I started the mid-month habit check a couple of months ago, without thinking it would become a thing, but it was quite by accident. I’ve made a habit of checking up on my habits mid-month. I almost hesitate to call it a habit because me and habits (except the bad ones) don’t get along in the best way. Though I am trying to make friends with them. You know, start with casual conversation and work up to the ‘friends’ thing. I’d like to be friends, but they seem snobbish. Did I just seriously go there? I guess it’s a good analogy.
Here’s the video of putting together the Habit Tracker for the month:
November’s Result
Soooooo… You might be wondering what happened last month (and if you sneak down to the mid-month check… you might wonder about this month too!) I wonder what happened too. But the thing that I have learned when I fall off the wagon per se, I have to hop back on as though nothing happened. I recently read a book (ok, I listened) on habits – “Better Than Before” (the link is below) in keeping with my “Things to Work on” goal list – to read or listen to more books. So I requested it again. There were so many good things she talked about, but she did say that if you take a break from habits, it is generally harder to keep with it again. If you need a break, define the break and then start-up again like you never stopped. So I was just on a break with my November tracking.
November Habit Tracker: We Were on a Break!
After listening to those words, they really resounded with me. How many times have I tried to lose weight or tried to start exercising or all the things that we intend to do, but stop? It is so much harder the next time! I am just telling myself that ‘we were on a break’ and that I never really stopped, I will just resume where I was before and keep going. I’ll have to report back next month to see how that goes.
Summertime and holiday time are the hardest times for consistancy – because life is anything but consistent during those times. I probably should have taken that into consideration when I created this month’s habit tracker and scaled it down a bit. So here’s the habit check for the month – I kept the same habits from the last couple of months and added a couple of extras.
December Mid-Month Habit Check:
The results as of the 15th of December: I must still be on a break. If I get up earlier, I tend to get things done in the morning and don’t procrastinate doing them and just not get them done at all because I don’t feel like it in the evening. So I have learned, if I have a lot of tasks to do, I need to get up early and get them done. I told my husband that I wanted to be in bed at 11 – and he has reminded me a couple of times to wrap things up at night so I can mark it on my tracker. I appreciate him knowing me so well.
Overall, I am not too concerned with the {lack of} this habit tracker, giving myself a set break and a date to return in full-force is comforting to me.
Mood Tracker Ratings
Moods are on a scale from 1-5 – partly because I didn’t have colors on hand, partly because I filled up the page and didn’t leave room for a key so I decided to do the tracker in black and gray, but with a little pattern filling up the boxes. Attaching a little key to the outside of the sheet with washi tape is another way to extend your page if you run out of space. I may try that next time.
How I Use My Habit Tracker:
One way is to actively track the habits I am trying to form. I always try to turn it into something positive. ‘No spend’ is a money management tool and not a ‘don’t do that’. The other way that I use my habit tracker is an assessment tool. I’ll include habits that I have not yet decided to change or that I am thinking of changing, but I need to get a realistic idea of where I actually stand. I could be a lot worse or perhaps a lot better than where I was before. This method also makes my habit tracker less intimidating. It provides an interesting mix. I don’t indicate which, I just kind of know in my own head but it has helped me actually use the tracker.
Yes, I realize that I spelled ‘horrible’ wrong. I discovered it after I took the picture. But It just kind of adds to how ‘horrible’ the day would have been. There are certain mistakes that you just have to shrug and move on. I just hope the internet doesn’t scold me too much for a simple mistake. If it does, it must be having a ‘horible’ day too.
How I track moods:
It wasn’t until recently that I started tracking moods. I could never classify one mood per day. Some days were like a rollercoaster ride and all over the place. To track moods, I knew I needed to break the days into sections of time or regular events, so I track by Before Work, Work, After Work, Dinner, After Dinner, and Sleep Categories and I rate by the time of the day. Sleep isn’t really a mood, but it’s nice to know how well I felt I slept.
Question for you:
I am curious for those who track just one or two moods per day how you classify your moods. I can have a crappy day at work, but be fine at home. Let me know if you track your moods and how in the comments below. I’d love to know! If you have an Instagram post or a Pinterest pin or a blog post – feel free to leave a link to your habit tracker/mood tracker. I’d love to do a feature post!
Remember to plan your life so you live beautifully.
~Tricia
