Hi there! Welcome to my very first blog on Quantify Life. Before we dive in, let me tell you a little story about how this idea came to life.
It all started a few weeks ago when I saw my Year in Review on Apple Books. It said I had read 40 books this year, falling 11 short of my goal. At first, I felt a little disappointed. But then I realised that number didn’t tell the whole story of my reading habits.
I traveled a lot this year, and every time I passed through an airport, I picked up a book. Once I finished reading, I donated it, so those books weren’t counted. I also listen to audiobooks on Audible while cooking or working out, but they didn’t make it into this list either.
Beyond the missing numbers, something deeper was missing. The review didn’t capture how I felt while reading these books. What kind of stories were they? Did they challenge me? Enrich me? Change how I see the world?
That single number—40—felt incomplete. It didn’t reflect the full journey I’d been on as a reader this year.
Another realisation hit me: Sure, I may have read 11 books less than my goal, but I did so many other meaningful things this year. I traveled to new places. I spent quality time with my extended family. For the first time in years, I went on a vacation with my cousins and their families. I was there for my mom when she was in the hospital. I helped my daughter through a crucial academic year. And at work, I took on big responsibilities and worked on projects that had a real impact.
Nowadays, thanks to excessive tracking through technology and AI, the end of the year feels like an avalanche of stats. Your bank app savagely points out how much you’ve spent eating out. Your fitness tracker reminds you how much you’ve skipped workouts. It’s numbers, numbers, numbers—telling you what you didn’t do enough of.
But what about the bigger picture? Yes, I may have read less, exercised less, or eaten out more than I planned. But overall, this has been a fulfilling, meaningful year. Where’s the number that captures the holistic experience of my year? It doesn’t exist.
And that’s when I decided: I want to change that—at least for myself—next year. I want to find a way to measure not just what I did or didn’t do, but the whole experience. Because some things can’t be reduced to a stat, and I don’t want those moments to be lost.
But I do love a number that I can track and improve, that gives me a sense of achievement. I want a number that doesn’t just quantify the individual pieces but reflects the whole picture—a number that can guide me, challenge me, and show me where I can grow.
As I reflected on what truly matters, I realised that a balanced life for me revolves around four areas:
Love: Relationships and friendships—how I nurture and grow them.
Impact: Professional goals—the difference I’m making through my work and contributions to the wider community
Fitness: Physical health—staying active and taking care of my body.
Emotional Wellbeing: Mental health—finding peace, managing stress, and prioritising joy.
Together, these make up LIFE. And so, Quantify LIFE was born! This is the L-I-F-E that I want to quantify, track, and improve.
The idea is simple:
STEP 1: Set goals - Define clear, intentional goals in the LIFE areas that align with your priorities.
STEP 2: Track progress - Use metrics to measure how each area is progressing every month, summarised in an overall LIFE Score
STEP 3: Reflect and refine - Evaluate progress and make adjustments to improve and stay on track.
Stay tuned for a detailed blog explaining LIFE Score calculations and examples of metrics to track for each of these areas.
The Inspiration
Two areas of my life came together to form this idea:
My PhD: During my PhD, I delved deeply into the mechanics of goal setting, self-reflection, and self-evaluation, particularly in times of uncertainty. These elements are at the heart of what’s known as self-regulated learning—the ability to set intentional goals, monitor progress, and adapt behaviours to achieve desired outcomes. Research shows that when we monitor our actions, we create a feedback loop that fosters self-awareness and positive behaviour change. The simple act of tracking a behaviour—whether it’s how often we exercise or how we spend our time—can lead to significant improvements. This self-knowledge not only enhances our ability to meet goals but also builds confidence, resilience, and clarity. When intentional goals align with personal values, the results can be transformative, creating a ripple effect across different aspects of life.
My Work: As a mixed methods researcher, I’m constantly balancing metrics and narratives to understand holistic user experiences. Numbers provide insight, but stories bring depth. This balance sparked the thought: Could I do this for my own life?
Join Me
This blog is where I’ll share my journey—what I’m learning, what’s working, and where I’m struggling. It’s not about big achievements or dramatic changes; it’s about small, intentional steps that add up over time.
I’d love for you to join me. Start by reflecting on your own LIFE: What areas matter most to you? What goals could you set to live more intentionally? Feel free to share your thoughts, your questions, or your own experiments—I’d love to hear from you.
Want to dive deeper? Subscribe to my newsletter for free templates, example metrics to track, and more resources to help you on your journey.
Together, let’s measure what matters and see where this journey takes us.
Thanks for being here and reading this first post. In my next post, I’ll share a 4 part blog series with stories of small moments that led to the realisation of what's important in life. These stories form the foundation of the LIFE framework and illustrate how meaningful reflections can lead to powerful insights.
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