Changes

Though fitness bands like [[Fitbit]] are quite popular, health tracking has a lot more to offer.  This page is mainly intended to encourage more tracking. It is based off an argument map.<ref>https://www.kialo.com/everyone-should-health-track---self-quantify-49787</ref> If you are not convinced by argument, please read [[Self Tracking, Types Movements Communities|Self Tracking Movements]] for a show of popularity of the practice or [[List of Interesting Self-Tracking Results|Interesting Results]] for examples of successes. Sections of this page are ordered by similarity, not importance.   

Though fitness bands like [[Fitbit]] are quite popular, health tracking has a lot more to offer.  This page is mainly intended to encourage more tracking. It is based off an argument map.<ref>https://www.kialo.com/everyone-should-health-track---self-quantify-49787</ref> If you are not convinced by argument, please read [[Self Tracking, Types Movements Communities|Self Tracking Movements]] for a show of popularity of the practice or [[List of Interesting Self-Tracking Results|Interesting Results]] for examples of successes. Sections of this page are ordered by similarity, not importance.   

For example: What is the optimum amount of coffee to improve productivity but not affect sleep? This is very similar to trying to improve a chronic health condition, except that it can be useful to anybody and does not deal with critical issues.  

For example: What is the optimum amount of coffee to improve productivity but not affect sleep? This is very similar to trying to improve a chronic health condition, except that it can be useful to anybody and does not deal with critical issues.  

Unfortunately, many of industries that promise such improvements are filled with scams<ref>https://disb.dc.gov/page/beware-weight-loss-scams</ref> and thus, avoided by consumers. Tracking produces information that consumers can rely on to distinguish useful products from useless ones.

Unfortunately, many industries that promise such improvements are filled with conflicting information and scams.<ref>https://disb.dc.gov/page/beware-weight-loss-scams</ref> Consumers avoid buying products from such industries because they are not sure if there was any benefit from any specific product. Tracking of outcomes fixes this problem and encourages consumers to search for better products.  

   

   

People have gone through life always being mediocre because they did not try to improve themselves systematically. What if you are that kind of person? Health tracking will encourage your to keep experimenting!

Health tracking encourages experimentation and constant self improvement.  People have gone through their entire life without finding drastic life improvements because they simply did not experiment systematically. What if you are that kind of person?  

This method has precedents outside of personal science. Many professionals, especially coaches of [[Sports|athletes]], measure and try to improve every little thing to boost overall performance.

This method has precedents outside of personal science. Many professionals, especially coaches of [[Sports|athletes]], measure and try to improve every little thing to boost overall performance.

==== Motivate and change your behavior ====

==== Motivate and change your behavior ====

When user has successfully figured out what needs to change, the next hurdle becomes motivation. This is the primary interest of the [[Habits]] and self improvement community. Do not dismiss this as a lack of willpower because its still brain chemistry and easily manipulable by outside factors. Examples include; a way to make a necessary habit much more fun, that just a bit too much friction can shut down productivity, or finding that the underlying cause of a problem of motivation is actually a health issue. Feeling in control, and mastering your self and skills, can be strong intrinsic motivation. In counterpoint some people will hide data of things not going well.

When someone has successfully figured out what needs to change, they then must build up motivation to enact the change. This is the focus of the [[Habits]] and self improvement community. Tracking is useful here too. Do not dismiss failure as a lack of willpower because willpower is still brain chemistry and easily manipulable by outside factors. For example; sometimes lack of willpower is caused by health problems, sometimes just a bit too much friction can shut down motivation and productivity, or making a habit mildly more fun makes the habit something to look forward to.

Most smart watches, the most popular wearable, include lots of motivating information. [[Gamification]], the idea of dressing up real world as a game, seems popular and it requires tracking. The self tracker has access to many other behavior change techniques, including; cool new tech, cool art, competition, empowering healthful communities, financial punishment, and guilt. Just watching the numbers improve or even be recorded can be motivating and build healthy habits; according to personal experience [[User:DG|DG]] ([[User talk:DG|talk]]) and Atomic Habits book. Health tracking could even determine the best behavior change technique for each individual.  

Health tracking, (or rather mood tracking), can detect problems and determine the best behavior change technique for each individual.  

The negative effects of self tracking on motivation is mentioned in section arguments against tracking.

 

Unfortunately, when things are not going well, people will become demotivated and even hide the event from their history.  The negative effects of self tracking on motivation is mentioned in section arguments against tracking.

==== Make a story from your life  ====

==== Make a story from your life  ====

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[[Category:Topics]]

[[Category:Discussions]]