1. create a list of things i want to get done each day, then come back and check on what i've actually finished 2. record the amount of time it takes me to do tasks (ex. "damn! had lunch for 2 hours", or "sweet! I made that list of journalists to reach out to in 1 hour")
Its been really helpful for me. I've been able to track progress, and to trim the fat. Doing it every day (rather than monthly) allows me to get more immediate feedback, and improve faster.
There is one thing to keep in mind: It can be important to find motivation outside of just seeing things get ticked off the list, even if you have AMAZING discipline. I do two things: 1. If I don't finish my daily tasks, I don't allow myself to work out 2. My GF does the same tracking, and if one or neither of us finish our tasks, we agree not to hook up that night :)