How Nighttime Dishes Led to Morning Workouts

I thought I had my mornings dialed in.

I’ve always like getting up early. I like the quiet. The alone time. Knowing I'm up before anyone else. I used to come downstairs, let the dog out, start making coffee, let the dog in and the start on the pile of dishes from the previous night.

I liked doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen first thing in the morning. It was a way to kick off productivity for the day.

I started getting cramped for time during my afternoon workouts though. I needed to use my early morning time better to get a training session in.

Getting up was easy. I already did that. I hated the idea of training so early though. I have so much stuff to do first thing in the morning I thought!

That's when I started doing the dishes at night.

Instead of letting dishes pile up, leading to a less predictable morning, I now clean, do the dishes and prep the coffee for the next day.

Now when I get up, there's nothing to do besides go train.

I still have to be disciplined to drag myself out into the cold, dark garage. But a simple habit shift made it possible.

This is something James Clear calls habit stacking. Completing a habit (nighttime dishes) that kickstarts another (morning workout). Other examples are putting your workout clothes out the night before or prepping a healthy lunch in hopes to guide a better decision for dinner.

Habit stacking allows you to create basic rules to help guide you make better choices. If you start creating your own habit stack, make sure you have a cue that reminds you complete the habit. For me, right after we finish eating, I go and do the dishes and get ready for the morning.

Can you think of any routines you have that are guided by habit stacking?

Justin Miner

@justinminergain