I've been thinkingabout the relevance of habit tracking apps with respect to an individual'sefforts to better themselves; whatever that may mean for them personally. Why?Well, for the better part of a year I used one formally called Lift (now)Coach.me. I used it to keep track of several things (in an effort to bettermy-self) including…
- Did I write during the day?
- Did I "do good?"
- Did I run?
I engaged in thisact(ion) for myself even though the app lent itself to sharing via social mediaas well as within the app; connecting with others tracking similar habits.Initially, it felt good to check these things off during the day or at the endof the day. I was creating habits and the app made me feel like I was doingsomething good for myself. I was in short, getting better!
Recently though, theact(ion) of opening the app has started to feel more like a chore, noise in thechannel; a hinderance in my quest to achieve a certain level of mental silence.It seemed as though I was outsourcing an act(ion) that should be taking placeelsewhere; closer to the "place" I crave mental silence…my mind.Maybe, in the metaphorical "small bags" we carry on our respectivepaths, habit tracking apps should be seen as a tool we use temporarily; leavingthem for others to "pick up" when we ourselves are ready to bring the act(ion)…closer.