Let’s talk about goals and the best ways to achieve them! I’ve learned over the years that in order to accomplish even the smallest of objectives, you must jot them down daily in order to stay accountable and monitor both progress and procrastination. One way I’m doing this is by creating a monthly habit tracker!
I first learned about this helpful method on Pinterest. The habit tracker tool is a smart way to truly see the big picture of how you are living your life every 30 days. You can customize this tracker however you wish! I’m using this tool to stay on top of my drinking habits, going out expenses, workout routines, sleep, and also my emotions. A habit tracker is essentially a to-do list of all the habits you are trying to set for yourself (or trying to break!). You are probably now wondering how to create one. Simple directions below.
Things you’ll need:
I basically start by writing the month at the top of the notepad, followed by the dates the month has. To the left I start to list the habits I want to set for myself. The list can be as long as you want it to be and can change on a monthly basis. See an example below. You can also print one out, there are tons of printable habit trackers on pinterest or Etsy.
Directions to create your own Habit Tracker using graph paper:
- On your graph paper, draw a grid. The grid should be as many spaces across as there are days in the month and as many spaces down as habits you’d like to accomplish during that month.
- Write in the month and the days across the top row.
- List out the habits you want to develop down the first column.
- On the days you fulfill the task, you’ll check the box or mark an X, or you can also just fill in the box with a highlighter.
I just recently hopped on this habit tracker trend, but it’s already been a helpful way to truly understand how I’m living my life. Meeting monthly goals is the best way to eventually adopt healthy habits. For example, I consumed alcohol 12 days out of this month so far — not bad, but I’d like to cut this to possibly under 10 and eventually keep it under five. The proper way to establish a new habit in your life is to start small and increase the load in tiny increments. That way, you’re able to create new routines without overwhelming your current daily schedule.
It is also important to fill out your monthly tracker daily, so this is a habit you also need to teach your mind to get used to. I try to fill mine out at the same time every 24 hours (usually after dinner) and before disconnecting from social media for the day. Breaking old habits takes time. So don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t see results immediately. If you see you had a slip-up, take that opportunity to explore what led to that decision and triggered that old habit to sneak back into your life. This can lead to a better understanding of yourself and your behaviors, all while shining light on areas that lack self-control. From there, the willingness to make positive changes will come.
I hope this idea helps you attain some of your 2021 goals! I plan to share my monthly progress on IG stories, so make sure you follow me there. I’d love to hear how you keep track of your own goals, guys! For more tips on boosting productivity, you can visit our wellness section.
