⚓ Anchor Habits 101

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Hey there! Welcome back to The Flow by Flocus. If you’re new around here, welcome! 👋 You can catch up on our previous editions right here.

This week: It’s all about anchor habits: what they are (and also what they’re not), plus how to build your anchors in just 3 steps. Let’s get into it!

⚓ What are Anchor Habits?

Anchor habits = micro practices that regulate your nervous system

These kinds of habits serve as mood stabilizers and reset points for your energy levels.

Think of them like a “save check” in a video game: an opportunity to pause and replenish your health before moving on to the next big quest.

They may require less (or even more) effort than your other habits, but they also help you feel more stable and better equipped to tackle big tasks and projects.

On that note, anchor habits are not meant to:

• Maximize output

• “Be more productive” as we usually think of it

• Optimize your life

• “Achieve” a particular goal or milestone

What are some examples of anchor habits? Let’s take a look.

🔁 Examples of Anchor Habits

• Morning warm-up (tea, breathwork, music, journaling)

• Midday micro-breaks (walk, candle, no-phone moment)

• Shutdown rituals (closing your tabs, stretching, brain dump)

• Physical reset habits (clean sink, wipe down your desk, reset room)

Now that you’ve got some examples, how can you create your own anchor habits or strengthen your existing ones? Scroll on to find out!

🧩 Build Your Anchor System in 3 Steps

🤏 Pick 1 or 2 simple habits that feel nourishing, not productive

Your anchor habits are all about what make you feel even just a little bit better. Make a list of as many of these tiny rituals that you can think of.

Then, pick just a couple of habits to start with. Create reminders that you’ll see or engage with every day — whether it’s a notification on your phone or a note on your desk.

🥞 Attach them to something you already do

This is called habit stacking. Combining anchor habits with other “productive” tasks and routines can ensure you’re taking enough breaks and preventing stress during deep work.

If “batching” works better for your brain (that is, scheduling similar habits and routines in the same block), you can try that approach as well.

With enough practice, stacked and batched habits will feel automatic. What matters is you keep practicing and trying your best. Remember, a little bit of effort is always better than zero!

💭 Ask: “What helps me feel more me again when I’ve lost my center?”

When contemplating what makes you feel more centered, think outside the usual “self-care” box of bubble baths and face masks.

Some of your anchor habits might not be glamorous or particularly exciting. Here are some real examples our team uses regularly:

• Using affirmations when you’re stressed to the point of freezing up

• Keeping a list of coping mechanisms handy that you can refer to anytime

• Going to the dance class you booked even though you don’t feel like it right now

🪅 Flocus Picks

A curated list of things worth sharing.

• Habit Stacking (The Flow Archives) — This oldie-but-goodie from our archives dives deeper into what habit stacking is and how to do it

• retro video games lofi (Playlist) — A bit of nostalgia for your weekend! Your favorite classic video game tunes, remixed and relaxed

• Self-Compassion and Burnout (Article) — Anchor habits are great, when you’re able to recognize you need them. If you think you don’t deserve nourishing habits until you’ve reached a certain goal or milestone, give this one a read

✨ Flocus: Your Personal Productivity Dashboard

Anchor habits work best when your environment supports them. With Flocus, you can create the calm, intentional space that makes those tiny rituals stick. Capture what matters in your dashboard, set a gentle rhythm for your day, and build the anchors that bring you back to center.

Go to Flocus

What’s your view on anchor habits? Got any you’d like to share with us? Sound off in the replies — we read them all!

Until next Sunday,

Flocus Team

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