Stack Your Habits

I read an interesting article yesterday in USA Today. It was written by Kim Painter and she wrote about stacking habits. Two years ago I wrote a blog on how it takes about three months for an activity or behavior to become a habit. The article I read gives great advice on how to develop more good habits by combining them with the habits you already made. Basically it works like this: Pick something you would like to make into a daily habit. Drink more water? Get some extra steps in? Meditate? Take a moment to be thankful? Straighten up your desk top? Make your bed? Plan a healthy meal? Read? Write? Ok, you get the idea. Now, think about the habits you already have. I know you all use the bathroom daily. I hope everyone brushes their teeth as well. Drink coffee everyday? Use a computer? Take a walk? Eat breakfast? Get the mail? Again, you get the idea. Lastly, tie in the soon-to-be habit with a habit you already have. For example, when you finish in the bathroom, drink a glass of water. (This works great because the more you drink the more you go).

I love this idea because I feel I often start my day with good intentions but then I get caught up in my daily activities and completely forget what I had intended! Here are a couple habits I am going to try and stack to convert the intent into actually doing:

• I wash my hands a lot. The problem is my skin takes a beating. I am going to try to remember to use some hand lotion after every washing. I placed the bottle right next to the sink and will make an effort to use it each time. 
• I need to stretch more. I took a yoga class on Saturday and found myself sore just from the stretching! Now, whenever I go upstairs I am going to stop in my exercise room and do one or two stretches.
• I would like to be better about writing emails to friends. I use the computer often throughout the day, so I will try to send an email after one of my sessions.

That should be enough to get me started. Got any ideas for yourself? I’d love to hear them! 

This week I am not going to give you a recipe but show you an appetizer platter I put together for a small party. We were hit with a heat wave this weekend and I didn't want to make hot hors d’oeuvres so I came up with the idea to do a trio of dips. The only thing I had to cook were the wonton cups and spinach artichoke dip to go in them. The other two went in the food processor and I made them ahead of time so the flavors could develop. I served them with cut up veggies and homemade pita chips. I think it went over well and it was rather easy to put together. Do you have any great go-to recipes for parties? (If you would like any of the recipes for the dips, just email or message me).

Bonus tip:

Do you get upset when you get to the end of a tube of lotion or sunscreen or other product and you can see there is still some left but you just cant get it out? Try this: