to juggle, whether you have kids or not.
If this describes your life to some degree, then you know firsthand how hard it is to stay motivated and consistent about your fitness goals. People living busy lives need to maximize their opportunities to boost their wellness whenever they can. A great way to do that is by practicing a concept known as ‘habit bundling.’
Habit bundling involves taking a new wellness action that you want to turn into a habit and coupling it with parts of your already existing daily routine. While it is a concept that I have used a lot in recent years, I wasn’t aware that there was an actual term for it until recently when I started using the Kaia Health app after signing up for it through my health insurance. I admittedly don’t know if it is an app that anyone can sign up for (it was free for me), or if you have to have certain health insurance to use it, but I do find it useful for managing my foot pain.
Based on my anecdotal experience, the app seems to recommend four daily tasks. One task is a general overview of the app, one involves exercises specific to the part of your body you want to work on, one is a mindfulness exercise, and one is a reading activity. The reading activity is how I learned about the term ‘habit bundling’ and I figured I would post an article about it for others who may be interested.
An example of habit bundling would be stretching every time you do a specific task during your day. Whereas setting aside time specifically to do a handful of stretches may prove to be tricky throughout your day, doing it every time you are waiting for your coffee to be made or while you are waiting for an email response makes it more manageable. Another example of habit bundling is, after brushing your teeth, immediately following it with mapping out your meals and/or exercises for the day. Part of habit bundling is maximizing your time, and another part of it is building a routine and developing consistency.
A habit bundling example that the Kaia app recommended was setting a reminder on your phone once you sit down on the couch after work. The reminder could be to practice a relaxation technique or go on a walk after you have sat down for a set time. Setting that simple reminder will help you stay in the right mindset and help boost your chances of getting properly motivated.
“Over time, you’ll start to associate your old habit with your newly formed one.” the Kaia app stated about habit bundling. Take some time to reflect on which healthy habits you want to master, and which non-fitness tasks you perform every day, and do your best to try to bundle things together in a way that makes sense for your life and needs.
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Disclaimer: The contents of this article and this website are not meant to substitute for the professional advice of a doctor, nutritionist, and/or certified personal trainer. This content is provided as an educational tool to help people on their fitness journeys. While we strive to research topics as much as possible and provide useful and accurate information to the best of our abilities, we also strongly recommend talking to your doctor, nutritionist, and/or certified personal trainer before starting any workout, therapeutic, or nutritional regimen, as each individual’s needs and situations vary depending on the person.