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Home » December Mid-Month Habit Check

December Mid-Month Habit Check

December 17, 2017 4 Comments

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.

What to do when you habit-fail at your habit tracker

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.

December Habit & Mood Tracker goes perfect with A Christmas Story "I can't put my arms down" quote - Vertical layout

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!

December Habit & Mood Tracker goes perfect with A Christmas Story "I can't put my arms down" quote - Vertical layout

Remember to plan your life so you live beautifully.

~Tricia

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YouTube Video UCefWa0NWVt5a_q9LWofOWhw_yIQ4ggBQBsg From the Archives: Fun & Whimsical Bullet Journal Set Up - Ideas and Plants - Loose floral wreaths
Lots of spring-inspired doodles with pastel colors. I changed it up this month with horizontal weekly layouts.


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Video Set-Up:

Photography Lights (I use these for my everyday drawing). They're amazing https://amzn.to/2shdb4j
Canon PowerShot G7x Mark III Digital Camera https://amzn.to/3yt2lb4
Blue Yeti - USB Microphone https://amzn.to/2SNwb6a
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Contains affiliate links - if you use them, I may receive a small commission at no charge to you.
00:00 Introduction
00:12 Sneak Peek
00:33 Welcome Page
01:26 Monthly Calendar
02:42 Brain Dump
03:34 Weeklies
05:35 Journal
06:17 Habit Tracker
06:55 Flip Through
From the Archives: Fun & Whimsical Bullet Journal Set Up - Ideas and Plants - Loose floral wreaths
Lots of spring-inspired doodles with pastel colors. I changed it up this month with horizontal weekly layouts.


____________________

Brain Dump Names: https://chocolatemusings.com/different-names-brain-dump/

Social Links - Let's be Friends!
Website: http://ChocolateMusings.com
Shop: https://chocolatemusings.com/shop/
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChocolateMusings
Instagram: http://Instagram.com/chocolatemusingscreates
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateMusings/

____________________


Products I Used: 
Daniel Smith Watercolor: https://amzn.to/3Ip8xbD
Princeton Velvetouch Paint Brushes: https://amzn.to/42IVnPQ
Archer & Olive A5 Dot Grid Notebook: https://archerandolive.refr.cc/triciam
Helix Circle Maker Tool: https://amzn.to/49kx5xY
Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen: https://amzn.to/42MogKR



Video Set-Up:

Photography Lights (I use these for my everyday drawing). They're amazing https://amzn.to/2shdb4j
Canon PowerShot G7x Mark III Digital Camera https://amzn.to/3yt2lb4
Blue Yeti - USB Microphone https://amzn.to/2SNwb6a
Scissor Arm Mic Stand https://amzn.to/2CcGgm0






Contains affiliate links - if you use them, I may receive a small commission at no charge to you.
00:00 Introduction
00:12 Sneak Peek
00:33 Welcome Page
01:26 Monthly Calendar
02:42 Brain Dump
03:34 Weeklies
05:35 Journal
06:17 Habit Tracker
06:55 Flip Through
From the Archives: Fun & Whimsical Bullet Journal Set Up - Experimenting with Watercolor Leaves in my Bullet Journal. Featuring 2-to-a-spread weeklies and a loosely painted watercolor theme - I hope this planning session inspires you to paint or to try something new.


00:00 Introduction
00:15 Welcome Page Wreath
01:41 Monthly Calendar Page
03:04 Habit Tracker & Monthly To Do Pages
05:47 Gratitude + Week 1
06:35 Weeklies
06:52 Brain Dump
07:15 Journal
07:42 Whoops! Adding a Page
09:06 Final Flip Through


____________________

Social Links - Let's be Friends!
Website: http://ChocolateMusings.com
Shop: https://chocolatemusings.com/shop/
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChocolateMusings
Instagram: http://Instagram.com/chocolatemusingscreates
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateMusings/

____________________


Products I Used: 
Daniel Smith Watercolor: https://amzn.to/3Ip8xbD
Princeton Velvetouch Paint Brushes: https://amzn.to/42IVnPQ
Archer & Olive A5 Dot Grid Notebook: https://archerandolive.refr.cc/triciam
Helix Circle Maker Tool: https://amzn.to/49kx5xY
Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen: https://amzn.to/42MogKR



Video Set-Up:

Photography Lights (I use these for my everyday drawing). They're amazing https://amzn.to/2shdb4j
Canon PowerShot G7x Mark III Digital Camera https://amzn.to/3yt2lb4
Blue Yeti - USB Microphone https://amzn.to/2SNwb6a
Scissor Arm Mic Stand https://amzn.to/2CcGgm0






Contains affiliate links - if you use them, I may receive a small commission at no charge to you.
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Here's another #minimal #weeklylayout idea - use t Here's another #minimal #weeklylayout idea - use these cute day-of-the-week stickers, add the dates, and VIOLA! Your weekly setup is d.o.n.e.⁠ ✔️⁠
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Looking back at this February calendar page 📅 S Looking back at this February calendar page 📅 Sometimes simple is best!
Here's an easy-peasy heart layout. Add some paint Here's an easy-peasy heart layout. Add some paint splatters for extra color and fun!⁠
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4 Comments
Filed Under: Blog, Bullet Journal, Habits, Plan With Me, Plan With Me 2017, Planner Spreads Tagged: #BuJo, Bullet Journal, december, december 2017, dot grid, habit tracker, handlettering, lettering, monthly review, monthly tracker, mood tracker, pretty writing, review, trackers

Comments

  1. Patti says

    December 28, 2017 at 9:06 pm

    I love the term habit-fail!! That’s me every single time I try to track. Every month winds up nearly empty!

    I am optimistic however to try again in Asteria next month!

    Love your tracker wheel it’s amazing!
    Patti recently posted…Planning As A Rye: 2018 SetupMy Profile

    Reply
    • Tricia says

      December 28, 2017 at 9:11 pm

      Your new notebook is gorgeous. And I love that you named her. I’ve been doing so much better on habits. I think habit tracking can be effective even if you are aware you wrote it down and so it lingers in the back of your mind knowing that it’s there. This actually goes back much further than this… I start with putting a habit in my Google calendar as a task. I may or may not do it. But I have a reminder until I decide to actually do it. It takes time, but eventually I just decide to do it so it doesn’t linger undone yet again. I hope that makes sense

      Reply

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About Me


Hi! I'm Tricia, the creative behind ChocolateMusings.com, I know how it feels to lose your inner muse. After years of darkness (which I call the dark ages of my life), I found my inner muse hiding in the forgotten corners of my soul, I vowed never to lose sight of her again.

Bullet journaling helped reignite the passion for art and living life again while organizing my days. I also discovered modern calligraphy and watercolor. Since then, my use of the bullet journal system has evlolved and I call it 'creative planning'. Here on the blog, I show you how to use your planner to ignite your inner muse and explore creativity and art while staying beautifully organized and living a joyful life.

I invite you to grab some good chocolate and dive into my musings. Let’s ignite your inner muse.

Read more on the about me page. You can also find my policies and disclosures here.

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