Benefits of Habit Tracking—Why is Habit Tracking Important?

How do you imagine yourself five or ten years from now? Is there anything you would like to see in your ideal happy life?

John C. Maxwell said, "The secret to success is in your daily routine." Many real-world examples support this quote.

If we look at the commonalities between people like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, etc., we see that they all have great habits. Although the success parameters are different for everyone, habits play a decisive role in shaping their lives.

Changing or creating habits is a tough process, and you cannot achieve anything without accountability. Thus, it is equally important to keep track of your habits to analyze where you stand and how you can improve. Habit tracking has multiple benefits, and we will discuss them in the text to follow.

5 Key Benefits of Habit Tracking

Habit tracking can be a motivation booster and vital for self-analysis. Here are its most notable benefits.

1. Daily Reminder to Take Action

Studies have shown that people who keep track of their progress are more likely to succeed than those who do not. This includes people trying to quit smoking, lose weight, and lower blood pressure.

Tracking your habits daily is a simple way to remind yourself of the actions you need to take to reach your goals.

2. Motivation to Continue

One major benefit of habit tracking is it keeps you motivated—seeing progress is the most powerful motivation. Habit tracking can motivate you to continue towards your goals with every small win.

In the beginning, we often don't feel the impacts of our new practice or habit, so it is important to find another way to stay motivated.

3. Gratification from Achieving Your Goals

Every time you mark a habit as complete, you feel accomplished. Make sure to allow yourself to celebrate these accomplishments. This feeling will give you the boost you need to continue the following day.

4. More Likely to Reach Your Goals

Breaking down your big goals into small habits that you track will help you feel more confident and in control. You’ll be more likely to reach your goals with a habit tracker holding you accountable every day.

5. See Your Progress

Months later, you will see how far you have come from where you started. Spend time once a month or every few months reflecting on previous months and appreciating how far you've come. Write about your progress and how it makes you feel to see how far you have come.

6. Analyze What Works and What Doesn’t

Another benefit of habit tracking is that it allows you to track what works and what doesn't. For instance, if you are on a mission to lose weight, you can analyze whether your combination of food and exercise is working. If it is not working, you can adjust your approach accordingly.

Now that we know the benefits of habit tracking let’s learn how to track your habits.

How to Track Your Habits? Step-by-step guide

Here is what you can do to track your habits effectively.

1. Write Down Your Goals

To define what's meaningful, write a journal about your ideal life. What does the happiest version of your life look like? Make sure not to overwhelm yourself with too many and or unrealistic goals.

2. Create habits That Will Help You Achieve the Life You Envision

What goals are most significant to you? What habits can you develop that will help you achieve those goals?

3. Add Those Habits to A Habit Tracker

Next, add the habits you want to track to your habit tracker. A habit tracker is like a checklist for habits that helps you see what you do regularly and what you're trying to change. It is handy for learning new habits or noticing the ones you already have.

4. Every Time You Complete a Habit, Mark it on Your Habit Tracker

Aim to make it your mission to record each measurement after you complete the habit. This will help you use your habit tracker regularly and celebrate each habit as you complete it.

5. Download a Habit Tracker

I recently created a guidebook to help you embrace a more mindful and spiritual lifestyle and coupled it with a habit tracker that would be a perfect way to get you started on this path. Click here to download it! You can also download a habit-tracking app. I know there are many good ones out there with free plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it Good to Track Your Habits?

Habit tracking is a great way to get regular feedback on your efforts and see patterns. You can easily see whether you are completing your tasks. If you cannot complete your tasks in time, habit tracking will let you know why and what you should change.

Why Do People Use Habit Trackers?

Monitoring and measuring progress is essential for habit formation. It helps in self-responsibility and maintains our focus on our goals. Tracking habits enable us to determine if we're advancing, moving in the right direction, or standing where we started. A habit tracker lets you measure and monitor your progress.

Summing it Up

No matter how, tracking your habits will help you feel in control of your life.

Reflecting on your weeks and months, you'll see what you accomplished (and did not). It can help you see progress and find out where you can improve!

Also, when you track your habits, you might notice different patterns. For example, maybe you notice that on the days you practice meditation or yoga, you feel more energy and relaxed.

Remember: Developing a habit takes time! So be gentle with yourself.

Don't feel discouraged if you forget to do something one day. Instead, make a commitment to complete it the next day. Remember that forming a habit can take months, and keeping a habit tracker can help motivate you as you track your daily progress.

Much Love