Need some re-motivation in the middle of the month? Do a Mid-Month Habit Check.
I started doing a mid-month habit check a couple of months ago. The beginning of the month I am completely motivated and know that I am going to conquer all of my desires and do all the things. Well, that’s what I intended to do anyway. By the middle of the month, it seems that I have lost steam and I need a boost of motivation.
So the middle of the month, I do a quick assessment of my habits which re-motivates me to keep going to the end of the month. I find this 5-minute assessment does wonders for reigniting the flame that I felt at the beginning of the month.
Questions to ask yourself for re-motivation:
Once I reassess where I am, I spend a couple of minutes thinking of what motivated me in the first place.
I ask:
- Why did I start this habit?
- What is the end goal?
- Do I need to change the time of day for this habit?
A little meditation goes a long way.
Make a Change & Get It Done:
If I find a neglected habit, it probably means that I am not planning for it or I am letting other ‘fluff’ get in the way – things that don’t really matter occupy the time that I would spend on that habit. So I need to refocus and eliminate some of that fluff. If I need to move the habit to the beginning of the day, I do it.
For instance, the I’ve neglected the Show Me Your Letters habit this month. Last month, I missed maybe one day. This month so far, I’ve missed 7 of 17.
Supercharge your habits:
If you notice at the end of this tracker, I have numbers and a blank column on the right side. Th blank column is for the end of the month and I will calculate the percentage of days that I completed that habit. The other column that already has numbers recorded shows how many days of the month I completed the last month. For instance, the show me your letters had 23 days of September that I completed that habit. If I put it as a priority for the rest of the month, I could still meet or beat that number from last month.
I created a post a couple of months ago to “Super-Charge Your Habit Tracker” that talks more about these columns in the habit tracker. You can read it here.
I created a percentage chart so you don’t have to figure it out. Pin for reference later! In October, you would use the 31 days column to figure your percentages. At the end of the month, count the number of days you completed a habit. For instance – if your total days completing a habit was 21, and the month had 31 days, your percentage would be 68%.
For instance – if your total days completing a habit was 21, and the month had 31 days, your percentage would be 68%.
Calculating the percentage helps me really see if I need to change the time of day for that habit if I need to move it to the morning or evening. I love seeing the real numbers so I can give that habit a ‘grade’.
Two Categories of Habits:
I actually have two categories of habits that I track. It’s not indicated anywhere except in my mind.
- Habits I am actively trying to pursue, and usually the ones I spend the most time on.
- Habits I am assessing – these are ‘test subjects’ if you will – things I want to include in my life and are important, I just may not have set goals for them yet. These will most likely become the next set of habits I am actively trying to pursue. Maybe they need a little tweaking, or I need to plan them into my day. It’s like they are getting a trial run on my habit tracker.
Doing a mid-month habit check has been a great ‘habit’ to start, and it gives that extra boost of motivation for the last half of the month.
**Do you do anything during the month to re-motivate yourself? I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas in the comments below.
![This month’s creative challenge is all about flower names! Use these everyday floral names to expand your creativity throughout this month. Check out the challenge list below, and if you’re having trouble with creative ideas, keep reading. I have lots of ideas to share. Handlettering these words is fun if that’s what you always do. […] The post Creative Challenge: Flower Names appeared first on Chocolate Musings.](https://i0.wp.com/i.pinimg.com/564x/12/65/81/1265815e2ef10a0fd4505524fb3f0eeb.jpg?ssl=1)
Great idea to assess percentages. I need to do this… I’m trying to build a few good habits (i.e. drink more water) but I’ve been lacking motivation and accountability.
Thanks for sharing.
xoxo
Jennifer Bly recently posted…5 Things Moms Need to Do More Often
Hi Jennifer,
I didn’t start out habit tracking – and the few times I tried – most of the page was blank. It only became a regular thing for me because I put it in my Google Calendar as a reminder every day. Most days I would dismiss it. But then one day, I decided to do it, once I decided, I just kept doing. One day it’ll come for you if you keep reminding yourself that you want to do it.
I love this idea! I am going to start my habit tracker next month, cause my brain can’t calibrate staring it in the middle. I do the same thing though, at the start of the month, and even the week, I am so motivated to stay on track and then by the mid point I start losing steam. I’ve never seen percentage calculated, I’m totally stealing that!
That’s so good to hear. I love seeing percentages and comparisons. Helps with that extra little month-to-month self-competition . Glad you like. Steal away.