Stop Flaking on Your Habits: Anchor Them with Rituals Like a Pro
- emmanuel
- Jun 1
- 3 min read
Let’s face it — starting habits is easy. Sticking to them? That’s where dreams go to die.
We’ve all been there: One day you're drinking celery juice at 6 AM, and three days later you're eating nachos in bed at 11, watching a documentary about people who actually stick to routines. (Monsters.)
But here’s the secret sauce: Rituals.
Not the blood-sacrifice kind. Just the kind that makes your brain go: “Ah yes, we’ve done this before — time to shine!”
Let’s dive into some fun, effective, and slightly dramatic ways to anchor your habits with rituals so they finally stick — without duct tape.
Habit Stack Like You’re Building IKEA Furniture
You know what makes new habits stick better? Attaching them to something you're already doing.
It’s like piggybacking off your own life. Examples:
After brushing your teeth (a win for humanity), do 10 squats. Bonus: Fresh breath AND glutes.
After making coffee, write one sentence in your journal. ("Dear Diary, I am caffeine-powered now.")
After parking your car, take 5 deep breaths before facing whatever fresh chaos awaits inside.
This is called habit stacking. It’s science. Also known as “tricking yourself into being impressive.”
Start Rituals: Your Personal Bat-Signal
Starting a habit is like trying to start a Zoom call — you need a little prep before you’re fully “on.”
Enter the start ritual. These are tiny, silly things that tell your brain, “Hey buddy, we’re doing the thing now.”
Examples ...
Light a candle like you're summoning productivity spirits.
Play the same 30-second hype song. Bonus points if it’s dramatic classical music for 5 minutes of email writing.
Say a mantra like, “I am the kind of person who gets stuff done… eventually.”
It doesn’t have to be deep. It just has to be yours.
Use Your Senses (Responsibly)
Your brain loves associations — smells, sounds, weird socks.
So create a sensory anchor:
Only play your “focus” playlist when doing deep work. (Pavlov would be proud.)
Burn the same incense during journaling. (Make sure it’s not from the weird shop that smells like regret.)
Put on your “I mean business” hoodie when it’s time to write/paint/solve global crises.
Soon, your brain will say: “Ah yes. It is Hoodie Time. Let’s create.”
Seal the Deal With a Finish Move
Ever finish a workout and just… wander off like an unsupervised Sims character?
Nope. We’re adding a closing ritual.
Examples ...
Say “I crushed it” while high-fiving yourself in the mirror. (Yes, even if it was just 10 pushups.)
Cross the task off your tracker with an aggressive flourish.
Sit in silence for 10 seconds like a monk who just finished checking email.
Rituals make your effort feel complete. Like ending a good movie with credits — not just a blank screen and confusion.
Add Meaning (But Keep It Light)
Okay, time for one semi-serious moment.
Rituals work best when they connect to something you actually care about. Not just robotic motions.
Before your habit ...
Say your why aloud (“I write because I have something to say… and bills to pay.”)
Visualize the benefit (“Me, walking into the future, confident and not panicking because I finished things.”)
Dedicate your session to someone (“For my future self, who doesn’t want to panic tomorrow.”)
Make your habit feel bigger than the task. But not so big it becomes a TED Talk.
Keep It Short. Keep It Weird. Keep It Yours.
If your ritual takes 25 minutes and involves chanting in Latin, you're procrastinating. A good ritual is ...
30 seconds to 2 minutes
Easy to repeat
Weird enough that you’ll remember it
Don’t overthink it. You’re not opening a temple. You’re just trying to do yoga, read a book, or floss without an existential crisis.
You are not lazy. You are not broken. You just haven’t built rituals that work for your weird, wonderful brain.
Start small. Get weird. Repeat often.
And next time you see someone crushing their goals, remember: it probably started with something tiny, like a candle, a hoodie, and a promise to show up.
You’ve got this. 🧠🔥
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