Me + quantified self makes sense. I love learning about myself. Yes, that can sound egotistical but it’s also necessary
self-preservation.
Finding out about quantified self has been a revelation.
If you don’t consciously learn about yourself you’ll end up believing things that are
not true about you and others who are like you.
The first time I learned this lesson was as a tween when I heard a doctor tell my
mother that my PMS symptoms were not real but an excuse to get out school.
Fortunately, I knew he was wrong and useless. Unfortunately, that experience led
me to distrust doctors and others who were supposed to know how to be helpful.
So, that’s my why.
5 tips to get started on self tracking in general.
FYI: Self-tracking can go way beyond physical health.
1.Start mind dump journaling 750 words every day:
750words.com is a writing platform and a source of emotional data. It has a simple interface and provides lots of feedback on the
emotions underlying what you’ve written.
2.Check out the Quantified Self website:
Here’s the article to start learning.
3.Watch this 5-minute TED talk:
The Quantified Self by Gary Wolf. This is a
simple beginner overview for anyone interested in personal science.
4.Buy a personal health tracker:
Fitbit’s premium service is actually worth the $50 a year.
5.Explore apps:
Once you decide on a part of your life to explore, look for and try different apps that could help you with data gathering and tracking.
(My toothbrush even has an app! If you checkout getQuip.com use my referral code
6D3SFTMZ)
Self-tracking aka quantified self has me excited. I will regularly share what I know and learn here at G.K. Sign up for my monthly e-newsletter to stay connected.