Not using a habit tracker? You’re missing out! It’s a powerful tool for improving what you do. Find out the things to add to your habit tracker from today.
We go around all day every day looking after others, only usually stopping to give ourselves a break when they have finished asking things from us.
This isn’t healthy – and I am REALLY trying to change this in my own home so that I have time for a more balanced life.
It’s not easy but it’s really worth it.
After all, they say that you need to put on your mask before helping others if the airplane goes down – and this is my way of doing just that on a daily basis.
If I’m healthy and happy – then more gets done overall, and the family are happier as well.
Related: 25 Easy Morning Habits To Start Your Day Off Brilliantly
Why Is A Habit Tracker A Good Idea?
If you’re not using a habit tracker, you’re missing out on one of the most powerful tools for getting and staying productive.
A habit tracker can help you keep track of a new habit, whether good and bad, and is important because it makes you focus on you for a few minutes each day.
It moves the things you KNOW you should be doing way up in your priorities so you can focus on them regularly until they become routine.
Things To add To Your Habit Tracker – What’s Best?
Only add self care habits to your habit tracker – and only 1 or 2 at a time so you don’t get overloaded with multiple habits.
If you start adding in cleaning, kids stuff etc then I feel it becomes just like a shouty TO DO list every day – and can start to feel overwhelming.
If it’s just self care stuff – then it becomes much more enjoyable to fill in each evening because you’re doing something for yourself which is so important and should be the sole focus.
Much better to be building habits slowly and successfully over time than trying to do everything in one go and feeling like you’ve failed…
Good or Bad Habits?
Also important is to work out whether you’re going to add just good habits, or bad habits as well.
You’ll see from the list below that all habit ideas have been phrased in the positive – but you can just as easily make some of them bad habits (for example – caffeine free days is a good habit, but if you want to give up caffeine then you may work better tracking days you DO have caffeine)
Whether you prefer the good or bad, track in a way that motivates you the most to carry on.
Good Habit Tracker Ideas To Try Today
#1 – Eating 5 fruit and veg a day
.. or however many you want to aim for.
Add a box for each one, and tick as you get through them.
I like this idea because it’s not all or nothing – and even on days where you don’t manage to get all 5 in, you will still be able to feel like you’ve managed a few.
TIP – You can also start to create better habits from the ones you started with. For example – why not try and eat different coloured fruit and veg in your 5 as this will give you a great nutritional diversity (and be pretty fun!).
#2 – Drink 2 Litres of water a day
This is a great one to track, especially if you find it hard to drink water regularly.
Add a glass for each 200mls you drink, and tick them off as the day goes on.
If you want to make it more fun, try adding in different fruits or herbs to your water to flavour it.
#3 – Taking vitamins each day
The best way to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need.
I like to add my vitamins to my morning routine, so that I know I’ve taken them before breakfast.
You could either add in a box for all vitamins, or if you want to get really specific, you could add in which vitamins you’re taking and how many.
#4 – Walking 10,000 steps daily
A healthy habit to get you moving more, as it’s really easy to track using a pedometer or fitness tracker.
If you don’t have a fitness tracker (like a Fitbit), you can download a step counting app on your phone (just have your phone with you all the time so all steps are counted!).
I like to aim for at least 10,000 steps, but if you’re just starting out, you could start with less and work your way up.
#5 – Sleeping 7 hours a day
The perfect daily habit to track when you know you need more sleep.
Add a square per hour and so you can see any patterns in the week where you get enough or not enough.
That way you can address any issues and work towards getting a great nights sleep every day.
#6 – Doing some sort of fitness every day
This could be anything from a 30 minute walk, to a full on gym session.
The important thing is that you’re moving your body every day, and doing something that makes you feel good (and is great for your mental health).
I like to add in different fitness activities each day so I don’t get bored, but if you prefer to do the same thing every day then that’s great too.
#7 – Alcohol free days each week
If you want to cut down on your alcohol intake, then this is a great habit to track.
I like to have at least four alcohol free days each week, but you could start with one and work your way up.
TIP – You could also add in how many drinks you have on the days that you do drink, so that you can track your progress over time.
#8 – Fast food / Junk Food free days each week
If you want to eat healthier, then this is a great habit to track.
Alternatively you could track how many healthy meals (or home cooked meals) you eat each week, as this gives it a more positive spin.
#9 – Caffeine free days each week
This is a great one if you want to cut down on your caffeine intake, in much the same way as cutting down on alcohol can be tracked too.
#10 – Reading something every day
This is a great habit to get into if you want to make more time for reading.
I like to read before bed, as it helps me relax and wind down for the evening.
Start with a small number of pages, such as five or ten, and then you can increase it over time as you get used to it.
TIP – You could track the books you manage to read each year as well – as this can really show what a little a day can add up to over a long time.
#11 – Acts of kindness
A great way to make sure you’re spreading a little happiness each day.
It doesn’t have to be anything big, it could be as simple as letting someone know they did a good job, or holding the door open for someone.
Tracking this will make you more aware of finding nice things to do, and also give you a warm glow every day. Sounds good, right!
#12 – Getting up at a specific time every day
This is a great idea if you struggle with creating a daily routine, as you can start with the time you get up, and work from there.
It’s useful for so many reasons to get your body clock working well – so pick a time that works best for you and go for it!
#13 – Some sort of ‘me-time’ each day
All too often forgotten in the busy-ness of day to day life, but crucial for your wellbeing.
This could be anything from a relaxing bath, to reading a book, or taking yourself off for a walk in nature.
Make sure you schedule it in each day so that it doesn’t get forgotten about.
Related: 20 Amazing Me Time Ideas For When You Need Time To Yourself
How To Track Your Habits
You could use a number of different things for your own habit tracker, it doesn’t have to be complicated at all.
In fact – the most important thing is that you stick to it – so track habits in whatever way works best for you.
Here are some ideas:
- Add a page to your bullet journal for your habit list
- Create a space in your current planner for a simple habit tracker
- Use a habit tracker printable template / habit tracker planner
- Use a daily or weekly habit tracker format – (or even a monthly habit tracker) depending on what habit you’re creating and how it makes most sense to you
- Use a habit tracker app on your phone. There are lots of apps out there to choose from.
- Use an Excel spreadsheet or Google sheet if you’re on your computer a lot (either ready made templates or create your own if you’re feeling creative).
Want To Get A Habit Tracker? Here Are Some Options Just For You…
Note – Clicking on any item below will take you to the store so you can see details and purchase – for your convenience. The links are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission for any purchase you make – at absolutely no cost to you, of course.
These are just some ideas to get you started with creating a good habit streak, but the important thing is that you find habits that work for you and that you enjoy doing.
Habit tracking doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to be something that you remember to do consistently for real change.
Remember to start small and build up slowly so that you don’t get overwhelmed, and most importantly, have fun!
Read Next: 25 Easy Morning Habits To Start Your Morning Off Brilliantly
