How to Make Healthy Living Easier

Avoid inflammatory foods. Eat your greens. Drink purified water. Eat mindfully. Prioritize sleep. Move your body.

The list of healthy habits never seems to end.

It’s easy with a list like this to feel like we’re set up to fail.

Who can fit all those habits into a day and have a life or a job?

Yet, the research and testimonials are compelling and enticing for these habits' benefits.

Managing healthy habits

Does anyone else want the benefits without all the work?

I know I’m not alone. I want to be healthy and even like the steps to get there. I just don’t know how to fit it all in.

So, when I started reading Atomic Habits by James Clear, I learned about habit stacking.

It seemed to jump off the book's pages as the way to make all these healthy habits to managing endometriosis possible.

The idea behind habit stacking is to take whatever new habit you want to implement and “stack” it onto an existing habit you already have.

Let’s see how we could implement this with some habits that help us to best manage endometriosis.

Being consistent with taking supplements

There are various supplements you can take to support your health. A good quality multivitamin and/or fish oil are common. The key, of course, is being consistent in taking them.

So, you could tie this habit to a habit that you’re already doing, such as having a morning cup of coffee. Place the supplement bottles next to your coffee mug, so you'll be reminded to take your supplements whenever you reach for your cup of Joe.

Don’t drink coffee? Place it next to your water bottle or smoothie blender.

Improving your digestion

Suppose you’re trying to improve your digestion (living with endometriosis, it’s easy to experience diarrhea and/or constipation – aren’t we the lucky ones!). In that case, mindfulness can be a great habit.

So, let’s stack that mindfulness habit to something you already do, like eating three meals daily. Each time you sit down for a meal, take three mindful breaths before taking your first bite of food.

Or, if you’re someone who eats on the go, you could tie the habit to going to the bathroom. Take three mindful breaths each time you go to the bathroom throughout the day. This helps to great a more relaxed state in the body and support healthy digestion.

Stretch your body

Living with a chronic illness like endometriosis can leave us less comfortable in our bodies. Stretching and practicing yoga can help to ease this discomfort.

You don’t have to drive to a yoga studio unless you want to. You can start by stacking this habit onto your evening TV shows.

You can either stretch for 5-10 minutes before you turn on the TV, or you could use commercial breaks as a prompt to get up and stretch.

The possibilities are endless, but the main concept is taking a new habit and anchoring it into an existing habit.

I’m curious, what new habit would you like to stack onto one of your existing habits? Let’s all do this together!