A multi-benefitted metahabit
Habit Tracking is simply recording to some external resource the extent to which you adhered to desired behaviors over time.
Benefits of Habit Tracking:
- Habit trackers can assist in all of the Four Laws of Behavior Change
- Habit Trackers in prominent locations or interested into obvious routines can be good cues for behavior
- Craving for the behavior can be enhanced
- Cleverly implemented habit tracking can make the behavior easier to perform
- It can be incredibly satisfying record your success and extend your streak
- Habit tracking keeps you honest with yourself; can create KPIs or serve as Key Results in a OKRs
- Habit tracking gives you something tangible to see, some tangible result to accomplish in the here and now, for doing something whose inherent good effects may not come for years down the line
- Habit tracking forces you to clarify the behavior with yourself
- Habit tracking is a form of Precommitment Device
Examples of Habit Tracking
- Xes on Calendars, or index cards
- Physical counters, such as marbles in jars or pills in a day-of-the-week container
- Apps (e.g. Streaks)
- Devices (e.g. Fitbit)
- Forms, shortcuts, IFTTT, and any other sorts of clever automations
Note: this note was created to satisfy a Streak of “Engage with your notes” on my habit-tracking app. See. Results.