Self-anthropology is the practice of studying your own life with the same systematic, observational approach that anthropologists use to study cultures and human behavior. Instead of examining an external community or society, the analytical lens is turned inward to understand one’s own patterns, behaviors, and experiences.
The primary tool for practicing self-anthropology is keeping personal field notes - timestamped observations throughout one’s day that captures personal thoughts, feelings, interactions, energy levels, and anything else that catches one’s attention. These notes serve as raw data that can later be analyzed to identify patterns and insights about one’s self.
These field notes differ from regular journaling. It emphasizes real-time observation rather than retrospective reflection, focuses on pattern recognition through systematic data collection, and maintains the objective, curious stance of a researcher studying human behaviour.