About this resource
Before changing activity it helps to know what a typical day looks like. This log records activities hour by hour with simple ratings of mood, sense of achievement and enjoyment, so patterns can guide activity scheduling.
Purpose
To help clients and psychologists see links between activities and mood.
Who it is for
Primary profession: Psychologists. Also relevant for counsellors and therapists.
Client or participant group: Adolescents and adults with low mood, in CBT-informed or behavioural activation treatment.
Practice setting: Between psychology sessions, reviewed together.
Suggested uses
- Behavioural activation
- Understanding daily patterns
- Identifying activities that lift mood
- Reviewing progress
Instructions for practitioners
- Explain that a few days of recording is enough to start.
- Encourage recording close to the time.
- Review patterns together without judgement.
- Use findings to plan activity scheduling.
Instructions for clients or participants
- Write what you did each hour.
- Rate mood, achievement and enjoyment from 0 to 10.
- Bring the log to your session.
Accessibility considerations
Can be completed on a phone or with fewer time blocks.
Scope and limitations
An educational CBT-informed tool for use within treatment.
Research basis
Behavioural activation, which builds routine and rewarding activity, is an effective treatment for depression. Specific goals, if-then plans and regular progress monitoring all improve the chances of reaching goals.
- Ekers, D., Webster, L., Van Straten, A., Cuijpers, P., Richards, D., & Gilbody, S. (2014). Behavioural Activation for Depression; An Update of Meta-Analysis of Effectiveness and Sub Group Analysis. PLoS ONE, 9(6), e100100. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0100100
- Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation Intentions and Goal Achievement: A Meta‐analysis of Effects and Processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 69–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0065-2601(06)38002-1
- Harkin, B., Webb, T. L., Chang, B. P. I., Prestwich, A., Conner, M., Kellar, I., Benn, Y., & Sheeran, P. (2016). Does monitoring goal progress promote goal attainment? A meta-analysis of the experimental evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 142(2), 198–229. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000025
- Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year odyssey. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705–717. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066x.57.9.705
What is included
A 3-page printable A4 PDF, including a practitioner notes page with the research basis (version 1.0).
Originality
Original Practitioner Plus content: wording, activity structure, layout and icons were created for this resource. No third-party worksheets, illustrations or text were reproduced. Reflects the established use of activity monitoring in behavioural activation.
