From basic pencil and paper to complex computer programs, there are hundreds of methods for self tracking. People all over the world keep track of many different aspects of their daily lives. If you've never considered self tracking, it may seem a bit too intense or self involved, but you can achieve a number of good results through this method that you might not otherwise see.

Weight Loss

One of the most popular reasons for self tracking is to aid in weight loss. Dieters self track in two ways: they write down what they eat and the calories they consume, and they also track their weight from week to week to discover their eventual losses. If you're trying to lose weight, self tracking is a very useful tool. The only way to keep track of what you eat is by tracking it meal by meal, every single day. Estimating your caloric intake just won't do; you'll inevitably slip up and eat more than you should. This daily tracking keeps you honest and on track. On the other hand, tracking your weekly weight can serve as an emotional boost when you chart the downward trend of your body weight. Even if you have a bad week, you can still see how well the plan is working in terms of the big picture.

Business Goals

If you've got business goals you want to achieve, the smart way to do this is to break up the goal into a number of smaller steps. Tracking your progress along these steps can serve as a record of successes and failures, can be used as a teaching tool when attempting similar steps in the future and can show you ways to improve your performance overall.

Physical Training

If you're training for a 5K, attempting to increase your stamina or simply beginning to work out for the first time, self tracking your progress every time you work out is the best way to judge how successful your training plan is. You can look back and find out what works and what doesn't, along with knowing when you've reached certain milestones along the way.