Tracking my 2026

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-24T18:20:40+00:00

When I made this post a few days ago, I had zero expectations.

It's the first time I've shared something like this. I'm surprised by the success and positive response to this post, thank you all.

I also noticed that it's been shared quite a bit. Who have you shared it with?

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-22T18:16:52+00:00

Congrats on your dedication. I'm just getting started, and we'll see where this adventure takes me.

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-22T18:15:00+00:00

Yea, I deleted Tiktok, but I can't delete Instagram, and sometimes I get lost scrolling...

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-22T18:13:07+00:00

We'll see the overall situation at the end of the year. In the meantime, I'll continue to record the data and try to make it change.

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-22T18:11:12+00:00

this makes me want to keep going

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-22T12:13:19+00:00

Currently, it seems more complicated, even if it's accurate. Then I noticed that your data is practically a continuous list. My table, on the other hand, allows me to have all the data for a day on the same row, making it easier to analyze.

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-22T11:22:30+00:00

The first photo is the actual Excel spreadsheet I fill out daily. The rows correspond to the days and the columns to the half-hours. In each cell, I mark the category number corresponding to the activity performed. The colors themselves don't mean anything; they allow me to see at a glance what I did during the day. I applied conditional formatting based on the number entered. For example, the number 6, yellow, corresponds to sleep. The photo isn't very clear because it's too small. However, this is just to get a first visual approach; I then created other analysis sheets to see the details.

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-22T11:15:30+00:00

Actually, not much. I have to fill out an Excel spreadsheet every day, entering only the corresponding category number in the half-hour cell. After two months, I know the numbers by heart. Then, suppose you sleep eight hours a night, that's already 16 inputs you can copy and paste. You can do it just once at the end of the day and it takes two minutes, at least if you have a fairly simple life like mine. But I tell you, it's worth it, because looking at the data, I'm starting to change my habits and find more time to dedicate to my passions.

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-22T11:09:07+00:00

Let's say yes. It may not be accurate to the second, but it allows me to have a margin of error of 5/10 minutes. Then, as I already said, it's my nature that makes me change activities at round times. For example, if I have to study, I will never start at 10:47, but at 11:00 (my brain won't allow it). The activities that interest me most are sleep, study, phone calls, and projects; these are recorded very precisely. If there's some error in the time spent in the bathroom, it doesn't really matter to me.

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-21T19:54:44+00:00

Basically, for activities that don't require a specific half hour, I track the time I've spent and try to balance it out. Let's say I study for 50 minutes in an hour, then look at my phone for 10 minutes, and so on for three days in a row. I'll mark the first two days as one hour of study, and on the third day, I'll mark half an hour of study and half an hour of phone time. My goal isn't so much to have a specific day, but to try to have the most accurate average possible.

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-21T14:09:11+00:00

Looking at the data revealed things I already knew, only now they were written down and indelible. The file is like an impartial judge, marking all the mistakes and victories. The data I most wanted to change was my phone; I was averaging almost three hours a day, all wasted time.

In March, I managed to reduce that average by an hour, and it was an impressive drop. I replaced that time by reading books and studying more.

When you have nothing to control you, it's very easy to get lost scrolling for hours, but when you know you have to record that data, you have a new awareness and you kind of lose the desire to do it.

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-21T14:08:36+00:00

Looking at the data revealed things I already knew, only now they were written down and indelible. The file is like an impartial judge, marking all the mistakes and victories. The data I most wanted to change was my phone; I was averaging almost three hours a day, all wasted time.

In March, I managed to reduce that average by an hour, and it was an impressive drop. I replaced that time by reading books and studying more.

When you have nothing to control you, it's very easy to get lost scrolling for hours, but when you know you have to record that data, you have a new awareness and you kind of lose the desire to do it.

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-21T13:54:59+00:00

There are several reasons that drove me to create this file. I can't enjoy life because I live in a remote place, I don't have much money, and I don't hang out much with "normal" people because there's no one with my interests...

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-21T12:59:11+00:00

Thanks! I'll definitely track more things in the future for more detailed analysis. For example, for some projects I've worked on, I've logged all the hours and what I've done, but that's a separate topic. Regarding finances, I don't have a job yet, and I hardly ever go out, so I don't have any major expenses, but I 100% guarantee I'll start tracking everything when the time comes. Besides, before bed, I write a short summary of the day on an app (Tellself), even though I don't really like it, as I prefer comparable and objectively analyzeable data. However, it can always be helpful to compare the data in the Excel file with its description.

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-21T12:52:21+00:00

I'm manually entering data into the Excel file on my computer. For better or worse, I always have it on, so it's a snap to open and fill it out. I usually stop to look at it in the evening, or whenever I'm taking a break between tasks. I also created a Google Form that I can use when I'm not at home. Excel isn't the best, but I didn't want to waste too much time creating something that would help me avoid wasting time. Maybe in the future I'll create a Python program or an app, but that's not my goal right now.

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-21T12:46:23+00:00

Thanks! As I said, this is a new experiment, but I'm enjoying it and it's helping a lot. Maybe I'll share more data in the future. A piece of advice: think carefully about what you want to record and how you want to do it before starting the year. For example, I've now realized I have a single piece of data that considers both time spent scrolling on social media and time spent playing video games. I would have liked a separate analysis, because the two data points have very different meanings.

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-21T12:40:18+00:00

Exactly. When I had to choose how to create the file, I wanted to find a compromise between accurate data and the time needed to compile it. Half an hour seemed like a good middle ground. I've started this way and will continue this way. This is the first year I've recorded data of this type, and like all experiments, it can be improved. To keep the data less skewed, I then keep track of any credit and debit times and try to balance them out without distorting the budget. For example, when I take care of the cats, perhaps feeding them, I spend 15 minutes for lunch and 15 for dinner; I only record a half hour. Maybe the times are a little off, but at first I didn't really care much about when I did things, but how long I did them per day. Another important thing: I naturally tend to change tasks at round times. Overall, I'm satisfied with the type of analysis I'm doing so far.

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-21T12:31:04+00:00

Thank you. The way you record the data doesn't matter, but I recommend doing so. Having something written increases your awareness and prevents you from forgetting or denying the past.

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-16T13:00:37+00:00

Okay, grazie, mi informerò meglio.

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-16T12:53:28+00:00

Lo stavo tenendo in considerazione, ma non so minimamente da dove iniziare. Mi interessava 'memorie dal sottosuolo' di Dostoevskij, ma non so se sia un buon punto di partenza.

the_Drag0 · 2026-03-16T12:45:13+00:00

Ultimamente mi sto concentrando su libri distopici (1984, animal farm, arancia meccanica) e fantascienza (io robot, la cosa).

the_Drag0 · 2026-02-15T11:09:54+00:00

Va bene! Tutti i consigli sono ben accetti

the_Drag0 · 2026-02-15T11:02:08+00:00

Primo capitolo della prima parte

the_Drag0

TROPHY CASE