Anyone who has kept a food journal or logged activities knows that tracking can get tedious after a while. But tracking – done in a way that works for you – can be a tool for generating motivation. Here’s how:

1. Tracking keeps you engaged with your goal. Whether writing it down in a journal, tapping boxes in an app, or checking days off on a calendar, committing to tracking means committing to thinking about your goal at least once a day (or week, or whatever interval you’ve chosen!) Tracking makes you “put it in writing,” which can add accountability and requires you to be more aware of your choices and actions. Just thinking about the thing you want to do more often – whether you’re doing it or not – is an important step in behavior change. It’s the difference between pre-contemplation and contemplation – between mindless old habits and mindful new choices. 

2. Tracking helps turn visions and goals into small, specific steps. Most tracking systems work best with a small specific data point you log regularly: calories eaten, steps taken, hours slept, and so on. If the longer-term outcome you’re after is something like “lose weight” or “increase energy,” tracking data towards that goal makes you consider “what do I need to do daily to achieve that outcome?” It helps clarify the HOW to your WHAT and WHY. And, in terms of motivation to perform an action, we’re all more likely to follow through on a plan when we feel clear about how to do it. 

3. Tracking helps you see progress. Humans tend to focus on what’s NOT going well. A well-designed tracking system can help you see, visually, what you ARE doing to achieve your goal, with each logged entry a “yes, I did it!” step to celebrate. It can help you “zoom out” too. If the recent day or week feels inconsistent or challenging, looking back at your overall progress, perhaps seeing improvement this month over last, or this year over the previous year, can be the boost of motivation you need on a bad day. 

4. Tracking helps you see patterns. Especially with the help of electronic tracking systems, you can see trend lines of your behaviors overtime, which can give you helpful information about what’s going well or what’s getting in the way. Maybe it’s noticing you’re more likely to work out in the morning versus after work, or that your daily blood pressure measurement is increasing this week. When you can see patterns in your health metrics and behaviors, you’re better able to make decisions about what you should continue and what you should change. This data can also be helpful for your healthcare team. Doctors, dietitians, therapists, and fitness trainers may be better able to diagnosis or direct your changes with the help of your recorded data. 

There’s no one right way to track for your health. And no tracking plan has to last forever – unless you want it to! Considering what you want to track and why is an important first step before committing to a tracking plan. Then, it’s devising the approach that works best for you and your goals. Tracking should complement and enhance your health changes, not add stress or overwhelm.

If you want to make time to think through your tracking needs, join health coaches Jessica and Amanda on May 23 from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m. for the 30-minute webinar Tracking: A Tool to Maintain Motivation. They’ll go into more depth about what you can track across several health areas, why tracking can be beneficial, how to personalize your tracking plan, and what to do with the information you’ve gathered.

Register for the program here or visit Link to Health at linktohealth.osu.edu and search “Educational Program.”

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