Habit trackers are a great way to save space in your planner instead of having to waste list making space re-writing the same tasks multiple times per week, or using a ton of planner stickers to remind you to do those tasks.
There are a couple of ways you can set up your habit tracker:
- Rule up your own spread (grid paper is ideal for this)
- Incorporate habit tracking into your weekly spread (I did this in week 8 of the 52 Planners in 52 Weeks challenge)
- Combine a habit tracker on the same page as your to do lists like I did with this printable
- Use this project workflow template and print at A3 page size and have it laminated or frame it and use a whiteboard marker to plan and mark things off
- Use a sidebar sticker in the weekly spread such as these social media routine stickers and these healthy habit stickers
- 15 habit tracker tips & ideas to try
- If you don’t want to have to keep ruling it up every month or week, use a printable such as this one that’s in the free printables library 🙂
There are numerous things you can track in your habit tracker. You don’t need to track everything but it is ideal to record those little things that you’re prone to forgetting when your’re trying to form a habit. For example, I’m really bad at remembering to do a mud mask on my face a couple of times per week for my acne – unless I add it to my habit tracker I forget to do it.
Using a weekly versus monthly habit tracker
I personally prefer to use both. I add the monthly tasks to the sidebar section of whatever calendar I’m using the month (I’m trying 52 different planners this year – 1 for each week and am doing the same thing with monthly calendar layouts – click here if you’d like to following along with the challenge!)
Last month I set up the the monthly notes page with weekly habit tracking using these social media routine stickers
Click here if you want to learn how to make your own planner stickers.
For weekly habit tracking I use a combination of a sticker or section within the weekly spread, or using a separate page entirely, like I did for week 1 of the 52 planners in 52 weeks challenge.
Related: Week 1: Using a daily habit/routine tracker to plan your week
Routine trackers can be used not only for daily tasks, but also those that occur every couple of days (for me that’s tracking hair washing nights).
For weekly habit tracking I’ve used a variety of methods:
- A sticker in the sidebar
- Tiny icon stickers e.g. Pinterest icon to remind me to pin to Pinterest
- Sticky note/s I moved from week to week
Annual habit trackers (i.e. months) are ideal for bill paying, seasonal or quarterly tasks such as changing air-conditioner and less regular occurrences but still important such as going to the dentist.
Here are some things to track in your habit tracker (you obviously don’t have to track all of them!)
PERSONAL
- Didn’t hit the snooze button
- Went to bed on time / by a certain time
- Got your target number hours of sleep
- Read a book
- Had some me time / fun time
- Didn’t watch TV
- No spend
- Hair washing nights
- Nights you need to do a mud mask for your face
- Died your hair / did a roots touchup / got a haircut
- Electronics off 30 minutes before bed
- Yoga / stretching
- Backup phone files e.g. photos
- Less than 1 hour on social media – using a tool like Rescue time can help you track this
- Call your parents
- Fill out gratitude log
- Left work on time
- Bill paying
- Transferred money into savings account
Related: 12 Planner Layout Ideas for Monthly Habit Tracking in Your Bullet Journal
HEALTH
- Ate 5 vegetables
- Ate 2 fruit
- Exercised
- Drank 8 glasses of water
- Calorie intake below target or on par
- No soda, junk food, coffee, alcohol, takeout etc.
- Medication and/or vitamins intake
- Your period
- Flossed your teeth
- No snacking
- Last time you changed your toothbrush head
- Replaced makeup (since your only supposed to keep them for a certain number of months – keep track of when you opened them)
Related: 50 Category ideas for color coding your planner
Rainbow habit tracker printable
Related: Week 39: Weekly Planning using Studio Stationery notepad
Related: Week 33: Colorful Bullet Journal Inspired Weekly Spread
SOCIAL MEDIA
- Posted on Instagram
- Pinned on Pinterest
- Posted in your Facebook group or on your Facebook page
- Posted in Facebook Groups
- Facebook Live
- Snapchat
- Sent an email to your subscribers
- Posted on any other social media platform you use
Related: 130+ ways to fill an empty notebook or blank pages of your planner of bullet journal
Related: Week 32: Using an undated Officeworks A4 Horizontal Planner
Related: Week 15: Trying a freehand weekly planner inspired by bullet journalling
Related: Week 44: Planning the week using stamps (MAMBI, Carpe Diem & Creative Devotion)
CLEANING
- Vacuum
- Sweep
- Mop floors
- Quick tidy
- Draino the sink
- Dishwasher (and run a dishwasher clean)
- Deep clean (this one is ideal for monthly habit trackers)
- Wash sheets
- Wash towels
- Clean things often forgotten e.g. wipe down kitchen cupboards, clean the oven, baseboards, blinds, ceiling fans etc.
- Glasses / lenses / retainer
Related: Week 35: Planning with a functional minimalist DIY weekly planner printable
BLOGGING
- Blog post workflow
- Posted a blog post
- Checked blog statistics
- Content planning
- Drafted blog post/s
- Made images for blog posts
- Editing and proof-reading
- Guest posted
- Commented on other blogs
- Ran a giveaway
- Backed up the blog
Related: Week 1: Using a daily habit/routine tracker to plan your week
BUSINESS
- Backed up the blog
- Updated income and expenses
- Bill paying
- Backed up computer files
- Tidied workspace
- Updated book – keeping spreadsheets
- Took photos / scanned receipts
- Reviewed your goals for the week / month
- Responded to emails
- Reached out to other brands to collaborate
- Tracking progress of when you worked on a product
Related: How to color code your planner so you actually use it effectively
KIDS
- Treats e.g. last time they ate junk food
- Naughty behaviour
- Illness
- Potty training
- Days your kids ate all their fruit and vegetables
- Hair washing nights
- Days you tried to teach them to swallow tablets
- Did their homework
- Practiced how to do something e.g. sports practice, musical instrument, a skill you want them to learn
- Chores so you know how much allowance to pay them
- If divorced / separated – the days you have the kids and days your partner has the kids
- Number of hours your baby slept
- Breast-feeding log (you could use a habit tracker by the hour instead of day)
RANDOM
- Studies/learned a new skill
- Did something kind e.g. RAK
- Journalled
- Practiced something you’re trying to learn how to do e.g. calligraphy
- Water plants
SCHOOL
- Studied for an exam
- Worked on an assignment
- Did homework
- Worked on doing your exam
- Formula revision
- SAT prep
- Practiced spelling
- Flash cards e.g. language word practice
- Extracurricular activities
Tip! I highly recommend color coding by subject in your routine tracker. See this post for 50 color coding category ideas.
The habit tracker can be printed at A5, half letter size, Erin Condren Planner size , Plum Paper planner size or any other size you like! See this post for printing tips.
You could also print onto full sheet label paper and stick it straight into your planner like I did with this printable checklist insert.
Want the complete set of habit trackers? Get them here
Barbara says
This looks very helpful. I have been struggling with my habit and task trackers, this looks like it could solve my problems.
Thank you,
Barbara