The Power of Habit Tracking: Why You Should Track Your Habits
Struggling to exercise consistently, save money, or leave the house on time?
If you want to stick with a new habit, use a habit tracker.
In 2023, I read only 3 books. Now, I’m reading one book per month. How? I started tracking how often I read.
At first, I thought...
↳ This is extra work.
↳ There's no way this will help.
↳ I will shame myself for breaking a streak.
But, I quickly learned…
↳ It boosts my motivation.
↳ It takes less than 30 seconds per day.
↳ It gives me immediate feedback, creating momentum.
Ready to make a meaningful change? Let's dive into the power of habit tracking.
Why Will Habit Tracking Help Me?
Ever start a new habit strong, only to give up after two weeks? We've all done it.
Why?
The impact of a new habit isn't felt immediately.
Imagine someone wants to exercise more often. They won't notice the results right away and this is demotivating. All that hard work in the gym and still no six pack!
This is why so many people struggle to stick with a habit.
For adults with ADHD, habit formation is even harder.
The ADHD brain loves quick feedback. Imagine the taste of ice cream the second it hits your tongue.
Mmmmmmm. That's quick feedback.
Differently, the positive feedback loop of a new habit is far away. The ADHD brain doesn't see or feel results and wants to give up.
To combat this, we can habit track.
Habit tracking works for two reasons:
It's a visual representation of progress.
It's a quick reward.
Essentially, habit tracking shortens the positive feedback loop of building a habit, increasing the likelihood you will do it again.
But, what exactly is a habit tracker?
What is a Habit Tracker?
It's a tool used to record when you do a habit. Essentially, this is a tool to enhance your executive functions.
The key to building a habit tracker is to make it simple. I track habits with tick marks in a bullet journal. Other people use a note on their phone, a whiteboard, or an app like DailyHabits.
There's no wrong way to track your habits. Just keep it simple and make it visual.
And, you don't need to track all of your habits. Focus on the ones you want to build or the daily tasks you often forget.
What Habits Should I Track?
Some common daily habits people track:
floss teeth
take vitamins or medication
exercise
read
journal
wake up at X time
meditate
make bed
Common weekly habits:
laundry
water plants
take out trash
reflect/journal
Common monthly habits:
pay bills (on time)
review budget
call family
clean the house
People also keep an anti-habit list:
no alcohol
no tobacco
no screens during dinner
no phone before 7 AM
The Power of Habit Tracking
You can use your habit tracker to construct realistic, powerful goals.
At the end of each month, I tally up how often I read and compare it to the previous month. I read 17 times in July (a personal record); in August, my goal is 18.
Incremental growth leads to monumental change!
By setting small, achievable goals, we create a positive feedback loop that builds momentum. And when we get some momentum going…watch out!
Now, It’s Your Turn
Ready to start habit tracking? Here's how:
Pick one habit
Write the habit at the top of a piece of paper
Track it: make a tick mark every time you do the habit for the next week.
I'd love to hear about your progress. Leave a comment and share your experiences or questions.
You can also book a no-cost strategy session where we can take a deep dive into habit formation.
Happy habit tracking!
Are you ready to improve your executive function skills?
We know adulting is HARD. It demands strong adult executive function skills. Luckily, we've made a LIVE course to cover the fundamentals so you can make the best of each day: Adult EF Skills 101. Join dozens of other adults improving their EF skills.
In this course, you will:
Learn how to plan your priorities 🎯
Learn to get started (task initiate) 🔨
Learn how to keep things tidy 🧺
Learn how to find and keep a job 👩💻
Learn how to communicate effectively 🗣️
Learn how to budget 🤑
Stay Engaged
Other Resources
About the Author
Eric Kaufmann, M.Ed is a Professional Educational Therapist and Certified Executive Function Coach. He is the Co-founder of UpSkill Specialists, an online adult executive function coaching company designed to guide adults in overcoming disorganization, procrastination, and productivity roadblocks so they can unlock their potential. Eric is also the founder of Elevate Learning Solutions, an Educational Therapy practice located in San Clemente, CA, that guides students with neurological differences toward becoming independent and confident students and self-leaders.