Good Habits to Have, How to Form a Habit & Free Habit Tracker
If you want to start or are currently working on creating good habits and want a way to track your habits, you're in the right place! Learn how to form a habit, examples of good habits, and how to track habits in a habit tracker.
And use a habit tracker to note when you complete the desired good habit every day. The habit tracker suggestion from this book is one that I use consistently. I have seen the benefits in this form of tracking so much that I want to share one with you. Download the same template I use for free below!
Habit Tracker
If you are dedicated to making a positive difference and need a method to stay consistent with your habits, then tracking them will help keep you accountable. A habit tracker will make it easy for you to keep track, be consistent, and keep your good habits top of mind.
Now, this sounds official, a habit tracker. Do you need a new habit to track all your habits? Haha, well, kind of. I recently reviewed with a team member that I need to make an SOP on how to make SOPs. Is it a must? No, but it does make the process easier.
What is a Habit Tracker
A habit tracker is just as the name suggests. It's a way to track your habits. In essence, it's very simple, and it doesn't have to be complicated.
There are habit journals, books, and other items you can buy to help you keep track of your habits but I opted for the easy free method for now because I am at home and I like to keep my habit tracker on my fridge, front and center where I see it every day.
Why Track Your Habits
The goal of a habit tracker is for consistency, positive reinforcement, it also provides data over the months. If you are serious about ingraining this new habit into your daily life and you know if you stick with it, it will make a huge difference in your life, then track your habits!
Track Your Habits for a Reminder
When you have a habit tracker in a visible place, you remind yourself every time you look at the habit tracker. I have my habit tracker on my fridge. I probably see it more than 10 times a day, so each time, it reinforces the habits and my determination to check every box.
If it's out of sight, it's out of mind, and the more likely you'll forget to complete the habit for the day or check it off. This is why I recommend starting simple and using a printable for now. I've created one for you below, for free, that you can download and start using today!
Track Your Habits for Motivation
When you check off a day, you can't help but feel happy. Whenever I highlight my little square for the day for each habit, I feel excited and motivated, and it adds to the positive reinforcement cycle.
You want a continuous cycle of positivity, momentum, and executing daily your good habits. Tracking your habits daily will help you with this. It keeps them top of mind, and when you miss a day, you immediately know you can do better.
How to Track Your Habits
There are now many journals you can purchase to track your habits. They are very nice habit tracking journals, and I would recommend you get one after you've been tracking your habits for a couple of months and know you use the journal you purchase.
I use a simple habit tracker that I've created.
Habit Tracker Template
Here is a free habit tracker that you can download and use to start tracking your habits. I designed it, keeping all of the things I wanted in a tracker in mind. Overall it's very simple and easy to use.
This monthly habit tracker printable is a blank template where you can write your dates and month. This is if you want to get a little creative and use different colors for each habit or month. I use a highlighter to fill in each box when I complete the habit for the day. I track both Peter's and my habits in the month tracker so I use different highlighter colors for each of us.
A habit tracker is just as the name suggests. It's a way to track your habits. In essence, it's very simple, and it doesn't have to be complicated.
The Good Habits I Track
Now that you know how to form a habit, how long it takes to form a habit, and what a habit tracker is, I'll dive into the good habits I track.
Reminder, I only actively track the habits that are new or habits I haven't stuck to and need a little reminder to continue. I don't add to my habit tracker things that I already do on a day to day basis and don't need reminders, like drinking plenty of water, journaling, writing my goals, etc.
Good Habits Examples
- Wake up at 5:00 AM
- Meditate for 10 minutes
- Exercise for 30 minutes
- Read for 20 minutes
- Drink 8 glasses of water
- Take vitamins
- Practice gratitude
- Limit social media time
- Sleep by 10:00 PM
How to Form a New Habit
Forming a new habit takes time and consistency. Here are the key steps:
- Start small: Don't try to change everything at once. Pick one habit and focus on it.
- Be consistent: Do the habit at the same time every day.
- Track it: Use a habit tracker to stay accountable.
- Don't break the chain: Try to do your habit every single day.
- Reward yourself: Celebrate when you hit milestones.
Remember, it takes about 21 days to form a habit, but it can take longer depending on the person and the habit. Be patient with yourself and keep going!
