Habit trackers can be incredibly helpful tools for solidifying new routines. They offer a visual way to monitor your progress and can motivate you to stick with your goals.
While many habit tracking apps are available, you can easily create a custom tracker in Google Sheets. This approach offers complete control over your tracker’s design and functionality, all without any cost.
This guide provides a step-by-step walkthrough of building a monthly habit tracker in Google Sheets, complete with dynamic date and weekday headers for easy navigation.
A Look at a Habit Tracker in Google Sheets
Let’s examine a sample sheet that demonstrates a functional habit tracker in Google Sheets.
The sheet above displays a basic habit tracker template. This template can track up to 10 habits over an entire month.
Users simply input the habits they wish to track in cells A3:A12. Then, they specify the relevant month in cell A1. Custom formulas automatically update the column headers to display the correct dates and days of the week.
With this setup, you can conveniently monitor your habits in a structured table.
To automatically populate the dates in our habit tracker, we’ll use the following formula:
=SEQUENCE(1,DAY(EOMONTH(A1&1, 0)))
The SEQUENCE function generates a series of sequential numbers. The first argument specifies the number of rows to return, and the second argument specifies the number of columns. For instance, the formula SEQUENCE(1,30) produces a single row containing the numbers 1 through 30.
Since the number of days in a month varies, we incorporate the EOMONTH and DAY functions to dynamically determine the last day of the month.
To populate the days of the week, we’ll use this formula:
=ArrayFormula({TEXT($A$1&B1:AF1,"ddd")})
This formula combines the month specified in cell A1 with the column number in row 1. The TEXT function then converts this value into the abbreviated day of the week (Mon, Tue, etc.). Because the TEXT function doesn’t directly accept arrays, we use ArrayFormula to process the entire range.
Proceed to the next section for a detailed tutorial on creating your own habit tracker in Google Sheets.
How to set up a Habit Tracker in Google Sheets
Method 1: Using Formulas
Step 1: Begin by setting up the basic layout for your habit tracker. You’ll need a cell to specify the current month and a section to list the habits you want to track.
Each day of the month will have its own column, and each habit will have its own row.
Step 2: Enhance navigation by labeling each column with the corresponding day of the month.
In cell B1, use the formula =SEQUENCE(1,DAY(EOMONTH(A1&1, 0))) to automatically generate a sequence of numbers from 1 to the last day of the month specified in cell A1.
Step 3: Create an ArrayFormula that utilizes the TEXT function to display the correct day of the week for each date.
Use the formula =ArrayFormula({TEXT($A$1&B1:AF1,"ddd")}) in the row below the dates to display the abbreviated day of the week for each corresponding date.
Step 4: Choose the range of cells where you want to insert checkboxes.
To insert checkboxes, navigate to Insert > Checkbox.
The selected range should now contain checkboxes.
Step 5: To use the habit tracker, simply check the boxes that correspond to habits you’ve completed each day.
At the end of each month, you can duplicate the sheet and update the month name in cell A1 to automatically adjust the dates and days of the week for the new month.
Method 2: Manually Creating the Tracker
Step 1: Set up the basic template. Designate a cell for the month and list your habits in a column. Each habit will occupy a row.
Step 2: Manually enter the dates for the month across the top row. Account for the correct number of days for the month.
Step 3: In the row below the dates, manually enter the day of the week abbreviation (Mon, Tue, Wed, etc.) for each corresponding date.
Step 4: Select the range of cells where you want to add checkboxes. Then, click Insert > Checkbox.
Step 5: Use the tracker by checking the boxes that correspond to completed habits each day. At the end of the month, clear the checkboxes and update the dates and days of the week for the next month.
FAQs
- How can I share my habit tracker with others for collaborative tracking?
You can share your habit tracker by clicking the Share button in the top right corner of Google Sheets. Add the email addresses of the people you want to share with and set their permissions to viewer, commenter, or editor.
- Can I set up notifications to remind me to fill in my habit tracker?
Google Sheets doesn’t offer built-in reminders, but you can use Google Calendar to set up notifications. Alternatively, you can use a third-party service to send email reminders.
Creating your own habit tracker in Google Sheets is a simple way to monitor your progress and stay motivated. With these steps, you can easily customize a tracker to fit your specific needs.