I’ve Tracked My Habits for Three Years
This is what I’ve learned
In the fall of 2019, I was gifted a beautiful journal. Beyond the allure of a cloth-bound notebook and a fancy pen to use with it, I was sucked into the journal the way I get sucked into a good story: passionately, obsessively. It was a habit-tracking journal, and every single day since I opened the notebook up, nearly three years ago, I have tracked my habits.
Why? Well, first, why not? And second, because we’re only given so much time to make a difference, achieve our goals, and spend time doing the things we love — and I want to make sure I’m actively working toward those aspirations. It took tracking my habits to understand that I wasn’t working as hard toward my goals as I’d thought. It made me realize the discrepancy between what I thought I spent my time doing and what I actually spent it doing. This was a slap in the face, I’ll be honest. But a good kind; more like a loving nudge from a wise elder.
If habit tracking is a new concept for you, here’s a brief overview of how it works:
(For a more comprehensive explanation, click here for my original article explaining how it’s changed my life.)