Habits are an essential part of working towards a goal. Not only do these habits help you form skills and engage with your favorite hobbies, but they can also give you a whole new sense of pride when you look back at the progress you made over the course of a week or a month. You can also consider habit tracking to be the creative and colorful version of a to-do list because of how easy it is to color-code tasks or add doodles into the pages. Just another reason we love it ;).
If you're looking for a new approach to New Year's resolutions, or you're just looking to add some new behaviors into your 2023, check out these habit trackers and habit stacking ideas to totally transform your year, one step at a time.
What Is Habit Stacking?
Habit stacking is when you pinpoint a new habit that you want to add into your life and stack it right on top of a habit you've already got under your belt. Maybe you want to exercise more, so since you already walk every morning to get coffee, you take the long way home. Or you read a chapter of your book while your food cooks.
Adding small habits like this allows you to create a whole new routine that's built directly on the transition from one activity to another. Check out S.J. Scott's Habit Stacking: 97 Small Life Changes That Take Five Minutes or Less to learn more.
What Is A Habit Tracker?
Image via Prophsee Journals/Unsplash.
A habit tracker is a way to keep track of all those habits — drinking water, waking up early, exercising — that you want to be a part of your life. Your tracker can be as basic or as intricate as you want. Use a regular pen to check off a simple bulleted list, or use highlighters for a color-coded system (our favorite method!).
Are Habit Trackers Worth It?
If you're someone who write everything down or you love keeping up with your progress, habit trackers are definitely a great idea. Not only is it fun to keep up with what you do throughout the day, but it's actually good for you — a study from the American Heart Association's High Blood Pressure Conference in 2015 showed that tracking your progress can actually lower your blood pressure.
Which Is The Best Habit Tracker?
Metriport app screenshot via Mac App Store
You don't have to spend a ton of money to get a brand new habit tracker. If you use a bullet journal or a planner, you can create your own tracker right inside. Here are some other options:
- Check-in apps: If you're tech-minded, grab an app that will let you write down all your goals and keep track of your progress with graphs and reports. Another cool thing about an app versus a physical tracker is that an app can send you a reminder if you're starting to fall behind. Some great options include Metriport (IOS/Android) and Goalify (IOS/Android).
- Personal Asana: We love using Asana for work, just as much as we love using it to keep track of our personal tasks. You can set up the same checklist format you use for business to keep track of all your personal commitments, as well as the habits you've added into your day. Our favorite part is the way you can color code both your tasks and your calendars.
- White board: White boards are great for the single reason that nothing you write is permanent. Jot down your habits and ideas, then erase them when you come up with a more developed version. You can have your tasks and routines take up the whole board, or leave room for grocery lists and notes.
- To-done list: Once you get into the swing of your habits, end each day by writing down your accomplishments. At the end of every week, month, and year, you can compile your top achievements for a highly personal To-Done List. Not only will it show you how much you've done when you look back in the future, but it will also motivate you to keep going on days you're feeling sluggish.
What are your favorites habit trackers? Do you have habit stacking tips that never fail? Let us know on Twitter.
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Featured image via Prophsee Journals/Unsplash.
