Mood journal: what to write and track, with examples
By the MOJO team · Updated · 2 min read
The short answer
A useful mood journal records three things every day: your mood (a word and a 1-5 rating), the context (sleep, activity, people, events) and a sentence on why you think you felt that way. After two to four weeks, look for links between your mood and that context. That's where the insight is.
What to track each day
- Mood: one word (calm, anxious, flat, happy) and a rating from 1 to 5.
- Sleep: hours and how well you slept.
- Activity: movement, time outdoors, hobbies.
- People: who you spent time with.
- Events: anything notable, good or bad.
- Why: one sentence on what you think drove your mood.
Example entries
"Calm, 4/5. Slept 7.5 hours. Walked at lunch, dinner with my sister. Felt good because work was quiet and I got outside."
"Anxious, 2/5. Slept 5 hours. No exercise. Big presentation tomorrow, too much coffee, kept checking email late."
Choosing a mood scale
Keep it simple. A 1-5 scale is easy to use every day, and a mood word adds the nuance a number can't. Consistency matters more than precision: use the same scale every day.
Reading your mood journal
- Compare your best and worst days. What was different?
- Look at sleep the night before low days.
- Check which activities show up on good days.
- Notice weekly rhythms: is one day consistently harder?
Let the journal fill itself in
Logging all of this by hand is where most mood journals die. With MOJO you just say how your day went; it picks out your mood, sleep and activity, keeps your words as a journal entry, and shows you the patterns once it has enough days.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a mood journal and a mood tracker?
A mood tracker records ratings; a mood journal adds context and your own words. Combining both gives you the clearest picture of why your mood changes.
How long before a mood journal shows patterns?
Usually two to four weeks of daily entries.
This guide is general wellbeing information, not medical advice. If you're worried about your mental health, talk to a doctor or mental health professional.