7 Reasons to Start Tracking Your Habits

It is a well-known theory that a new habit is developed when it is being practiced for 21 days consistently. But how often do we practice a habit consistently? Are you the one struggling with consistently practicing a habit too?

Tracking your habit is the solution to your problems! Let's see why is it so important to track your habits.

Researchers have concluded that visual stimulus has more impact on our minds than auditory stimulus. Viewing our habits enables us to discover the patterns. We might realize that when we wake up early, we finish our daily chores more quickly and efficiently. Such minor details are more likely to be overlooked when they are not in front of us in visual form.

Sometimes we're unaware of the fact that we are spending a big chunk of our day getting engaged in unhealthy activities that have now become our habits. Tracking down our daily habits makes us aware of the unhealthy patterns we've been following unconsciously. With that awareness, we're more likely to be vigilant for our actions and choose our activities mindfully.

With habit tracking, we tend to spend our time on things that matter such as our health, diet, relationships, mental health, etc. Since everything is visual now, it's easier to put things into perspective and see where are we lacking and where do we need improvement. People who track their habits take conscious diets, try to break down unhealthy addictions such as smoking addiction or social media addiction, and be observant of habits that are negatively influencing their mental or physical health. Consequently, leading to a healthy, happy, and positive life.

Little things make big impacts. Today, it might seem insignificant if we spend an extra 10 minutes studying. But on our test day, those extra 10 minutes for consecutive 30 days may leave a drastic impact on our score. Tracking our habits allows us to appreciate and reward ourselves for the milestones we have achieved. According to B.F Skinner, the behaviors that are praised, acknowledged and reinforced have a greater probability to be strengthened and repeated in the future.

Mistakes are inevitable. Life is all about trial and error. Before reaching the final destination, we might slip off a hundred times. Habit tracking helps in identifying our mistakes and allows us to know why exactly did we slip off in the first place? Why did we make that certain mistake? What triggered it? How can we prevent it in the future? Habit tracking makes us more strategic in our approach and makes sure we never miss twice.

Habit tracking is not only about tracking the habits, but also about keeping our lives on track by accepting the responsibility of our actions. It helps in developing an internal locus of control. This is a concept given by Julian Rotter who suggests that people with a high internal locus of control believe that they are responsible for everything that happens in their life. When we start to feel responsible for our actions, we are more likely to develop habits that are useful for us in the longer run.

We often have this complaint from our past self that I could have done better, I didn't give my best, I wish I did things differently. Well, now is the time to do something our future self will be proud of. Now is the time to do things differently.


Taking time for tracking our habits can help us stay focused, enhance our awareness, and give us the productivity boost that our future self will thank us for. Work on the habits consistently and show up every day; the results will follow.