When you're working toward self-improvement of any kind, it's always a good idea to keep track of milestones. Doing so lets you know if you're making progress or whether you need to make some adjustments to your activity. This is a great habit to get into no matter what type of positive behavior you'd like to keep tabs on. It could be a large goal or simply a minor area of self-improvement. There are lots of ways to track your progress.
Here are just a few:
Calendar:
Write your goals out on a calendar and mark timeframes in which you check your progress. You can also jot down in advance the progress you hope to make so that you can compare when the date rolls around. This method works well for all kinds of activities and is quite convenient because most of us keep a calendar of some sort.
Lists:
A to-do list can work wonders when it comes to keeping you accountable and helping you to make progress. A list also gives you a boost of confidence because it provides evidence of your hard work. Break larger goals down into steps and make a list each day of your action plan. Then mark each task off as you complete it. Don’t erase it, mark it through. Your mind needs to see this. You'll reach that goal before you know it.
Journal:
A journal is much like a list, as it allows you to write down your goals and to have visual evidence of your progress. However, journaling gives you so much more space to process your thoughts, feelings, and ideas regarding the actions you're taking. If you want to monitor your progress across the board, a journal is a great place to do that.
Apps:
Technology is great. There are tons of apps today that help you to keep track of your progress in a variety of areas. You can find them for both iPhone and Android devices. Apps exist to serve lots of specific purposes, so you'll surely be able to find one to suit your purpose. Look up productivity, goal tracking, progress monitoring, or any other particular term that fits your needs into your app store's search bar. Then you can look around until you find the one that looks like a good fit. Hey, ask your friends what they use, as well.
Celebrate:
Plan out both the milestones and the rewards for each milestone as you determine how to achieve the goal. When you reach a milestone, reward yourself. Celebrate the small achievements, too. I think this is the MOST important element because frankly, just achieving the thing you set out to do shouldn’t be the end of the ride! I find this to be the most challenging aspect of goal setting but incredibly worthwhile to learn the esteem-building art of celebrating with confidence. My go-to tip? Make a list of ways you can celebrate (and keep adding to it as you have ideas) so when you are short on inspiration you can get the ideas you need to make some rewarding decisions. 🙂
The Bottom Line
These ideas should give you a start when it comes to monitoring your goal, behavior, and action progress. No matter what you're working on, keeping track of your milestones is a good habit to get into to accomplish more.
