This year, instead of setting huge goals for myself, I came up with some habits I wanted to instill that are in line with my word for 2018 — JOY. None of these action items are brand new to my life, but the difference is that now I’m holding myself accountable.
I’ve been using an app called Productive to track my daily habits, which has been hugely motivating so far! The app sends notifications when a habit is overdue (you can set them for specific times of day, like morning or evening), has a calendar that shows whether or not all habits were done each day, and gives you stats like total perfect days, current streak, total habits done, etc. And each time I complete a habit, swiping right on it and hearing the little celebratory sound is extremely satisfying.
So by now you’re probably wondering what my habits actually are, and let me preface this by telling you that they aren’t super exciting or groundbreaking. But they ARE helping to bring more JOY to my life, even in just the short 2 weeks I’ve been doing them. They are:
- Write in my gratitude journal first thing every morning
- Drink green juice every day
- Take my probiotic every day
- Exercise every day (gym, yoga class, or video at home)
- Write in my gratitude journal before I go to bed
And that’s seriously it! Simple, but powerful. I specifically chose to focus on body and spirit instead of work, because honestly, the work comes more naturally and without as much effort as the other two. And since I’m not attaching these habits to any big goals like weight loss or project completion, they don’t feel overwhelming.
I just feel GOOD, better than I have felt in a long time. These habits have led me to eat healthier, be more mindful about my thoughts and attitude throughout the day, and practice gratitude in all areas of my life.
The coolest part of this experiment is how EASY it has been. Who knew that tracking habits with an app could be so effective? I’m at the point where I want to add some additional habits for more of a challenge. What are your favorite daily habits?
I will have to check out Productive! Been working hard any way I can to make sure my productiveness doesn’t slow down. In the past, I have used an app called HabitRPG. It goes about presenting building habits and checking off to-dos like a game.
That sounds like a cool app, too! I will check it out — thanks, Blake!