Should We All Track Our Habits?

Visually achieving your goals

Some years ago, I started bullet journaling, an organising, tracking and productivity technique I found most useful rather than using a daily agenda.

When learning the method, which allows you to use any division according to your needs, I discovered that many people used a habit tracker — a way to keep a record of their habits (good or bad) and maintain a personal balance.

I tried to do so also on my bullet journal; however, I wanted it to be simpler, with the least divisions as possible, and so I deleted all the sections I could get with an app, such as meal, period or habit trackers.

I like to have a very planned life regarding the basic and personal stuff, such as what I will be eating during the week or when my period is coming, so I also decided that tracking habits should also be a necessary condition to track my well-being or tasks I want to accomplish every day or week.️

Photo by Prophsee Journals on Unsplash

For many, daily habit tracking is an incredibly effective tool for accountability and motivation. When you visually see your progress, it creates a sense of accomplishment and reinforces the behaviour.

There are many apps (or physical journals, as I mentioned before) that allow you to check off each day you complete a habit, which can provide a satisfying streak effect and create a powerful motivator inside you.

This is particularly useful for establishing new habits, such as meditation, exercise, or reading, as it provides immediate feedback and helps you stay consistent. Tracking also helps you identify patterns and potential roadblocks. For example, you might notice that you consistently miss your morning run on Fridays, which could prompt you to adjust your schedule.

However, for some people, daily tracking can lead to unnecessary pressure and anxiety. If you miss a day, the “broken chain” can feel discouraging and may even lead to giving up entirely. This is often referred to as the “all-or-nothing” mindset.

For habits that require more flexibility or are less rigid, such as creative pursuits or social activities, a strict daily tracking system can be counterproductive. Furthermore, relying too heavily on external tracking can prevent you from building the internal motivation that is essential for long-term success.

I use a very simple app on my phone to track my habits (there are plenty of them, just select the one that fits you best). I highly recommend you start with a few simple habits, maybe some you already have integrated, such as doing your skincare routine or drinking a hot tea before going to bed, and then add one habit you want so badly to accomplish, for example, spending less than 2.5 hours on your phone every day.

From then on, keep adding habits little by little once a week or every two weeks, so your list of habits will be completed, and you will be able to work on them step by step.

I would say that the key is to find a system that works for you. Consider focusing on progress over perfection. Instead of daily tracking, you could try weekly check-ins to see how you are doing overall.

Another approach is to use tracking as a temporary tool to get a habit started and then gradually phase it out as the habit becomes ingrained. The goal is to build a habit, not to become a slave to a spreadsheet.

Whether you track daily or not, the most important thing is to be kind to yourself and remember that consistency — not perfection — is the true driver of lasting change.