Habit trackers can be a useful tool to help you to cultivate new habits or even break bad habits. A lot of habit trackers are linked to bullet journaling. This is where I first discovered what habit trackers were and now, I use them to improve my daily life.
A habit is settled or regular practice. Habits will be different to each individual and will depend on what they are trying to achieve. There are plenty of theories you can find online about how long it takes to form a good habit or break a bad habit. So, there are plenty of methods you can try. Using a habit tracker works as a physical reminder which can be extremely beneficial for some.
It is important to set yourself regular habits in order to help you reach your goal. Habits are behaviours you can achieve easily to improve your confidence and success when tackling your goals. In addition, habits can have a positive impact on all areas of your life and can help you grow and develop.
What are habit trackers?
Habit trackers are exactly as they sound; they are trackers of your daily and weekly habits. It is a simple way to measure whether you have completed a habit. It is a process that helps you to hold yourself accountable. There are many ways that you can design a habit tracker to fit your needs.
Why should you track your habits?
Tracking your habits is an ideal way to feel more confident and more in control of your day-to-day tasks. When you track your habits on a daily basis, it gives you a sense of accomplishment. It can be really helpful to start and repeat new habits. Having this visual and the art of checking off a habit enable me to not only feel productive but motivates me to complete more of my habits.
What are the benefits of tracking?
- Gives you a sense of instant achievement
- Motivates you to fulfil the tasks
- Acts as reminder to complete the habits
- Helps to build a routine and structure
- They hold you accountable
- You learn more about yourself
- Gives you a log of all previous times, so you can reflect if needed
Types of habit trackers
There are 3 types of habit trackers that you can use to manage your tasks. You can use daily habit trackers, weekly or monthly trackers. What you choose a daily, weekly or monthly habit can be tailored to your needs and life goals. I usually use a daily habit tracker, but I will be starting a weekly habit tracker for cleaning and household chores.
Daily habits you can track:
- Medication
- Skincare (AM/PM)
- X numbers of steps each day
- Hair wash days
- Made your bed
- Watered plants
- Tidy up your space
- Journaled/Morning pages
- Reading pages
- Vitamins
- Sleep X amount of hours a night
- No takeaways
- No fizzy drink
- Drink X amount of water a day
- Gym visits
- Shower/baths had a day
Weekly habits you can track:
- Hoover your space
- Take out rubbish/recycling
- Cleaning
- Water plants
- Tidy up your space
- Change your bed sheets
- Weekly declutter
- File paper work
- Washing
- Clean car
- Email declutter
- Meal prep
Monthly habits you can track:
- Pay bills
- Money into savings
- Review your finances
- Manage your subscriptions
- Family time
- Date nights
- Family outings
- Studied X amount of hours
- Sex – can be helpful for couples wanting to conceive
- Your period
- Work on a hobby
- Your monthly spending
Check out this list of 86 things you can track in your bullet journal for more ideas to stay organised and productive with your time.
How can I create a habit tracker?
There are a variety of different layouts you can choose from when it comes to displaying your tracker. I have used a variety of layouts depending on my theme for the monthly spread. You can have it as simple as a list in a notebook or your bullet journal. However, if you want to use more colourful and creative designs that is okay too! It is about what is going to help you to be successful in finishing your habits.
If you do not have time to design your own or you have a different style of planner you can try habit tracker printable inserts. I have some habit tracker inserts in my a5 rings planner and love how quick and easy they are to set up and start using.
Here are some different ways you can design a habit tracker in your bullet journal:
This is a habit tracker printable insert that you can either put into a ring planner or stick into your bullet journal or notebook. Habit trackers like these can save you a lot of time designing one yourself, but also can have a minimalistic look if that is what you prefer in your planner or bullet journal.
I use these habit tracker inserts from Planit Papers on Etsy in my A5 ring planner, this tracker is what I use for my blog and soon to be studying habits. If you like the look of these, you can use code LAUREN for 15% off their planner inserts.
