Habit Stacking – As featured in WELLBEING

Habit Stacking Self-Care

With the help of Organic Merchant’s beautiful beverage and bath range, we practise the art of habit stacking to find self-care in the everyday.

From Wellbeing Magazine, words by Kate Holland

As a new mum, I need to work hard to create time for myself. Along the way, I’ve learnt that self-care isn’t about being selfish… it’s about self-preservation. But it’s difficult to remember “me” when there’s a little one to cuddle, mouths to feed, washing to do and words to write. Lately, with the help of Organic Merchant and their beautiful products, I’ve found pockets of time for self-care
but I’ve had to be creative. I’ve been playing around with the concept of “habit stacking”, which is identifying a regular
habit and building a new habit on top of that existing habit. Developed by self-help author SJ Scott and popularised by author and speaker James Clear in 2018, habit stacking can be an effective technique for engaging in new actions and making them stick.

Instead of quickly making a tea while simultaneously unpacking the dishwasher as the kettle boils, sterilising the bottles and shoving cold toast in my mouth, I choose just one thing to do — making tea. And I stack three deep belly breaths onto it. By doing so, I slow down, become present and focus my thoughts. I don’t feel frantic or stressed. I feel calm and centred. My day now looks a little like this:

• Waking up
• Morning break
• Afternoon interlude 
• Evening ritual
• Through the week

6AM

French Earl Grey to start the day. This beautiful blend by Organic Merchant is uplifting and helps me wake up from the early start with my toddler. Made
with orange pekoe black tea leaf that’s been infused with bergamot essential
oils, lavender flowers and rose petals, it offers a delicious subtle flavour that I look forward to each morning. As my tea brews and my son plays happily with his trucks, I ignore the unpacked dishwasher and take my three deep breaths. This sets me up for the day.

10 AM

Soothe Dust to replace my coffee. For the past few months, my body has been asking for a coffee break, so instead of wasting coffee and having two sips, I’ve been listening to it. Now I get my energy boost through Organic Merchant’s Soothe Dust. Made with raw cacao, turmeric, ginger, liquorice root, cinnamon, mesquite,
Himalayan pink salt and black pepper, it’s a delicious anti-inflammatory drink. I simply place one teaspoon in my favourite mug, add 20mL of hot water and stir to make a paste, then add 200mL of homemade nut milk or hot water. As I’m stirring my paste, I take my three deep breaths. It may seem small, but it acts as a powerful check-in and I can feel the habit starting to stick.

Spark Dust to get me through the afternoon. By the time 3pm rolls around, I’m looking for an extra dose of energy. Because I’m a cacao addict, a cup of
Organic Merchant’s Spark Dust not only gives me the motivation I need to see out
the afternoon, but I enjoy another choccy fix. Made with raw cacao, maca, reishi,
mesquite, astragalus, ginger, cinnamon, shiitake mushroom and Himalayan pink
salt, the blend has been formulated for vitality and to boost the immune system.
It’s creamy, nourishing and so delicious. Again, I ignore a basket of unfolded
washing and make my Spark Dust slowly and intentionally.

8 PM

Energy to wind me down. Now, I know this sounds counter-intuitive for 8pm but I love Organic Merchant’s Energy Tea after dinner. This herbal tea offers a beautiful blend of lemongrass, liquorice root, Siberian ginseng, ginger root, orange peel, hibiscus flowers, gotu kola leaf and cinnamon bark. These impressive flavours combine to create a calming and revitalising tea that both my husband and I love. Around 8pm, I brew a few scoops in the Japanese ceramic teapot we were given as a wedding present, pull out our favourite mugs and sit and enjoy it together. It provides a precious moment for us to connect and reflect on our day.

 

BUILDING ON THE HABIT THROUGH THE WEEK

Now, my habit stacking doesn’t just end in the kitchen. Once a week, I take a bath with either Vivifica or Lucent from Organic Merchant’s beautiful bath range. Vivifica has been formulated with detoxifying green clay, eucalyptus, tea tree and lavender to provide my muscles with deep relaxation. Lucent by Organic Merchant blends orris root, French grey sea salt, ylang ylang and vetiver oil to create a transformative experience of grounding and balance. Naturopathically formulated and sustainably produced, both bath products leave my skin feeling nourished, soft and supple.

There in the bath, I habit stack with some body oil, deep breathing and a digital detox. It’s heavenly for my body and mind. And it’s necessary for this new mum. Self-care isn’t just a weekly massage or facial, a solo walk every day or a weekend away. With creativity, habit stacking and a few delicious beverages, self-care can be found in the every day.