The Baseline Model in Ninety Days

The Baseline Model is based on a reference value that represents a minimum quantity that should be reached or exceeded each day. The idea is to define minimum quantities for activities or habits that can be achieved even on difficult days in order to stay consistent over the long term. The Baseline Model is one approach to the question of why new habits fail. I have already described some of the possible reasons in the following article:

Why Do So Many New Habits Fail?

Of course, the Baseline can also change over time and be adjusted to reflect personal development. However, it should be chosen deliberately and not changed too frequently. Ideally, a Baseline remains constant over a longer period of time. This allows it to serve as a reliable reference value and makes the quantities actually recorded more meaningful to compare.

1. Consistency vs. Intensity

The Baseline Model focuses primarily on consistency rather than intensity. The benefits of consistency within the Baseline Model can be illustrated using daily push-ups as an example. Doing 200 push-ups or more every day is impressive. However, if this habit is performed only irregularly and, for example, paused again after a week, the achievement itself remains impressive, but the habit has not become a lasting part of everyday life. Instead, defining a Baseline of 10 push-ups per day makes it easier to integrate the habit into everyday life, even on days with less time or motivation. There is also nothing wrong with increasing the intensity over time and, depending on personal fitness progress, achieving significantly more – even 200 push-ups per day.

✨ Insight

I have kept a Baseline of 10 for my “Push-ups” habit, even though I do 60 push-ups or more on some days. With a daily minimum of 60 push-ups, I would certainly have broken my streak more often – and I might even have abandoned the habit altogether.

Consistency rather than intensity: A realistic Baseline helps maintain a habit even on days with less motivation.

Most people have probably spent a Sunday binge-watching or doing other passive activities on the couch at some point. Even with a balanced lifestyle and plenty of exercise during the week, I often feel exhausted and low after a day like that. Every now and then, however, days like these are important to me for relaxing and simply switching off. Nevertheless, there is nothing wrong with investing a few minutes in my habits even on those days. I usually need less than 30 seconds to do 10 push-ups. On good days, I may do 60 push-ups or more, but on a Sunday like this, I probably would not be willing to do that many. With a correspondingly high minimum quantity, I would be more likely to skip the push-ups entirely that day.

With the Baseline Model, I stay on track even on less motivating days and avoid making a habit of skipping my push-ups.

💡 Learning

Quantity-based habits should be measurable in order to track personal progress. Even with a low Baseline (minimum quantity), it is perfectly fine to work intensively on a habit and exceed the Baseline. However, regularly sticking with a habit is crucial for integrating it into everyday life over the long term. Consistency is more important than maximum intensity.

2. Quantity-Based Habits in Ninety Days

As part of implementing quantity-based habits in my app Ninety Days, I also integrated the Baseline Model. To make progress with these habits visible, quantity tracking first needs to be enabled on the Add/Edit screen. A basic distinction is made between binary and quantity-based habits. Binary habits can have the states “completed” or “not completed.” Quantity-based habits extend these two states by allowing quantities between 0 and 999,999 to be recorded. To enable quantity tracking for a habit, simply turn on the “Track Quantity” option. Then enter a Baseline > 0 and select an appropriate unit.

Current units and examples

Daily quantity tracking takes place directly in the habit overview or detail view. Tapping the “Baseline” button automatically suggests the stored minimum quantity for saving.

In addition, when the current day is marked as completed, the Baseline quantity is automatically saved if no quantity has yet been recorded for the habit on that day.

In the conventional calendar view, quantity-based habits can be switched to a quantity view. Instead of calendar days, the quantities recorded on the corresponding days are displayed. The Baseline Model is also visualized. The red dashed line represents the Baseline, while the green line represents the quantities recorded over the selected period.

Comparing the recorded quantities with the Baseline makes personal progress visible over a longer period of time. The goal is not to exceed the Baseline every day. Instead, it serves as a reference value that makes fluctuations and long-term developments easier to identify. For example, it becomes visible whether the recorded quantities remain stable over a longer period of time, increasingly exceed the Baseline, or whether personal performance has already become consistently established above the Baseline.

💡 Learning

A Baseline does not define the maximum of what can be achieved. It serves as an anchor and a realistic starting point for the long-term development and integration of habits into everyday life.

I wish you every success with the Baseline Model and with developing new habits using Ninety Days.

Andreas Stein