This is a style I used in my 2020 bullet journal for the month of May. As it was May I did a bumble bee theme for that month. If you do themes in your bullet journal you can also mirror that theme in your habit trackers.
I love how this turned out, but because of the design I chose to just focus on a few habits this month, as this could not only be time consuming but take up more than a couple of pages. Maybe next time I could reduce the size of each hexagon.
This layout I LOVED because it gives me a bit more space having a double page spread in my bullet journal. You can use a variety of ways to check off each habit including X, • or //. You can also use different colours to make your spread more colourful.
Using a vertical spread can like I said before give you more space, especially if you want to do monthly trackers that may mean a bigger list of habits, so a vertical spread may work better.
This is a style of bullet journal I tried out for the month of February in my bullet journal back in 2020.
Writing out each of the monthly dates can be a bit time consuming, but I do like the symmetry of this layout though. Luckily I have tried different layouts and developed my bullet journal skills, I think!
You can do so many other layouts too, when I first started bullet journaling I used to design a table which I could check off using different colours and designs in each square. Each month you can trial different ideas to find what you like best to record your habits.
Do you use a habit tracker? What design do you like best? I’d love to hear in the comments.
I still use my yearly mood tracker, where I colour in to my mood. Just a grid type one. I am forgetting to do at times this year, though.
I haven’t thought of a yearly one before!
I loce using habit trackers in my journals and notebooks. Currently I’m using smiley face designs as a mood tracker.
*love
Love these trackers!!
Thank you!
Keeping a habit tracker is so helpful! I like to create the horizontal table ones as I’ve always done it that way and it works for me. If it works then I’m not going to change it.. ♡ Great post!
I’m starting to fall in love with bullet journaling more and more. The more posts like this I see, the more I want to take it up. Developing healthier habits is certainly something I’m working on this but why not make it fun and colourful, right? Thanks so much for your post.
Exactly, colourful is great! I am really enjoying using my bullet journal! X
I love my habit tracker, mine is a grid and it really is motivating. It makes me want to do something if only so I fill in the square for the day!
I find them motivating too! Thank you for reading and commenting! X
I’ve never used a habit tracker before, TBH I didn’t even know they were a thing! That’s interesting about all the different layouts though, Lauren. I’d love to see an update on this post in due course as to which worked best for you and why! xx
Yeah I will be doing that and an updated bullet journal blog post too. Thank you for reading and commenting Lisa xxx
While I don’t have a habit tracker in my bullet journal, I realized I technically do track some habits! I have this app on my phone to keep track of it. The only thing I have tracked in my bullet journal is all the days I’ve exercised throughout the year. I have one spread that is divided by month and by day! It’s something that excites me to put a lil dot next to the day, while the same cannot be true about other things I keep track of on my phone! Great post xxx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
That’s great you have found a system that works for you xxx
My habit tracker is a bit different in the fact that it is for daily/weekly house chores. I found that if I assign a different chore for a different day, then I am only spending 30 minutes(usually less) everyday doing housework/chores and the rest of the day is mine to do as I please. I use little check off boxes for each day and how many weeks in the month.
That’s a great idea! Thank you for sharing x
Your handwriting is absolutely gorgeous on your habit tracker. I agree with the sense of achievement, I always feel much better when I can see that I’ve achieved something x
Aww thank you lovely! That’s very sweet of you! Thank you for reading and commenting! X
I’m so bad at keeping any kind of tracker if I have to fill it in every day! The only thing I’m tracking at the moment is the books I’m reading…!
That’s still a great idea to use a tracker for! Thank you for sharing x
I’ve been wanting to try a bullet journal, and do habit tracking for ages! I think it’s time I bit the bullet and just bought one, I really like how you’ve designed yours xo
Makeup Muddle
Definitely. The one I am currently using is a stationery island one on amazon it was only £8.99 xx
Such a greta post. I myself need to start my own habit tracker and your layout is so pretty! x 💞
Thanks so much! Can you link your blog x
This is such a good idea! I’ve been seeing habit tracker ideas floating about Pinterest and haven’t started one myself yet, but this honestly really motivated me! I definitely need one for takeaways, haha.
