Today I started using a habit tracker
Tags: habits, goals, productivity
Published: 2019-12-07 16:42:10


I have allowed some bad habits to form which are affecting my effectiveness and productivity. One of my costly time wastes is opening my phone for a task which is okay for work - reading an important email, answering a text from my girlfriend or family member - and then proceeding to unconsciously open the "reddit is fun" app. Before I know it, I've spent 30 minutes to an hour to cats and programmer jokes.  *sigh*

Recently, I listened to an audiobook [Atomic Habits](https://www.audible.com/pd/Atomic-Habits-Audiobook/1524779261) by [James Clear](https://jamesclear.com/habit-tracker) and have decided to design some habits instead of setting new goals. The writer says that this is the best way to improve and setting a habit that helps facilitate a goal is more effective than simply setting a goal. It's read in a fun way with motivational stories and examples. Let's get into it, I am fired up and ready to start making some improvements! 

Here's the idea: to start a habit I need to make it...
1. Obvious
1. Attractive
1. Easy 
1. Satisfying

... and to stop a habit make it...
1. Hidden
1. Unattractive
1. Difficult
1. Unsatisfying

## So here's my short list for now:

### Wanted habits:
- Side hustle project work (coding 30 minutes per day) -
Although this one seems like a difficult habit to start, I am already on track so I just need to maintain it.
- Get up at 5 am every day even when I am working from home 
- Work out every day (not just when I feel like it)
- Writing content for dev.to and my personal site

### Unwanted habits:
- Browsing reddit at work when I use my phone
- Staying up too late
- Hitting the snooze button
- Staying up late in bed watching videos

I am going to use some strategies from the book here to help me. 

# Starting a habit:
## Habit pairing and chaining: Easy habits can help facilitate harder habits if they lead into each other. 
In my case, I have a hard time going to bed when it's time, so I have set a habit that I already do to help lead to this result.

1. **Useful Habit:** drink some water, brush my teeth, and then floss at 9PM. 
  - The important part for me on this habit is brushing my teeth right at 9. 
  - This will help me to also get to bed before 9:30 PM since I most often lie down for the night after I brush my teeth already. 

1. **Useful Habit:** get in bed before 9:30 PM
  - Now I have set myself up for success to wake up at 5 AM since I will likely have gotten 7-7.5 hours of sleep at that point. 

1. **Useful Habit:** wake up at 5 AM everyday

  - Once in bed, I can read until 10 if I choose to. A friend suggested this as a way to wind down for the night. Thanks Michael.


# Getting rid of a habit:
## What about that pesky reddit browsing problem?
**Useless Habit #1:** Browsing reddit on my phone mindlessly. 
To remove the autopilot reaction, I have moved my reddit app off my home screen so I can't click it so easily. I want to disrupt the behavior by making it a bit less convenient so I have to think about it. 
If this doesn't work, I have to go stand outside to browse reddit. I have used this one before to quit vaping and it worked well for me. It's a subtle reminder that what I am doing is something that I should be doing less, or not at all.

# Seriously, make these easy and start slow
The book says this many times in different ways. Start with just one or a few habits that you want to build, and then get those going before taking on new things. The book calls habits compound interest and reminds the reader that a 1% improvement per day is over 300% improvement by the end of the year. I have created 4 habits, but two of them will work together synergistically. For me, this counts as two habits total: one I want to start, and one I want to stop. 

# How to track this?
- [Clear Habit Journal](https://www.baronfig.com/products/clear-habit-journal) - James Clear's habit tracker journal with his design. 
- [Loop - Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.isoron.uhabits&hl=en_US) - This is what I am using now.
- [Do It Now - Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.levor.liferpgtasks&hl=en_US) - An RPG like tracker but for real life with xp!
- [Habit-Bull - iOS](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/habit-bull-daily-goal-tracker/id1041482672) - This one looks great! But it's for IOS so I haven't tried it. 

Check out [The Ultimate Habit Tracker Guide: Why and How to Track Your Habits](https://jamesclear.com/habit-tracker) on the author's website if you want to learn more before buying the audiobook. 

Thanks for reading! 

Nick Trierweiler
[kicksent.dev](kicksent.dev)