Fallen Off Your Charting Habit? 6 Ways to Get Back on Track

“Dannnggg- I know I packed my trusty charting thermometer somewhere…” I said under my breath, as I rummaged through my bag. But after 15 mins of searching, I realized that I had forgotten my thermometer at home- there goes my temps for the week 🫣 ugghhhh!”  

When life gets busy, even my strongest routines can take a hit. Here are 6 Ways to get your charting practice back on track when you’ve taken a hiatus.

1. Remember you don’t have to have a ‘perfect’ chart 

It’s okay to miss a few days of charting. The goal is for this practice to be sustainable- something you can do for the rest of your reproductive years. Think of it as a routine like brushing your teeth. 

AND if you’re using charting to avoid pregnancy, you’ll need to be diligent at certain times in your cycle for this method to be effective or you can use a barrier method.

• As a reminder- if you are trying to avoid pregnancy, you’ll need to be consistently charting so you can open your fertile window, confirm ovulation, and close your fertile window. You’ll do this by:

1. Identifying your point of change- when you start seeing cervical fluid since this OPENs your fertile wave and you could get pregnant during this time

2. Have at least 4 out of 6 temps to be able to draw your coverline-since this helps with being able to confirm ovulation 

3. Identify a temp shift with 3 high temps above your coverline- as this also helps with being able to confirm ovulation and close your fertile window

4. Determine the last day you see Big F fluid (peak day), which has any of the 4 characteristics- slippery, watery, stretchy, clear- as this is needed to close your fertile window

2. Habit stack

Forgetting to put your observations on your chart?

If you are using a paper chart, you can keep your chart in the bathroom, or by your bed- prompting you to fill it out. You can also keep a small note pad in the bathroom to write down your observations and then transfer them to your chart at the end of the day.   

Forgetting to take your temps or putting your temp drop on? Think through your morning and night time routine. Is there any thing you do every morning/night that you can link that habit of taking your temperature or putting on your thermometer if you are using the temp drop? 

1. Put your thermometer near your phone

2. Put your temp drop next to your toothbrush

3. Set an alarm that says “Take your temp queen! 👑”

3. Environmental Cues

Forgetting to check your fluids? Here are some reminders you can put in your personal bathroom. 

1. I’ve had success with a post it note on my mirror. 

2. One client hung an inspiring photo of a wave in her bathroom to remind her of her fertile wave and cervical fluid.

3. A special ring or bracelet to wear after you finish bleeding to remind you to check your vaginal fluids.

4. Add alarms on your phone to remind you throughout the day to check your fluids. People do this to drink water, why not to check for cervical fluid?

4. Consider changing up how you keep your data

Are you using an app? Try paper charting.

Are you paper charting? Try using an app.

At times when I’m traveling a lot, I’ll switch to using my an app on my phone, and when I know I’ll be in one place for awhile, I’ll switch to using a paper chart. Try to complete a whole cycle using your app or paper chart before making a change. 

Do you want to explore paper charting? You can download a free paper chart here.

Want to know the only app on the market I recommend- check out my blog.  

5. Become a bag lady- seriously! 

Check out the travel kit that one of my clients put together to remember to bring her temp drop.

I’ve had success with making a little travel kit for my thermometer, an eye mask, and ear plugs that I always take when I travel. It’s small enough to go on my bedside table and it keeps everything I need for sleep in one tiny bag. 

6. Reflect on Your Why

Revisit the reasons why you started charting in the first place. Reflecting on your why can reignite your commitment and enthusiasm. Did you start charting for non-hormonal birth control? Body literacy? A deeper connection to your body? To strengthen your vitality? To connect to the greater cycles of life and death? 

Condense your why down to a few bullet points or one statement.

Fill in the blank: I’m committed to this practice because_____

Write this out on 3 post-it notes and put it up in 3 different places in your home. 

Suggested Actions:

1. Set up your habit stack for taking your temps or checking your secretions 

2. Download my free paper chart or read the blog about my favorite charting app

3. Create your own travel kit 

4. Journal about why you initially started charting   

“Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow.”

-Mary Anne Radmacher