Habit Tracking - Helping You Find More Time In Your Day

Welcome to reThink Your Perspective’s blog. Helping you to unlock your potential, empower your mindset, create productive habits, and boost your motivation.

You can listen to this blog as a Podcast HERE. Though it is read by an AI… And has a few little errors in it as this sequence is a repost after the originals were lost in a website move… I have updated the written bits a little, the Podcast I can’t work out how to change without deleting and reposting on YouTube!

This blog is dedicated to finding, sharing and discussing a variety of topics around the struggles our clients and audience go through. Each episode we discuss a key concept that many humans struggle with. To give you a variety of perspectives for you to see the concept through so you can find one that makes it feel easier to deal with.

We hope that you get some benefit from these blog posts, and we would love to hear your thoughts! Don’t hesitate to like, share and comment at the links.

Part 6 of 27

Welcome to part 6 of a 27-episode journey to transform your habits and unlock your potential. Each episode, we’ll explore the fascinating world of habits. Drawing insights from James Clear’s “Atomic Habits,” Bob Proctor’s wisdom, and Maxwell Maltz’s expertise. You’ll discover the science behind habit formation. Learn how habits can be changed. Understand why cultivating good habits is crucial for success. And learn how your habits are your road to success or failure.

By following this 27-episode journey, you will empower yourself with the knowledge, tools, and inspiration you need to understand, change, and harness the power of habits for a more successful and fulfilling life.

All you need to bring is an open mind and a willingness to change those unproductive, bad habits (we all have them!) to boost your success and live a more productive and fulfilling life that you are in control of.

Let’s dive into today’s topic!

Mastering Productivity with Habit Stacking: Your Guide to Effortless Progress

Welcome to Day 6 of our habit transformation journey! Today, we’re going to explore a vital aspect of building and maintaining habits: habit tracking.

This practice, often overlooked but incredibly powerful, plays a crucial role in habit formation and accountability.

In this blog post, we’ll highlight why habit tracking is essential, discuss various tracking methods, and introduce you to apps and tools that can make habit tracking a breeze.

What is Habit Tracking?

Habit tracking is the simple activity of ticking off something each time you do your new habit.

Firstly, I want to point out that to reach any goal or resolution you have set, you need to change your habits. Your current habits are in line with where you are right now. To do something differently you need to change your habits, or you will not achieve your goal.

So, step one of habit tracking is to decide on what habit you want to change.

You can’t just stop doing a bad habit, you have to replace it with a good one. If you don’t choose something else instead, your paradigm will choose for you, and it won’t be anything productive!

Once you know what habit you are building (work on one at a time!), you can then tick off each time you do it!

Step 2 is to have a way to track your new habit and when you do it.

Keep reading to see some ideas for how to track your habits, but first lets look at why you should even bother!

The Benefit of Tracking in Habit Formation

Habit tracking is a fundamental tool in the journey of habit formation, offering many-sided benefits that significantly contribute to personal development. These include:

Accountability: When you embark on habit tracking, you establish a system of responsibility for your actions. It’s like having a personal accountability partner in the form of a journal or an app. Each time you record your habits, you’re acknowledging your commitment to them. This awareness becomes a powerful motivator to stay consistent.
Motivation: One of the remarkable outcomes of habit tracking is the tangible representation of your progress. As you see the checkboxes ticked or the data fill in your tracking tool, you receive immediate visual feedback on your efforts. This visual reinforcement has a motivating effect, as it validates your dedication and reinforces your belief in your ability to change.
Identification of Patterns: Habit tracking goes beyond the surface level of habits; it delves into the underlying patterns that govern your behaviour. By documenting your habits consistently, you begin to notice trends and triggers. For example, you might observe that you tend to snack when stressed or that you consistently complete your workouts on specific days. This self-awareness empowers you to identify and address triggers that can either support or hinder your habit formation efforts.

