“A habit tracker turns your goals into action, and your actions into achievements.”

Do you ever find yourself making New Year’s resolutions or setting ambitious goals, only to see them fizzle out within weeks?

Forming and maintaining habits can be challenging, but there’s a powerful toolset that can help: habit trackers and journals.

In this blog, we’ll dive deep into how these tools can revolutionize your life, making your habits stick and propelling you toward your goals.

Plus, stay tuned for a special mention of Justly — an app designed to supercharge your habit-building journey.

The Power of Habits: Why They Matter

Habits are the invisible architects of our lives. They dictate our daily actions, shape our future, and ultimately determine our success or failure.

Whether you’re aiming to get fit, become a voracious reader, or simply improve your mental well-being, habits are the building blocks of your journey.

The Habit Tracking Advantage

Imagine having a personal assistant who nudges you in the right direction every day. That’s precisely what habit trackers do.

These digital or analog tools allow you to set specific habits, schedule reminders, and mark them as completed once you’ve achieved them. Here’s why they’re a game-changer:

• Accountability: Habit trackers hold you accountable. When you see unfinished habits, it’s a visual reminder to stay on track.
• Motivation: The joy of marking a habit as completed is immensely satisfying and motivates you to keep going.
• Data-Driven Insights: Habit trackers provide data on your progress. Streaks, trends, and frequency charts give you a clear picture of your habits.

Journaling: Unveiling the Whys and Hows

If habit trackers are the what and when, journals are the why and how.

Keeping a journal alongside habit tracking can unlock profound insights into your behavior and mindset.

Here’s why journaling is an essential companion to habit trackers:

• Reflection: Writing about your daily experiences helps you reflect on why you succeeded or struggled with a particular habit.
• Emotional Connection: Journals allow you to explore the emotions and thoughts surrounding your habits, helping you uncover deeper motivations.
• Problem Solving: When you encounter obstacles, journaling helps you brainstorm solutions and strategies to overcome them.

The Justly App: Your Habit-Building Ally

Now, let’s talk about Justly — a remarkable app designed to help you reach your goals through positive habits and a consistent routine.

Justly combines the power of habit tracking and journaling with a user-friendly interface, making it an indispensable tool for habit formation.

Here’s what Justly can do for you:

• Customized Habit Tracking: Create and customize habits tailored to your goals and preferences.
• Daily Reminders: Set reminders to ensure you never forget to work on your habits.
• Data Insights: Get a clear view of your progress with data-driven insights like streaks and habit frequency.
• Integrated Journaling: Document your daily experiences, thoughts, and emotions within the app.
• Goal-Setting: Use Justly to set and visualize your long-term goals and break them down into manageable habits.
• Community Support: Connect with others on their habit-building journeys, providing motivation and accountability.

How to Use Habit Trackers

Certainly! Here’s a detailed step for monitoring and enhancing your habits using habit trackers and journals, with a tool like “Justly”.

Step 1: Define Your Habits

Before you start using habit-tracking tools, it’s crucial to clearly define the habits you want to monitor and enhance. Make sure these habits are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

For example:

• Habit 1: Exercise for 30 minutes every morning.
• Habit 2: Read for 20 minutes before bedtime.
• Habit 3: Meditate for 10 minutes each day.

Ensure that your habits are realistic and align with your goals and lifestyle.

Step 2: Choose a Habit-Tracking Tool (e.g., Justly)

Select a habit-tracking tool that suits your preferences.

Justly is a user-friendly mobile app designed to help you build and maintain positive habits while providing valuable insights into your progress.

Whether you want to exercise regularly, read more books, meditate daily, or achieve any other personal goal, Justly is here to guide you on your journey to self-improvement.

Step 3: Set Up Your Habits in Justly

Assuming you’ve chosen Justly as your habit-tracking tool:

• Open the Justly app.
• Create entries for each of your defined habits. Give them descriptive names and set specific parameters.

For example:

• Habit 1 (Exercise): Set a reminder to exercise for 30 minutes every morning at 7 AM.
• Habit 2 (Reading): Set a reminder to read for 20 minutes before bedtime at 9 PM.
• Habit 3 (Meditation): Set a reminder to meditate for 10 minutes each day at 12 PM.

Step 4: Track Your Daily Progress

Every day Justly will send you reminders to perform your habits. When you complete a habit, follow these steps:

• Open the Justly app.
• Find the habit you’ve completed for the day (e.g., “Exercise”).
• Mark it as completed. Justly may provide options like a checkmark, a color change, or a “Done” button.

Step 5: Analyze Your Data

Justly, or any habit-tracking tool, will accumulate data over time. This data can help you analyze your habit-forming progress.

Look for:

• Streaks: The number of consecutive days you’ve successfully completed a habit.
• Habit frequency: How often you’ve completed each habit in a given period (e.g., weekly or monthly).
• Trends: Identify patterns, such as whether certain days or times are more challenging for specific habits.

Step 6: Adjust and Enhance Your Habits

Based on the data provided by Justly, you can make informed decisions about your habits.

• If your exercise streaks are shorter than desired, consider adjusting your morning routine, setting a backup alarm, or finding a workout buddy for accountability.
• If you consistently fail to read before bedtime, try adjusting the habit’s timing, creating a cozy reading nook, or choosing more engaging books.
• If meditation frequency is lower than you’d like, experiment with different meditation techniques, durations, or guided meditation apps.

Step 7: Journal Your Progress

In addition to habit tracking, maintain a habit journal within Justly or separately:

• After completing or struggling with a habit, write a brief journal entry.
• Record your thoughts, feelings, and observations related to each habit.
• Document any challenges, setbacks, or successes you experience.

Journaling helps you gain deeper insights into your habits and allows you to identify patterns and potential solutions.

For example, if you find meditation challenging, your journal may reveal that stress at work affects your ability to focus. You can then explore stress-management techniques to improve your meditation practice.

Wrap Up

In a world where distractions are endless and time is limited, forming positive habits can be your secret weapon for success.

Habit trackers and journals, complemented by tools like Justly, provide a structured and data-driven approach to habit formation and self-improvement.

Ready to take the first step toward a better you?

Try Justly and embark on a journey of transformation through positive habits and consistent routines. It’s time to turn your resolutions into lasting achievements.

Justly: Habits, Goals, Journal

How To Use Habit Trackers To Enhance Your Habits was originally published in Justly Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.