Soph – https://girlvsworldblog.com x
They motivate me! I did that’s why I added it to mine haha! X
I use a bullet journal method and find it increased my productivity ten fold
Definitely helps me too x
I love habit trackers! It keeps you accountable and is a great motivating factor, especially when you get the satisfaction of looking at a completed chart. I love the different designs you have shared! Big plus that you made them yourself. Thanks for sharing!
Nancy
Thank you for reading Nancy! They definitely motivate me! X
This is great! I literally just started the 21/90 day rule yesterday and I think habit tracking is a good route to take on building those habits. Loved this post xx
By the way my blog is :
https://euniqueblogs.wixsite.com/blog/blogpage
Forgot to share it last time you asked. Hope you enjoy reading xx
This post is very informative. May I ask, when you use the titles for Instagram and Pinterest, do you mean working on them daily?
Oh yes I find habit trackers most useful. Currently I use the layout similar to pic #3 to track my periods, the small tweaks on my website and my morning runs. I wish I could make them look prettier but I don’t have the skill.
You don’t need to make them pretty as long as they are functional 😊 stickers are an easy way to create fun colourful spreads x
Informative blog post Lauren thank you for it.
Kylie xox
You are welcome! Thank you for reading and commenting!
You are so welcome
I love a habit tracker! There’s something so satisfying about ticking off each day and seeing your progress! These are some great layouts, the calendar ones especially are my favourites but the only thing that puts me off is how time consuming they’d be! 😂 Thanks for sharing x
They can take a bit but once you get into the groove they are fast, plus it’s just once a month you have to set them up, so it’s not too bad x
I really think it is so important to have a habit tracker, it helps me stay up to date with everything!
Love, Amie ❤
The Curvaceous Vegan
That’s great! X
I need to start doing this with my blog and drinking water. Especially drinking water. I need to get into the habit of drinking water every day because I know it’s good for the body. Great post.
This tracker would be helpful and motivating to track that x
They are really motivating! You should give it a go! X
That’s great! I hope they help you! Xxx
This has got me wanting to pick up my bullet journal again! Thank you! I also really need to keep track of my habits to it feels like more of an achievement, thank you!
Why not give it a go!
I used a habit tracker for a while, but I just found I would always forget – making the tracker itself a habit I struggled to keep up with! Love the idea of them, might try one again for February with this inspiration 🙂
Thank you for reading and commenting! Yeah definitely give it a go! Can you send me the link to your latest post so I can have a read? X
Of course – here is my latest post 🙂
https://selfcaresloth.wordpress.com/2020/01/27/how-to-and-why-you-should-live-more-cat/
I have never heard of a habit tracker before. This was so fun to read and learn about. Thanks so much for sharing!
You are welcome and thank you for reading and commenting! X
I had never heard of habit trackers before, they honestly are so smart!! I think it’s a brilliant idea to use them for goals, too. Isn’t it the most satisfying thing to cross or check something off?? Thank you for the inspiration, I’ll have to try doing them!
Emily | http://www.thatweirdgirllife.com
It is definitely very satisfying to be able to tick off something when you have achieved it. I hope you have fun using them!
I think it is a great idea to track habits and goals, for all the reasons you listed above. It definitely brings a higher sense of self awareness and can be motivating. Habits are difficult to break but I can see how keeping track of your progress would assist in staying accountable. Less likely to stray. I love the different layouts you have shared!
Thank you for reading and commenting!
That’s great you have found something that works for you!
Definitely interested to know which layout you decide on after your trials. 😊
Thank you! I will be updating it
Oh wow I reallllyyy needed this, I have been looking to work on my habits and get into bullet journaling in 2021. Definitely excited to get started now.
I have lots of posts on bullet journalling if you need them. How to set one up etc. I hope you enjoy bullet journalling in the new year.