How to use the Good Habits Resource Templates
If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, here’s the link to the Good Habits templates.
These days I like to keep track of everything on apps. It’s easy, quick to edit and goes with you wherever you go. Apps also keep a record, which adds a great benefit for reviewing your success and past habits. You can read more about that in my post using apps to manage your life.
I do however acknowledge the power of paper. There’s nothing like the reminder on your wall or the vision on your board. If you like to be crafty, having habit trackers on paper to colour in or doodle on is really fun. Having it on paper also creates a form of journaling. I have a blog post on why I recommend journaling if you’re interested.
The templates
So, let’s get straight to it. You’ve downloaded the templates and want to start using it. There are two items on an A4 page, so you can print the ones you like and cut the paper in half to use the section you want. Or, you can print all of it and stick it in a habit-journaling book.
Body Tracking
If you have a specific body goal, for instance, body fat percentage decrease, losing weight or losing centimetres, this will help you track that. The first block on the left is for your star rating. Compliment yourself or paste stickers. Next to that, you can write the dates you measure and next to that the areas that you are measuring. Write your goal in at the bottom and see yourself getting closer to it every day.
Successful Days
This is the perfect example of seeing your progress. You can stick it against your wall and track any new habit. Just make a cross through the successful days and see your habit grow.
Goals Tracker
This is a fun page to colour in. Write your goals on the lines where the circle starts. Next to it, in each month’s block, you can either tick to complete, paste a sticker or use a rating system to track your success. Remember to write the year at the top.
Day Habits Checker
If you have many habits that you would like to track, especially for a visual motivator, this will definitely help you. Write the habit in on the left and tick your successful days off. A nice addition is to give yourself rewards at the end of each successful habit completion.
Define your habit so that you know what a successful day means.
Monthly Goals Map
Set monthly goals and see them ticked off. In the middle of the heart, write in the month. Under each category write what you want to accomplish that month.
My Promises From God
In the middle of the circle, you can write a scripture that was planted on your heart. Below that you can write the significance of it in the time you’re in. Writing the date down would be a good idea as this page will be great for future reflection.
This Is My Bucket List
In the block at the top, you can write down the specific bucket list, whether that’s for the coming holiday, the year, or your life. And then, get ready to start dreaming and completing!
The things I’m Grateful For List
Perfect for journaling and reflection! Whenever you feel truly grateful for something, note it down. Open it up whenever you feel sad or need a bit of encouragement and see your spirit lift.
So… I Had This Idea
We tend to get great ideas that pop up from nowhere. They usually sound like this, “Imagine if…”, “I think I have a solution for…”, “Wouldn’t it be great if…” Here you can write all of those ideas down. This is great for three big reasons – it helps you make sense of your ideas, it stimulates creativity and it can really encourage you to not keep it an idea but to put it into action. I’ve had ideas on my list and reading through them years later got me inspired to use it for new ideas and solutions.
What if you are one crazy idea away from something great?
Vision Board
Time to stick some pictures. You can make notes, but this is mainly visual reminders of what you want and where you are heading. This is great for reflection, to check if you are still on the right path and to remind yourself why you are sticking to a certain habit.
SOAP Bible Study
This is a Bible journaling method. I’ve explained the use and application of it in great detail here if you are more interested.
Daily Task List Items To Address
I’ve created this to remove the overwhelming feeling of planning my day. There are so many things that I want to get to, or build long term habits on, that I tend to forget them. Here’s how it works: In the coloured blocks, write in the main areas that need to be addressed daily. Underneath that, you can write all the possible things that might need attention in this area. Remember, this is not something you are going to fill in every day, you just view it to make sure you’ve covered everything and to use it in planning your day. So, write the item in your calendar or add it to that day’s task. For instance;
- Appointments
– Check calendar for appointments
– Schedule necessary meetings - Inbox
– Check open messages/ emails
– Check open tasks - My Business
– Internal things I want to work on (check the list of things I want to get done)
– Projects I’m going to work on - Church
– Arrange visitations
– Prepare homecell/ meeting/ sessions
– Challenges to attend to/ prayer-time / thought-time to have - Meal Planning
– Breakfast
– Dinner
– Lunch
– Snacks - Goals
– Review my goal chart and decide on specific things I want to work on - Long Term Items
– Planning the hike/ long weekend/ holiday/ coming birthday - Homework
– chores
– washing/ cleaning specific areas - Beauty
– nails/ hair/ treatment / extra sleep / no make-up
Don’t get caught up in the unknown. Planning for the day gives you a head start.
Self Exploration
A great journaling tool that you can use before you plan for the year or create your goals. Don’t overthink it, just write the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the word given.
Working on Me Version 2.0
If you have goals or a big project coming, you can use this to give you an overview of them all. In the left, write the area down (for instance, losing weight). Next to that break the goal down into 3 levels. After that, write down the description of the goal, the due date and the success or reward. Stickers are fun for completions in the end block, or you can write your own compliments.
Weekly Cleaning List
On the left is a ready-to-use list and on the right, you can create your own. The purpose is to attend to one big home cleaning task per week, for the whole year. I like to put every task on my calendar as a reminder that gets repeated as many times as needed. Each Monday I will get notified of what I have to attend that week. So, no need to waste any more energy on thinking when you’ll wash the curtains or replace the toothbrushes.
Packing Checklist
Oh, the number of times I forgot to pack PJs. Or left my cellphone charger. My list is in the inside of my cupboard, so whenever I have to pack I can just check it to make sure I’ve packed everything.
“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” Benjamin Franklin
Monthly Menu By Date
Ever asked yourself, “What will I make for dinner?” and felt discouraged? With this list, you can fill in what to make for each day of the month. You can either fill a new one in each month and do your shopping accordingly or, the method I prefer, have a fixed list on the fridge but without the limitations. I’ve written a broad spectrum of things in the blocks (like beans or pasta or oven-bake) and underneath each item, I’ve written a few ideas (like beans in tacos, spaghetti-bolognese or veggie-bake). This way, I have the freedom to choose without the overwhelming possibilities of things.
My Books
A pretty one for your journal book. There are two ways you can use this, either by writing in the books you are planning to read, or writing down the books you have read. Both are very encouraging, especially if you use a few colouring pencils. In the empty banner on top, you can write the year or month in.
Home Decluttering
We tend to buy new things and keep the old, replace the worn but never throw them out. This list should provide you with an overview of the things that must go. Categorise the blocks by important areas, like spare-bedroom or kitchen cupboards. Write down the things that you want to get rid of and plan a day to do the throw-out. I write items I like but never use in pencil, giving me a visual reminder to use it or it will be thrown out. Generally, when it comes to throwing out day, I tend to let go easy because I realised the lack of need for it over time. Note, write a throw-out date on top so that you have a visual deadline.
I hope these templates can provide you with some sort of order and reflection.
