I'm trying to improve my daily habits, especially my exercise habits, and I was wondering what methods or tools you guys use to stay on top of your healthy habits. Do you have any recommendations for habit-forming apps or tools that have worked well for you, especially for motivation, tracking exercise, or breaking unhealthy habits?
I've tried apps for tracking habits, which was great as it freed up Todo lists and Todo apps from lots of daily habit type tasks, however I stopped looking at it after maybe a year or more of useful use. Possibly I added too many things or the daily scan became too boring.
Being on a device is the primary distraction I've been hunting for an offline solution.
Presently I'm using checklist memo boards (cheap plastic things with toggle switches) that are on the walls of different rooms of the house with reminders for that place. So it's in my field of view and I'm reminded in the approximate place I can do something about it. Pieces of paper on surfaces get covered up and forgotten about, but these hang on walls.
Exercise specifically isn't a strong point, but trying to get outside during daylight has been a good motivation for me. Also doing things semi-useful like mundane gardening with an interesting podcast can be really engaging for me as hands and head are both occupied. Useful fidgeting I suppose.
I'm interested in trying an underdesk treadmill, I think that might work for me well.
This seems to work best for me, although I've got a lot of room to grow and improve.
Hey there fellow habit former. I'm taking this post as a sign from God and opening HabitNow again.
Using this Android app (HabitNow) to track habits. To make it less depressing, I added habits that I've already formed, so each evening there is always something that I can 'tick off' as a success.
Had a lot of overtime work and have fallen behind in the past two months. Most of habits dropped. Also now I'm at home, cos of small problems with my back, and even the "free" (as already formed) habits that were a part of morning routine have to be "made". So I'm off to meditate for 10 min, do some easy yoga for 10 min and going to tick off first two habits for today. Thanks again for motivation!
Tracking habits became really fun and I quickly paid $1 for PRO version to be able to track more than 7. Keep up the good work and wish you many long streaks. Ending with a Lex's idol, David Goggins quote: "Each [unsuccess] is just a step towards success." (changed wording in [])
The easiest way to keep a habit is by doing something you enjoy. Of course this can be hard in the case of eating healthy, if you would rather just eat shittier but more delicious food. But for exercise, finding an activity that you enjoy makes it so much easier to stick to it. I used to play rec soccer and enjoyed it so much, and ran multiple miles per game without even thinking about it because I was so immersed in the play.
Now I do a lot of rock climbing which is a full body exercise and some hiking to get to locations, with the added benefit of being outside in beautiful nature.
In short, find things you love doing that align with your health goals.
I have a spreadsheet in that I have all my daily habits and I tick them off as I go. I make sure to include granular and simple habits, like taking my vitamins, drinking a glass of water and washing my face, etc. I also ensure that I keep it granular, so, putting my running clothes on is a separate habit from going for a run!
Then I have it color-coded, so I can see an overview of how many of my habits I am completing daily. It's great, the first time in my life I've been able to take vitamins on a daily basis, and journal every day!
Being on a device is the primary distraction I've been hunting for an offline solution.
Presently I'm using checklist memo boards (cheap plastic things with toggle switches) that are on the walls of different rooms of the house with reminders for that place. So it's in my field of view and I'm reminded in the approximate place I can do something about it. Pieces of paper on surfaces get covered up and forgotten about, but these hang on walls.
Exercise specifically isn't a strong point, but trying to get outside during daylight has been a good motivation for me. Also doing things semi-useful like mundane gardening with an interesting podcast can be really engaging for me as hands and head are both occupied. Useful fidgeting I suppose.
I'm interested in trying an underdesk treadmill, I think that might work for me well.
This seems to work best for me, although I've got a lot of room to grow and improve.