Craig and Marc Kielburger
Technology helps us measure things that really count, write Craig and Marc Kielburger.
Tracking apps are fuelling a boom in self-improvement with software that measures every aspect of our lives. but we might not be measuring what really matters: why not track your giving back to quantify how much you’re making the world better?
How many steps did you take today? How many calories did you eat?
Odds are, most readers could answer these questions just by whipping out their smartphones. We’re living in the app age, where everyone is walking around with a personal lifestyle auditor in their pocket.
Tracking apps are fuelling a boom in self-improvement with software that measures every aspect of our lives — not just steps and calories, but minutes meditated and alcohol consumed.
Some apps even claim to track and quantify your sleep cycles and stress levels. In 2017, the top 10 self-help apps made more than $27 million (a good chunk of change considering most are priced under $1).
But we might not be measuring what really matters: Why not track your giving back to quantify how much you’re making the world better?
Years ago, the tiny Asian nation of Bhutan took a hard look at how it measured progress as a country.
Like most nations, it uses the economic barometer of gross domestic product. But those numbers only quantify trade activity; they don’t reveal anything about quality of life for citizens.
Bhutan developed the Gross National Happiness Index, which measures not only employment and trade, but access to art and culture, work-life balance and environmental health.
This change in metrics allowed the government to build policies that better focus on the holistic needs of its citizens, like increasing education and cultural programs in rural areas when these districts delivered lower happiness ratings. After all, you can’t fix what you don’t measure. As individuals, we can all take a cue from Bhutan and trace the aspects of our lives that lead to a more comprehensive sense of well-being.
Want to track your environmental impact? There’s more than one app for that. Apps like Dropcountr can track water waste in your home to help you reduce usage. Or measure your carbon footprint with Go Green. We’ll bet that when your phone says you halved your greenhouse gas emissions by walking to the corner store instead of driving, it’ll make you feel just as good as finding out how many calories you burned along the way. What about counting your volunteer hours each week? If you’re looking for a meter stick for self-care, scientific studies have proven that helping others boosts your own physical and mental well-being. And yes, once you’ve input those three hours you spent helping at the charity garage sale, be sure to flip over to your stress-level tracker and see how much it’s reduced your blood pressure.
There are numerous things you could be counting that would make a difference both in your life, and in the lives of others. Even if there’s no app for that, keep a diary.
How any minutes of screen time did your family avoid this week in favour of real-life conversations? How many pounds of food have you donated to your local food bank this year?
All numbers are not created equal. Measure the things that really count.