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Why track habits?
For me, tracking my habits is a way I can ensure I’m taking care of myself. As a mom of 5 young children, it would be easy for me to let myself go. Everyone needs something all the time. I’ve learned (the hard way, mind you) that if I’m not taking care of myself, everyone suffers. Self care for overwhelmed, busy parents can be tricky. It isn’t necessarily indulgence or pampering. While indulgence and pampering are absolutely appropriate for special occasions (yes I want chocolate, gifts, and a bubble bath on my birthday), our day-in-day-out self-care has to be rooted in wellness. I meal wellness like eating real food, moving our bodies, dealing with stress, getting enough sleep, and connecting with friends.
I love a good checklist. And I need accountability. Using a habit tracker helps me pay a bit more attention to how I’m doing. It’s not about performance or perfection. I have no goal of checking every box on my habit tracker every day. I use it to see patterns in my habits. I use it to remind myself to take care of myself so I can be my best self for my family.
Why habits are more important than goals
Honestly, our daily habits are what make up most of our lives. I believe that tracking habits is even more important than setting goals. We can have a big goal, but it is the little things we do every single day that will allow us to meet that goal.
So, give it a try. I invite you to download my free habit tracker printable, and let me know how it goes.
Ideas for habit tracking
Not sure where to start? Here are some ideas of habits you might want to try tracking.
- healthy eating habits
- water consumption
- sleep habits
- exercise
- moods
- taking your vitamins/supplements
- reading
- journaling
- prayer/meditation
- work habits
- social media habits
- time with your kids
- time with your spouse
- decluttering/organization/cleaning