How to Create a Mood Chart for Yourself

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Decide on which format you want to chart.

   There are many options for creating your own mood chart.
   
   The method you choose will depend on you preferences.
   
   You can create a mood chart using tables from either Microsoft Word or Excel and print several copies.
   
   You could use blank sheets of paper, a pencil, and rulers to draw your own chart.
   
   You could also simply write out the details of each day on a journal page.
   
   If you are not creative or do not want to take the time to keep up with a paper chart, you can track your mood online at websites like Mood Panda or MedHelp Mood Tracker.
   
   Or, you can keep a paper chart that you have downloaded.You also have the option to log onto the iTunes and Google Play stores and search for "mood chart" or "mood tracker" apps to download on your phone.
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   Step 2: Choose what you will be tracking.

   Mood charts can be as simple or elaborate as you like.
   
   Some people merely track their sleep, moods, anxiety and medications, while others keep tabs on sleep, mood, energy, eating, behaviors, medications and so much more.
   
   Decide which factors are most relevant or helpful to your case and include them in your chart.
   
   For the purposes of creating our chart we will be focusing on mood, anxiety, sleep, and medications by documenting them in a journal. , If you want to describe your sleep and mood status daily and also have the option of writing additional notes about what happened that day, a diary or journal would be most helpful.
   
   Buy one that is attractive to you and have at least 10 to 15 lines of space on each page.
   
   Every page in your journal will represent a day in your life. , Since we will be tracking mood, anxiety, sleep, and medications, we will only be required to develop spectrums for mood and anxiety.
   
   Sleep will be documented as hours slept, and medication will list which pills you took, at what time, and at what dosage.
   
   We can include a precise rating scale on the first page of the journal so that the ratings are always accessible.
   
   Your rating scale might look like this:1- Extremely Depressed 2- Very Depressed 3- Somewhat Depressed 4- Mildly Depressed 5- Stable 6- Mildly Manic 7- Somewhat Manic 8- Very Manic 9-Extremely Manic If you are tracking additional factors, such as anxiety, you can follow a similar protocol.
   
   Create a rating scale from 1 to 9 (or some other number) ranging from Extremely Low to Extremely High in anxiety. , If you are up for about an 18-hour period, it might be most helpful to chart three times a day
   - every six hours.
   
   Create a special spot for each time-frame in your journal and leave 3 to 4 lines open beneath the time spot.
   
   Then, leave a number of lines clear at the bottom of each pages for additional notes on your mood, energy, stressors and/or behaviors for that day.
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   Step 3: Purchase a journal.

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   Step 4: Create a rating scale from which to rate each element.

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   Step 5: Determine how many times a day you would like to chart.

Detailed Guide

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