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AnxietyAidTools

Evidence-based mental health tools
5 min/day

Daily Mood & Activity Check-In

A brief daily record for noticing mood, activities, and what may have influenced how your day felt.

Mood & Depression
Beginner
5 min/day
Daily Mood & Activity Check-In
Pro download PDF & PNG

Overview

Print for offline use during therapy or self-practice

Unlock with Pro · $19Open in Dashboard

Printable PDF and PNG formats available in your Pro dashboard

When to Use

  • When you want a brief daily snapshot of mood and activity
  • When low mood, withdrawal, or low energy makes patterns hard to see
  • Before or alongside a behavioral activation practice
  • When reviewing what may have affected your mood or energy

How to Use

  1. 1
    Set aside about five minutes at the same point each day.
  2. 2
    List the main activities you did, including rest, routine tasks, and time with people.
  3. 3
    Note your mood and energy, then capture one brief reflection about what you noticed.
  4. 4
    Look for patterns without treating one day as a verdict.
  5. 5
    Use what you learned to choose one small, realistic activity or support for the next day.
  6. 6
    For advance planning across the week, switch to the Behavioral Activation Schedule.

The Daily Mood & Activity Check-In is an activity-monitoring worksheet informed by behavioral activation. It helps you pause once a day to record what you did, how you felt, and what you noticed about the connection between activity and mood.

Use it for observation rather than judgment. Record the activities you did, your mood and energy, and any reflection that may help you understand the day.

Unlike the weekly Behavioral Activation Schedule, this worksheet is for brief daily noticing and reflection after the day unfolds. Use the schedule to plan activities across the week; use this check-in to learn from what actually happened and guide your next small step.

Research & References

  • Jacobson, N. S., Martell, C. R., & Dimidjian, S. (2001). Behavioral activation treatment for depression: Returning to contextual roots. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 8(3), 255-270.
  • Kanter, J. W., Manos, R. C., Bowe, W. M., Baruch, D. E., Busch, A. M., & Rusch, L. C. (2010). What is behavioral activation? A review of the empirical literature. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(6), 608-620.