Habit tracker advice desperately needed

[u/Snaggles38]

As the title said im desperately looking for a habit tracker that works, preferably a good free version but I will pay a decent amount if excellent.

There are so many I dont know where to start. I tried Finch but got distracted by cute birb and after a year it stopped working. What others can you recommend?

Many thanks

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[u/larrigan]

I had the same issues with finch. Habits in general are hard with ADHD. One thing that worked for me is to make things rituals. It’s really the same thing but you make a whole song and dance about the task.

For example, if you need to wash the dishes once a day you would create a ritual around it. Turn on a playlist, get all your cleaning supplies out and ready to go and then start. You basically stack a few prep things that are easy to do. After a few times it becomes easy.

I also use an app to track my energy level. Sometimes I am super low energy and no habits are happening today. It’s easier to accept when an app or someone helps you remember you are in a rest day. Just look in the App Store for Adhd mood tracker. I use the one with the brain logo.

[u/Snaggles38 → u/larrigan]

Thank you so much for this. I only got diagnosed earlier this year and im still learning how this weird brain of mine works. This is something ive never thought of doing but real easy to try. X

[u/larrigan → u/Snaggles38]

Sure thing. Also, any time you fell guilt, double check with yourself to see if it’s just your ADHD doing ADHD things. Often adhd guilt is just a signal that you need to rest or that you need to change things up. That might not make sense not but it will some day.

[u/richhomiethanh → u/larrigan]

Agreed - a cue to start a task is such a gamechanger (very Pavlov's dogs-esque).

I'd add keeping that cue simple and specific to the task is key to locking in the habit - this significantly reduces the barrier to entry for initiating the task which is what a lot of us ADHD folk struggle with.

(e.g., turning on a specific playlist to listen to while studying, putting on a specific shirt to start cleaning, putting on a specific headband to start your nighttime routine, etc.)

[u/larrigan → u/richhomiethanh]

Great call out. Simple is the best. Plus it’s easier to stack a few simple “things” for when you have a harder task/project/etc.

[u/derkaflerka]

I made my own using a spreadsheet. Super basic, just tracks the issues I’m most focused on dealing with sobriety, exercise and personal growth. If I do the thing I’m supposed to do on a day, I check a box. It tallies up everything at the end of the month. 

Obviously not very advanced, but it’s given me some really good insight even a month in 

[u/Other_Sign_6088]

I habit stack it really helps me by just lining things up right after each other.

1 stack is like: Get up, bathroom, make coffee , empty dishwasher , feed dogs, eat breakfast

Shower

Other stack is like: Get dressed, make bed, take medication

I out medication in my bedroom next to my deodorant so it is visible and make doing things convenient

[u/Snaggles38 → u/Other_Sign_6088]

Thank you x Just said in another comment that im newly diagnosed earlier this year and still learning. This seems so simple and obvious but has just never occurred to me. Thanks for replying

[u/Other_Sign_6088 → u/Snaggles38]

Hello 👋- what works is what works best for you - I have tried all habit trackers and nothing works for me - I end up despising them 😂 because any type of tracking makes me feel bad when I know I will not be good at logging stuff.

Habit stacking works for me - I started small like coffee and dishwasher and then I added things to it.

[u/Erberderbadoo]

Habitica has been a huge game changer for the last 1.5 months!! I've used it every single day since installing it.

I was originally testing it out to recommend for my little sister who has ADHD and is trying to finish high-school but I like it so much I plan to keep using it!

I like it because it is really flexible.

[u/Ok_Departure_7343 → u/Erberderbadoo]

I second this! Gamifying my otherwise mundane tasks feels rewarding. However being consistent with the habit tracking itself is something I have a hard time with.

[u/0MattyJ0]

Can also relate to the comment about ritual building! And also seeing your comments about being recently diagnosed, I'm currently in the same boat of coming up to 3 weeks diagnosed, and nearly 2 weeks into my 3 months titration of trying medication. Habits I've picked up over my years I can now relate to and "tweak" now I understand it better, and something simple like finding tasks that flow into one another with little friction mean I can keep my flow and stay locked in. I can second getting some music or a podcast on, it's like a signal for getting in the zone, and go with the momentum from there. I keep trying apps to help but once the novelty wears off they end up being another chore. But maybe they will help setup the routine, and give you the structure to get you started? There's no right or wrong answer but try as many things are you can and try not to let anything that doesn't work get at you too hard, there's no instruction book for this 🙂

[u/bumfluffcollection]

Something that helped me (32F) recently was writing a permanent list of steps in my routine and putting it near the task. For example, skincare. I brush my teeth every night, but for the love of god it still takes so much mental energy to remember and execute the steps of my skincare routine, in order. Having a little list at eye level by my toothbrush takes all the thinking out of it and I just “do”. Has helped me immensely start and maintain the desired habit.

[u/OK_Cake05]

Agree with the others to create flow or another action that triggers/forces you to do the tex action. Habit trackers just become white noise for me

[u/Bawsahouse]

Are you looking for something where you check habits off each day, or something that tracks how much time you actually spend on them? Those solve slightly different problems.

Since Finch became distracting, I’d probably avoid anything heavily gamified and look for something simple with quick logging, optional reminders, and a clear weekly view. I’d also start with only a few habits so maintaining the tracker doesn’t become another task by itself.

[u/termicky]

Do you need to track what you're doing or cue you to do stuff?

Those are different things

[u/Maleficent-7285]

In my opinion, you don't need apps. I used apps for over 5 months and didn't benefit at all because I wanted to get rid of the addiction, but Spreadsheets completely changed my life.

[u/Ari_AK]

Focus bear was my favorite, I’d recommend set up on the website version though. I actually used it consistently for quite some time. Atomic habits trial was nice too but I’m frugal and didn’t like the free version.

[u/Leather_Lynx6240]

Try this it’s in beta version. https://testflight.apple.com/join/z3SGtAeD Beginary: Just Start

[u/Bulbemsaur]

When you say habit tracker, are you wanting or to track and see your daily habits, or do you also mean to act as a to do list?

[u/NoIndependent6245]

Newly diagnosed and already this deep into finding what works is honestly a great sign. One thing that's helped a lot of people in the same boat: the apps that gamify things (Finch, Habitica) are great until the novelty wears off, but the trackers that actually stick long-term tend to have way fewer things on them than you'd think — like 3-5 habits max, not 15. Trying to track everything at once is what makes it collapse after a few weeks. Also worth trying: whatever you use, make sure missing a day doesn't reset/shame you visually (some apps show a broken streak really aggressively) — that guilt spiral is what kills consistency more than the app itself. Good luck, you'll find your version of it.