The topic of habits fascinates me, especially when I read more about neuroscience and the psychology behind it. There are many self-help books on habits and how to create or break them, but I have found that habit tracking is one of the most useful tools.
Once you have established a solid habit, you can do it without much thought, but when you are in the initial stages of changing or creating a habit, habit tracking is extremely valuable. However, I have started using my habit tracking as a daily tool.
Checking off lists provides a dopamine boost and measures progress while giving a sense of accomplishment. In the past, when I needed to eliminate old habits or create new ones, I could journal and plan as much as I wanted, but these practices were not always supportive of actual habit change or creation. They were just a starting point before we dive into the work of habit formation. Below are the most valuable lessons I have learned about habit tracking.
Tracking habits in written form makes them more concrete
If the healthy habits we want to implement are just vague ideas in our heads, they don't seem as realistic. They become potential procrastinations, maybes, tasks... they get lost in the busyness of our daily lives.
However, taking the time to write down the most important habits for us gives them priority. It visually reminds us of them. It helps to write them down where you can see them. The tactile experience of writing engages the brain better and even captivates you.
These visual reminders may be in a planner, notebook, or calendar. Every time I flip to a new page in my planner a week ahead, I write down my most important daily and weekly habits: morning pages, writing, reading, going to the gym, doing yoga, etc. Check off the days I complete these tasks. I may not complete these tasks every day, but every time I write them down, they are at the forefront, center of my life.