Habits are the building blocks of our lives. They can improve your life by giving you a sense of control, purpose, and motivation. But habits also have the power to hold us back from achieving our goals if they’re not motivating or healthy for us. So how do we know which habits to start with?
Habits are a great way to improve your life and increase productivity. Many habits can help you be successful in all aspects of your life, but it’s important to find the ones that work for you.
Do you want to be happier? Do you want more time and money? If so, then you need to start tracking your habits.
It’s time to start living the life you deserve. You deserve a life that is balanced, healthy, and happy. But how do you achieve this? Start by adding habits into your daily routine that will help improve your life immediately!
Table of Contents
Here are 10 great habits to track that will help you live a better life:
1. Track your sleep
Keep track of your sleep quality and how much you get. It is important to know the amount of time it takes for you to fall asleep, how often you wake up, as well as what type of sleep you are getting (REM or deep).
It can be very common to have different types of sleeping patterns during various stages in life. For example, many adults choose to sleep less during the weekdays and more on the weekends. This is a great way to catch up on lost sleep hours without sacrificing your daytime productivity.
However, getting enough sleep is vital to your well-being. For us to function properly in society, we need adequate amounts of high-quality sleep. This is because sleep is a time for our brains to rest and recover from the day’s events.
If you are having trouble with your sleep, it may be helpful to keep track of what things might be affecting it such as stress or caffeine intake. For some people, following good sleeping habits can make all the difference in how well they feel both during the day and at night.
Here’s a quick tip: Try to keep the same sleeping pattern on weekends as you do during the weekdays, and make sure to get at least six hours of sleep each night!
2. Track your food intake
It’s important to keep track of what you are eating because not paying attention can lead to indigestion, high cholesterol, and weight gain. A good way to do this is by keeping a food diary in which you write down everything that goes into your body, the time and date as well as any feelings or emotions present before or after eating.
If you’re just starting your journey of self-improvement, or a healthy lifestyle this is one of these important things to do. Would you have to do it for the rest of your life? No. But getting in the habit of tracking what you eat will help you make more conscious and intentional decisions about the things you eat.
Biggest benefits of tracking your food intake:
- Better control over what you eat.
- Fewer sugar cravings and lower risk of diabetes.
- More energy throughout the day.
- Lower cholesterol levels reduce heart disease risks (for those at high risk).
How to track food intake:
Download an app like Lose It!
Note the time and what you eat at every meal in a food journal. Keep a daily log of your intake, noting how many calories or grams of fat was consumed as well as any side effects from eating particular types of foods (such as blood sugar levels).
To stay on top of progress, don’t forget to turn on tracking reminders!
3. Track your water intake
Tracking your water intake is an important habit to keep track of. It’s easy to forget how much you’re drinking when it doesn’t come in a container that needs refilling every time you want some, but dehydration can be very dangerous! Drink more water throughout the day by carrying around a large, refillable bottle like this large 1-gallon water bottle.
The more you track, the easier it will be to stay on top of your progress! You can also use apps like Lose It! to track your daily water intake.
4. Track how much you exercise each day
By tracking your workouts, you’ll be able to see what’s working and what isn’t. This will help you focus on a workout routine that works for you! You won’t lose motivation if it is easy to keep track of how much time or intensity levels were important in the previous day.
Another reason to track how much you exercise is that many people don’t actually exercise at the intensity they think. If you’re working out 3-5 times a week, eating properly but still not seeing the progress you want, ask yourself am I really putting in the work?
It’s also fun to see your progress. It might take a few months before you notice the difference in yourself, but when it clicks and you start seeing results, that satisfaction is worth every moment of work!
It’s hard to stay on track without a reminder. Start logging your workouts today so that tomorrow isn’t as hard on yourself. If you forget to log the amount of time and intensity level for your daily workouts, it can be easy to lose motivation.
5. Keep a journal of what you do every day to track progress.
Every day, write down the activities you got done.
Did you visit your mother? How many hours did you sleep last night? Did you work out today for at least 30 minutes? When was the last time you checked in with a friend and how long were you on that call? What are three things that make this day great (or that you’re grateful for)?
Keeping a journal is one of the best ways to track your daily habits. Not only can it be motivating, but looking back on where you were in the past will help set goals and provide perspective as well.
It’s important to keep up with what we’ve done so far every day-not just on the days that we feel like it.
6. Track your spending habits
Keeping track of your spending habits is a great way to stay in control. You can use habit-tracking apps like Mint and Expensify, or you could keep an Excel spreadsheet on your computer, but there are plenty of ways for you to get this done.
You should be able to easily find where all of your money is going by looking at your bank account. By tracking where and what you spend, it’s easier to save money and find ways that will help you become wealthier in the future.
