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Tracked and Monitored
Feb. 11th, 2023 06:51 amDo you all find that tracking apps or tracking things in general becomes an end in itself? Is it just a normal part of having a tracking app that maintaining the streak eclipses the actual activity you were tracking in the first place?
I feel like the constant need to quantify everything is seriously getting in the way of my ability to enjoy doing those things. I still enjoy having my Garmin, because I do like data, and it's interesting to me to see longer-term health trends. Plus the Garmin captures all this without needing any real help from me. I just wear my "Bird Band" and it does all this on its own. I like Habitica because I've always needed some form of daily checklist and reminders to do things. Do I still really need a check box for "take your meds?" Yeah, I do.
We're all probably familiar with Jerry Seinfeld's thing of "don't break the chain," but I'm honestly wondering if the chains and streaks have gotten to be more important than the act itself. Sure, I can get a star for meditating thirty days in a row, but it it really helping if I feel like I have to "sneak in" a session late at night just to mark that day as done, when my brain is exhausted and meditation feels more like drifting off to sleep?
Anyway. That was just on my mind this morning because I feel like I have several apps and programs to track all this stuff, and is it really helping me on a personal level, or am I just trying to satisfy all these algorithms and clear notifications? Sometimes I frame it like this: If the goal isn't something technology based, then how would people a hundred years ago have done this? Consider this that I found in an article from Ness Labs:
I guess there's not a good, ready answer to any of this. But it doesn't hurt to think about, of course.
I'm glad there's a front coming through. I feel like I could use a rainy day and some cooling weather. And the recent "fake spring" made a bunch of plants start pollinating and my allergies were getting bad. Not to mention everything is yellow. Ugh.
I feel like the constant need to quantify everything is seriously getting in the way of my ability to enjoy doing those things. I still enjoy having my Garmin, because I do like data, and it's interesting to me to see longer-term health trends. Plus the Garmin captures all this without needing any real help from me. I just wear my "Bird Band" and it does all this on its own. I like Habitica because I've always needed some form of daily checklist and reminders to do things. Do I still really need a check box for "take your meds?" Yeah, I do.
We're all probably familiar with Jerry Seinfeld's thing of "don't break the chain," but I'm honestly wondering if the chains and streaks have gotten to be more important than the act itself. Sure, I can get a star for meditating thirty days in a row, but it it really helping if I feel like I have to "sneak in" a session late at night just to mark that day as done, when my brain is exhausted and meditation feels more like drifting off to sleep?
Anyway. That was just on my mind this morning because I feel like I have several apps and programs to track all this stuff, and is it really helping me on a personal level, or am I just trying to satisfy all these algorithms and clear notifications? Sometimes I frame it like this: If the goal isn't something technology based, then how would people a hundred years ago have done this? Consider this that I found in an article from Ness Labs:
One problem researchers found with habit trackers is that it creates a “habit dependency” in users: you are only sticking to the habit because of artificial support such as reminders and streak notifications, which help with the repetition of a desired behaviour, but tie the habit to in-app triggers. No app, and the habit is gone. Your habit is tied to ongoing app use.
Another problem is the over reliance on inflexible technology. Digital self-tracking is quickly overtaking paper-based tracking, but most apps focus on very simple habits that may limit users in their personal growth. Researchers have warned that many habit tracking apps are too rigid to support our diverse practical and emotional needs, and that more flexible, customisable self-tracking apps are required to meet the multidimensional goals and challenges of users.
Another problem is the over reliance on inflexible technology. Digital self-tracking is quickly overtaking paper-based tracking, but most apps focus on very simple habits that may limit users in their personal growth. Researchers have warned that many habit tracking apps are too rigid to support our diverse practical and emotional needs, and that more flexible, customisable self-tracking apps are required to meet the multidimensional goals and challenges of users.
I guess there's not a good, ready answer to any of this. But it doesn't hurt to think about, of course.
I'm glad there's a front coming through. I feel like I could use a rainy day and some cooling weather. And the recent "fake spring" made a bunch of plants start pollinating and my allergies were getting bad. Not to mention everything is yellow. Ugh.
