SDS 538: Daily Habit #1: Track Your Habits — with Jon Krohn

Starting Small

Jon Krohn emphasizes the importance of starting small when beginning habit tracking. He suggests tracking just a couple of habits daily to ease into the process, using a simple Google Sheet template he provides to visualize progress. This method allows beginners to set realistic goals and gradually build a habit-tracking routine.

Currently I track 50 of them daily, though if you're new to habit tracking, I recommend starting small with just a couple of habits to track daily to ease into the ritual.

--- Jon Krohn

Jon also highlights the value of setting binary goals, such as flossing, where the outcome is either a yes or no, to simplify tracking and maintain motivation 1.

   

Visual Feedback

For those new to habit tracking, Jon provides a practical example of how to use his spreadsheet template. He explains how to set minimum and maximum values for each habit to easily visualize success, with cells turning green when targets are met. This visual feedback is crucial for maintaining motivation and ensuring consistency in tracking habits.

If you hit your habit target within that min or max range on a given day, then the corresponding cell in the spreadsheet will light up green.

--- Jon Krohn

Jon also recommends the book "Atomic Habits" by James Clear for those who prefer a physical journal over a digital spreadsheet, offering additional resources to support habit tracking 1.