Tracking Personal Data

As we go about our day, we are constantly following different streams of data. This could be the temperature outside, stock performance, time to commute to work, or price of gas. Keeping track of the change in these numbers allows us to make informed decisions from an objective point of view. We know for certain that is warmer today than yesterday because the temperature is 5 degrees higher, not because we simply feel warmer. Likewise, we know that paying $2.20 for a gallon of gas is a good deal, because we are aware of the differences in price of gas in our area.

There is plenty of data to guide us through decisions about our environment and the organizations within it. But what about personal decisions? How are we able to make truly objective judgments about our own body? The answer is through tracking personal data. The cover story of Wired magazine for July 2009 touched on this. By recording personal data we can see trends over time, and be more informed when making a self based decision. Statistics such as our weight, how much water we drink, how much we spend on groceries, and how far we run all give us an objective look about our true behavior. This information goes beyond what we simply ‘feel’, and allows us to see trends that wouldn’t otherwise be apparent.