Habit Tracker: A Simple Tool For Habit Success

One of the most important steps in making a thought or behavior (magically) turn into a habit is to make sure you are performing it consistently. The easiest way to monitor this, is via a habit tracker.

A habit tracker is the most simple tool that you can use to be successful in creating new habits.

Habit trackers help make your future self goals come true by reminding you every day to perform your intended habit. They also hold you accountable, keep you motivated, and show you just how amazing you are for keeping up the good work.

As I previously mentioned, performing your new habit consistently is the key. The term “consistently” typically is defined as “regularly or frequently” in multiple sources, however I find that to be fairly vague.

The definition I find to be more helpful is from Dictionary.com, defining the term “consistency” as “with no or very few exceptions”. This is perfect when it comes to habit formation.

Success is most likely to occur if the behavior is done every time it is intended, no matter what.

This can be daily, every weekday, once a week, once a month, etc. Whatever you choose, that’s what you should stick with.

There has been a fair amount of research on the duration required to make a behavior a habit. According to Healthline, studies have suggested a range of 18-254 days to form a new habit.

This large range isn’t very helpful. It suggests that there are too many variables to really target a more exact number. Therefore, the important piece is to make sure you are being consistent and perform it for long enough that you feel it is now part of your routine.

What Exactly Is a Habit Tracker?

A habit tracker is simply a grid with lots of little boxes.

You list your behaviors or thoughts you wish to turn into habits on one axis, and the numbered days on the other axis.

For each day, you make a little mark in the box (or color it in completely) for each of the behaviors or thoughts you performed. You can also keep track of negative behaviors or thoughts you avoided.

• Read this too: Habit Coaching: Create Your Results by Mastering Your Habits

Some people like to make an “x” in the box, so that every day with an “x” starts to form what looks like a chain. This can serve as motivation to not “break the chain” by missing a day. (Clever right?)

There are also digital habit trackers. Many of which are free apps found in the App Store. I personally think paper and pen ones are the best because you can keep them in a visible spot as a reminder, and they are more satisfying to fill out.

• Read this too: New Habits Made Simple With Habit Stacking

The Many Benefits of a Habit Tracker

A habit tracker serves as a daily reminder for you to perform your new behaviors or thoughts (or avoid bad ones).

It keeps you motivated by serving as a visual of your daily successes.

Also, it helps hold you accountable. (No one likes to see unchecked boxes).

It’s fun, especially when you see your progress over time.

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How to Make a Habit of Using A Habit Tracker

1. Put it in an easy to see spot, such as your refrigerator, desk at work or home, bathroom, etc.
2. Put your writing utensil next to it, so you don’t have to go searching for one. This makes it more likely for you to make that little mark rather than just skipping it.
3. Put a reminder in your phone for the end of the day, so that you can check off your boxes for all of the habits you performed that day. This is helpful if you weren’t checking them off as you went.
4. If you need to, make a little reward for yourself that you only receive if you don’t “break the chain.”  Try to make it a healthy reward, not one that will be counterproductive to whatever your goals might be.

32 Ideas for Daily Habits to Track

Write down one new future goal

Play with pet for 10 minutes

No snooze button

Allow that negative thought to come and go

Put sunscreen on

Pay a co-worker a compliment

Floss your teeth

Go to bed by (insert time)

Eat 2 servings of vegetables

Read 5 pages in book

Meditate for 5 minutes

Give yourself a compliment

Workout at the gym

Tell your partner you love him/her

Go for a 20 minute walk

Call or text one friend

No alcohol

Journal for 2 minutes

Do 30 push-ups

No smoking

Wake up at (insert time)

Read to child for 10 minutes

Write down 2 new business ideas

Set aside one item to donate or sell

Find a new recipe idea

Tell a family member how amazing they are

Tell yourself how amazing you are

No caffeine after (insert time)

Read one article

Eat a piece of fruit

Celebrate a little win

Check off habits you performed for the day (wink wink)

Next Steps

Now that you are an expert on habit trackers, their benefits, choose some of the ideas above or come up with some of your own you’d like to try.

1. Add these to the top axis of the habit tracker.
2. Then, each day you do any of those, put an “x”, completely color in the box, or draw some other fun design.
3. When you’ve reached 30 days, re-assess and see which behaviors are now automatic and no longer need to be tracked.
4. Take the ones you feel you should continue to track, print out another 30 day habit tracker, and add those behaviors to the top axis again.
5. Proceed for another 30 days, while still continuing the new habits you have already formed.

In no time, you will have formed lots of new habits. These habits are going to help you to become healthier, happier, and closer to reaching your ultimate goals.

So, have fun with this. It’s so worth it.