5 Proven Habit Tracking Methods to Boost Your Productivity

The Power of Habit Tracking

Habit tracking is one of the most important ways to boost your productivity, and everything else in life. It provides you with a constant motivation to do the good habits, and stop the bad ones. The ability to see your progress makes habit tracking a crucial part of building successful productivity.

Habit tracking covers a wide array of topics, from accountability to progress. The habit trackers allow you to see how you have progressed, providing you with consistency and visible progress. For example, if you see you haven’t meditated in 5 days, you’ll be motivated to meditate now. This constant accountability makes them a powerful tool in your productivity arsenal.

Today, I’m going to discuss 5 methods I have used, all of which being effective, but I do prefer some of them more than others. The way you decide one of these methods should be based on your goal, and your overall feeling. Furthermore, you should check out other methods if none of the ones here appeal to you.

Let’s get into it!

Method 1: Bullet Journaling 📒

Bullet Journaling is a best of two worlds for habit tracking, you get to track your habits while journaling your thoughts. This makes it a versatile and creative tool for tracking your habits. Basically, you use a notebook to journal your habits, plan your daily tasks, and plan your goals.

All of these crucial aspects of productivity would be in one journal, allowing for maximum organization. Due to this organization, I would say that this is best for creative and organized people who like to customize their journaling with tracking. I believe that if you purely want a habit tracker that you shouldn’t”t use this method.

The best way to use your journal is to separate the journal into different areas. For example, the front of the notebook could be habit tracking, the middle could be journaling, and the last part could be goals. I like to use sticky notes to separate my journal, but there are several methods (e.g,. using folder dividers).

Another thing to keep in mind is that your setup should be kept simple for it all. If you have a cluttered mess in your journal, it will seep into other sections and then you’re disorganized. Overall, keep it simple for maximum productivity results.

Method 2: Digital Habit Trackers 📱

This method is probably the most used way of habit tracking, and it’s the method I used for a while when I first started out. Generally, you’ll find an online app with habit tracking capabilities and just track your habits from there.

Moreover, this easy way to track habits makes it attractive to everyone since it takes 30 seconds to set up. Some apps I would use for this method include Notion, To-Doist, and Habitica. However, there are 100s of apps you can use for this, so the details are up to you.

Digital habit tracking is best for tech-savvy individuals who want to keep track of their habits anytime anywhere. Specifically, they want to be able to check off the habit box immediately after doing it, however, with paper methods, if you’re somewhere else you can’t check it off. Digital habit tracking is also effective for setting up reminders on your phone to do your habits.

Some tips for success include setting up notifications and only having a few habits in the beginning. For all of these methods, having a few set up is key, however, it’s especially important here since you’re going to get notifications from the app. You want to use notifications as reminders, and I tend to not use notifications on my phone, but this is an exception.

Method 3: Simple Paper Habit Tracking

This is my method, and my favorite way to set up habit tracking. You get a sheet of paper, draw some lines, draw some more lines and that’s it. Check the image for an example, but this method has power in it’s simplicity,

This is best for people who want to keep it simple, and for people who want to hang their habit tracker up. I personally think hanging it up creates more motivation since these habits will be in front of you. You’ll have to look at them, and others will too. You don’t want to be caught lacking in front of your friends, right?

The best tip I can give for success is to keep the tracking neat and organized. I am a disorganized person, and my handwriting is bad, but I make an effort to keep the habit tracker readable. If it isn’t readable, it helps no one.

PS: The habit tracker is mine, I have been lacking this month in certain habits.

Method 4: Habit Stacking with a Planner 🗓

This method is also relatively simple. Just get a planner or even a blank sheet of paper and write your routine out for the day. This planning of what you need to do is important. Then, after that, you should plan when you’re going to do all your habits throughout the day. For example, after lunch you might go on a 10 minute walk as stated on the planner.

This method is best for people who want to manage their time while keeping track of their habits. Usually, busy people would use this method in order to squeeze time in for their habits into their day. However, I used to do this method too and that’s because planning my day ahead keeps it structured and I focus more usually.

The best tip I can give is to habit stack with your planner. Find out when you’re doing a fun activity, and try to place your habits near that activity in the planner. Typically, you can also make your habits done as early as possible to get over with it.

Method 5: Accountability Partners or Groups

This method is different to all the ones here, but it is insanely effective if done correctly. In my opinion, it can be more effective than all the other methods here. You can tell a friend, family member, wife, or basically anyone about your habits. Then, make sure they remind you at the end of the day about your habits. For example, your friend texts you asking if you’ve meditated today

This method works really well because you’ll feel like a liar. For example, if I told my mom today I’m gonna work out, and I don’t, I just lied to my mom. You’ll want to avoid feeling like a liar, and you’ll have more motivation to complete the task.

This method is best for social people, and people who also have friends on a productivity grind. For example, you could tell your friend your habits, he tells you his, and constantly you’ll remind each other. Accountability partners also get really close with each other, so it helps improve your bonding.

The best tip for success is to check with your accountability partner about their schedule. You need to find out how often they can remind you, or check in on you. Another tip for success is to make sure you both have the same goals. It makes you even more accountable if you see your friend making more progress towards your goal.

How to Choose the Right Habit-Tracking Method

The way I would choose the right habit tracking method is by determing whether I’m more based on motivation, social ability, logic, or creativity.

In the case that I’m more creative, I would pick the journal.

Granted that I’m more of a motivation guy, I would pick the simple habit tracker

If I’m more logical, I would pick the planner

If I’m more social, I would pick the accountability partner

Digital habit tracking is a good fit overall. However, if you have a method that resonates towards you pick it regardless of whether you’re more social, logical, motivational, or creative. I personally would test methods if I’m still unsure to find what works and what doesn’t. If you find a method to not work, change it up.

Conclusion: Make Habit Tracking Work for You

Whether you pick digital habit tracking or using a planner, the burden is upon you to make the habit tracking work for you. You need to remain consistent in your habits, don’t rely on the habit tracker to do everything for you.

It is a tool to show your progress in habits, and you should use it as such. Overall, habit tracking is what really changed my life in terms of productivity, and I’m sure it’ll change yours too. And, as always, don’t forget

Nothing changes if nothing changes