Various Tracking Methods

Habit tracking is a flexible practice, allowing you to choose methods that align with your preferences and lifestyles. Some tracking methods could be:

Paper Journals: Some people find solace in the tactile experience of jotting down their habits in physical journals or planners. The act of physically writing out their goals and habits provides a sense of commitment and satisfaction.
Digital Spreadsheets: For those who appreciate the advantages of technology, digital spreadsheets like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets offer a structured and customisable platform for habit tracking. Users can design their templates to suit their specific needs, creating a digital habit tracker that fits seamlessly into their routines.
Habit-Tracking Apps: Specialised habit-tracking apps combine convenience with a host of features. These apps are designed to simplify habit tracking, offering features such as reminders, analytics, and the ability to set specific goals. Habitica, Streaks, and HabitBull are among the many options available and are discussed below.
Bullet Journals: The bullet journaling method is an artistic and creative approach to habit tracking. Users employ symbols, colours, and visual elements to represent their habits. This method not only tracks habits but also encourages self-expression and creativity.
Wall Calendars: Similar to using a paper journal, wall planners and calendars provide a quick reference as to how often you are carrying out your habits. A simple tick or mark or colour on each day is enough for the user to track their habits easily and quickly.

Whichever way works best for you to build a visible record of how many times you have completed your new habit. The idea is that this visual record of achievement will boost your enthusiasm towards completing the habit each time you come to do it.

Apps and Tools for Habit Tracking

I have not tested or looked at any in any great detail, but I want to include some apps and tools that are designed to enhance your habit tracking experience and have been mentioned by others:

Habitica: Habitica gamifies habit tracking, transforming your routines into an engaging role-playing game. Completing habits and tasks earns you rewards and progress in the game, adding an element of fun to your tracking.
Streaks: Streaks is a visually appealing app designed to help you maintain streaks of completed habits. Its intuitive interface and customisable features make it a user-friendly choice.
Trello: Trello’s boards and cards system allows you to visually represent your habits and progress. You can customise your Trello boards to track habits, set deadlines, and even collaborate with others on habit-related goals.
Strides: Strides is a comprehensive habit-tracking app that offers goal setting, reminders, and in-depth progress tracking. It’s a versatile tool that adapts to various habit-tracking styles and goals.
HabitBull: User-friendly and feature rich, HabitBull offers a range of tracking options, insights into habit trends, and the ability to customise your habit tracking experience to suit your specific needs.

These tools empower you to implement and sustain habit tracking, a practice that can profoundly impact your journey of personal growth and habit formation. Whether you prefer the simplicity of paper and pen or the convenience of digital apps, the key is to find a method that resonates with you and supports your commitment to positive change.

Tips To Boost Your Motivation Further

There will be days when you simply don’t want to do that new habit! Your paradigm will want to do the easier old habit instead. And that is perfectly normal! I fully expect to have mornings where I want to sleep in instead of do Yoga, or days when I am just not in the mood…

But to help you there are a few things you can do to make your new habit even easier. The biggest one being getting everything set up for your habit in advance.

For my morning Yoga and study routine, this consists of setting out my Yoga mat, laptop and notebook, before I go to bed and having everything I need in easy reach of the mat and my workstation to support my activities. I also have the playlist saved on the YouTube app on my phone. When I get up in the morning, all I have to do is go to the mat and press play on the video and then move to my workstation! This preparation minimises any morning faffing or extra work making it as easy to get going as possible.

If your new habit is to stop eating as much sweet stuff, a good preparation would be to remove all the sweet things from your house.

If you are wanting to be more productive, then get everything organised. Start using a Get Done list instead of a to do list and set up your workstation to have as few distractions as possible. Set your work timings and have an automatic schedule on your phone that mutes notifications during those times.

These are just some ideas to boost your habit creation even further and get whichever habit tracker you choose to use ticked off every day!

What Do You Think?

By integrating habit tracking into your daily routine, you gain a valuable tool for self-improvement. It’s not just about what you do but also about being mindful of your actions.

Stay tuned for Day 7, where we’ll explore strategies for replacing bad habits with positive ones.

If this article resonates with you and you want to discuss this further, then get in touch today. Either here or through any of my social medias or schedule a call to discuss it with me directly.

I look forward to speaking with you soon.

To your success,

Jaiye