I’m not talking about analyzing every single one of your bank account transaction data, which would be a pain. Rather, I recommend that you track the types of purchases you make and the frequency with which you buy them. If you’re spending too much on clothes or gas, for instance, cut back!
7. Keep a gratitude journal
The feeling you get when writing down what you’re grateful for is incredible. You’ll be so happy, and it’s a great way to make sure your day starts on the right foot while at home or in the office.
A study at the University of California, Davis found that people who wrote down things they were grateful for three times per week for just two weeks had reduced stress and depression, improved sleep, and also engaged in more exercise, and had better dietary behaviors.
Focusing on the things your grateful for helps to focus your mind on things you already have rather than something absent and needed. Your mindset and outlook on life change somewhat drastically when practicing gratitude.
8. Track how much time you spend on social media or watching TV.
It’s not always easy to know how much time we spend on social media or watching TV. That is why you should establish a concrete goal for yourself and keep track of it each day. For instance, if your goal is to limit the amount of time spent on Instagram to 30 minutes per day, then set up a timer that counts down the time until you reach your goal.
If you have an iPhone turn on the app limit feature to manage your time on those apps. This way, not only are you spending less time on Instagram and TV, but also staying more mindful of the other things that need to be done.
9. Track your goals in a journal
Believe it or not, keeping track of your goals in a journal can be very beneficial. This is because you can have a constant reminder of the goals that are important to you. Keeping track allows for less distraction at work or when trying to make decisions about what needs to be done next. Plus, journaling also has many other benefits like aiding in mental health and being more truthful with yourself.
Keeping track of your goals will also keep you motivated to move on to the next and to stay focused on your priorities. Looking at and tracking those goals are a great reminder to stay on track. Without something to reference, it can be easy to lose sight of what you want.
Goal Setting Techniques
Set measurable goals that are specific, time-bound, and challenging enough but not too difficult. These should also be realistic for them to have a high chance of being achieved. Goals need an end date or deadline so as long as they’re on track, they can be revised as needed.
Be mindful of what your goal is and how it fits into the bigger picture. What are you trying to achieve? How will achieving this change anything for yourself or others around you?
Breaking Down Goals: Break down goals into smaller pieces that can be accomplished on time. If the goal is something that would take months or years to complete, break it down into smaller parts and set timelines for each one as well so you can still see progress being made quickly without becoming overwhelmed by the big picture.
Set deadlines: Establishing goals doesn’t mean anything if they’re never met because there’s no deadline to work towards.
Be realistic: If your goal is too far-fetched, it will never be met and you’ll end up feeling discouraged as a result.
Use technology wisely: Tools like Google Docs or Trello can help make goals more achievable by keeping track of smaller pieces that have been accomplished while also taking note of what you still need to do.
Post-it notes: Put reminders on your fridge, in your car, or wherever else is relevant so that when a goal pops up and needs attention, it’s right there in front of you.
Track progress: Write down how much time was put into the project as well as any obstacles faced so that you can use it as a valuable resource for how to tackle the next project.
Be accountable: Find someone who will help you stay on track and make sure they know what your goals are, or have an online community of like-minded individuals to keep each other motivated.
Take it day by day: Tackle each goal one step at a time, rather than trying to take on everything all at once. Doing this will make the task seem less daunting and more manageable.
Celebrate accomplishments: Once a goal is reached, take the time to celebrate and reflect on what has been accomplished.
10. Track your moods and emotions
Keeping track of your moods and emotions will help you to record patterns in how stress, anxiety, or happiness impacts the way you behave. You may also be able to discover certain triggers and figure out what you can do to resolve or avoid them in the future.
When experiencing a low point, take some time for self-care by taking a break from work, going for a walk outside, or spending time with friends. You can also use this time to reflect on what has been going well in your life and how you have overcome challenges before.
When it feels hard to find a reason to be happy, keep a journal of good moments or things that made you smile so when times are tough they will be easier to remember.
The idea is not to ignore or gloss over the bad moments.
Track your progress: Keep track of what habits make you feel better about yourself and which ones seem to make no difference at all. It can be helpful to write down how different habits affect your mood, thoughts, and actions.
Conclusion
Tracking habits can help you better understand your patterns and behaviors. It not only helps with creating healthier routines, but it also teaches us about the things that bring us joy or are hurting our well-being in a way we couldn’t see before.
If any of these 10 habits sound like they might be helpful to track for you, let me know what habit you plan to start tracking first! I hope this blog post inspires some thoughts on how important self-awareness is to improving life quality. What other habits do you think would make great additions? Let me know in the comments below!
Read more: 5 Morning Routine Habits of Highly Successful People
