The ideas behind the activity record

Five short reads on what an activity record is for, how to keep one, and where the method comes from. Each one cites the research it draws on and links to trusted places for further reading. Start with the first three if this is new to you.

Start here

1. How to keep an activity diary

   What it is for, what to write each hour, how to rate it, and a filled-in example day.

2. Pleasure and mastery

   The two extra ratings from the activity chart in Beck’s 1979 manual, and why they so often disagree.

3. Making sense of your record

   Times of day, days of the week, activities, avoidance, and what not to conclude.

Go deeper

1. The activity record in CBT and behavioral activation

   Where the record came from, its place in behavioral activation, and what the trials found.

2. On your own or with a therapist

   When to get support first, what a record offers on its own, and what research on self-help shows.

Elsewhere on the site

• What the evidence says, every study on one page with full references.
• Printable sheets for one day or one week on paper.
• For therapists, on using the worksheet, app, and printables with clients.

Educational content, not medical advice or a substitute for professional care.