Real-world examples of weekly mood tracking checklist templates

If you’ve ever thought, “I wish I could actually see how my mood changes week to week,” you’re in the right place. This guide walks you through real, practical examples of weekly mood tracking checklist templates you can start using today. We’ll look at examples of simple pen-and-paper layouts, app-inspired formats, and even a Sunday reflection checklist you can copy and tweak. Instead of staying stuck in your head, these examples of examples of weekly mood tracking checklist example layouts help you put your emotional patterns on paper. You’ll see how to track mood alongside sleep, stress, movement, and social time, without turning it into a full-time job. We’ll talk about how people actually use these tools in 2024–2025, how to keep it quick and honest, and how to spot patterns that might be worth bringing to a therapist or doctor. Think of this as a friendly, step-by-step menu of options. You pick the examples that fit your life and ignore the rest.
Written by
Taylor
Published

Quick-start examples of weekly mood tracking checklist layouts

Let’s skip the theory and go straight to examples. When people search for examples of examples of weekly mood tracking checklist example layouts, they’re usually looking for something they can literally copy into a notebook, spreadsheet, or notes app.

Below are several real examples you can adapt. Each one is designed to take just a few minutes a day, because if your checklist feels like homework, you won’t use it.


Example of a simple 1–10 weekly mood tracker

If you like numbers and minimal fuss, this is one of the best examples to start with.

Imagine a page with the days of the week across the top: Monday through Sunday. Down the side, you write a few prompts:

  • Overall mood (1–10)
  • Energy level (1–10)
  • Stress level (1–10)
  • Sleep quality (poor / okay / good)

Each evening, you quickly rate your day. Over the week, you might see patterns like:

  • Mondays and Tuesdays always feel like a 3 or 4, maybe because of work stress.
  • Fridays jump to 7 or 8 after you go to your favorite class at the gym.
  • Sleep quality lines up with mood more than you expected.

This is one of the clearest examples of a weekly mood tracking checklist example that works for people who want data without writing paragraphs. It’s especially helpful if you want something to share with a therapist, psychiatrist, or primary care doctor, because the numbers tell a quick story.


Color-coded weekly mood tracking checklist (for visual thinkers)

If you’re more visual, this example of a weekly mood tracking checklist uses colors instead of numbers.

You create a simple key:

  • Green = calm / content
  • Yellow = stressed / anxious but functional
  • Orange = very low / very anxious
  • Red = crisis / thoughts of self-harm
  • Blue = sad but stable

Then you draw a small grid with seven boxes for the week. Each day, you color in the box that best matches your overall mood. Underneath the grid, you add three tiny checkboxes:

  • Took meds as prescribed
  • Moved my body (walk, stretch, workout)
  • Connected with someone (text, call, in person)

Over a month, you can see:

  • Are there more green days when you move your body?
  • Do red days cluster around specific triggers (holidays, certain work deadlines)?
  • Are you skipping meds or social time on the hardest days?

This is one of the best examples of a weekly mood tracking checklist example for people managing anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder who want a quick visual snapshot. Many therapists love this style because you can glance at the colors and spot trends fast.


Examples of weekly mood tracking checklist example for work stress

Work is a huge mood driver for a lot of us, so it deserves its own layout. Here’s a practical example of a weekly mood tracking checklist focused on work and burnout.

Across the top of the page, you still have Monday through Sunday. Down the side, your prompts look like this:

  • Work stress (low / medium / high)
  • Sense of accomplishment (1–5)
  • Time spent working outside normal hours (none / a little / a lot)
  • Physical tension (none / shoulders / jaw / headaches / stomach)
  • End-of-day mood word (one word only)

Each evening, you quickly circle or jot down your answers. By the end of the week, you might notice:

  • High work stress plus lots of after-hours work equals more headaches.
  • On days you feel some sense of accomplishment, your mood word is more hopeful.
  • Sundays are already tense because you’re dreading Monday.

These kinds of real examples of weekly mood tracking checklist example formats are helpful if you’re trying to decide whether you’re just busy or edging toward burnout. If your grid shows high stress and physical tension almost every day, that’s useful information to bring to a manager, HR, or a mental health professional.

For more on how stress affects your body and mood, the American Psychological Association has a helpful overview: https://www.apa.org/topics/stress


Weekly mood tracker linked to sleep, food, and movement

Mood doesn’t live in a vacuum. In 2024–2025, a lot of people are looking for examples that connect mental health with sleep, nutrition, and exercise.

Here’s an example of a weekly mood tracking checklist example that ties those pieces together.

For each day of the week, you track:

  • Mood (1–10)
  • Sleep hours (number)
  • Sleep quality (poor / okay / good)
  • Movement (none / light / moderate / intense)
  • Food pattern (skipped meals / regular meals / lots of sugar)
  • Screen time after 9 p.m. (yes / no)

At the end of the week, you add a short reflection:

  • “My best mood days included…”
  • “My lowest mood days included…”

Examples include noticing that your best mood days often follow nights with 7–8 hours of sleep and a walk outside, while low mood days tend to show up after late-night scrolling and skipped meals.

This is one of the best examples for people who suspect their lifestyle habits are tied to their emotional health but need proof on paper. It lines up with what research shows about sleep, exercise, and depression. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has accessible information on depression and lifestyle factors here: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression


Sunday reflection: weekly mood check-in checklist

Some people hate daily tracking but love a weekly ritual. If that’s you, this example of a weekly mood tracking checklist only takes 10–15 minutes on Sunday.

You sit down with your planner or notes app and answer prompts like:

  • Overall mood this week (circle one): very low / low / mixed / okay / good / great
  • Three words that describe this week emotionally
  • One high point and one low point
  • Times I felt most like myself
  • Times I felt most overwhelmed
  • One thing that helped my mood
  • One thing that drained my mood
  • Support I might need next week (rest, boundaries, therapy, talking to a friend)

This style is one of the gentlest examples of examples of weekly mood tracking checklist example layouts. It works well if you’re already stretched thin or recovering from burnout and don’t want another daily task. Over a month or two, you can flip back through your Sunday reflections and see how your emotional landscape is shifting.


Examples of weekly mood tracking checklist example for anxiety & panic

If anxiety or panic attacks are your main struggle, your checklist might look a little different.

Here’s a realistic example someone with anxiety might use across the week:

For each day, track:

  • Baseline anxiety (0–10)
  • Number of panic spikes (0, 1, 2, 3+)
  • Triggers noticed (crowds, driving, work meeting, conflict, unknown)
  • Coping skills used (breathing, grounding, medication, talking to someone)
  • Did the coping skill help? (not really / somewhat / yes)
  • End-of-day mood word

By the end of the week, examples include insights like:

  • Driving on the highway is your biggest trigger.
  • When you use grounding techniques, panic spikes are shorter.
  • Days with no breaks and constant multitasking push your baseline anxiety above 7.

This kind of weekly mood tracking checklist example can be incredibly helpful to bring into therapy. It gives your therapist specific, concrete data to work with rather than a vague, “I’ve been more anxious lately.”

For more information on anxiety and panic, you can read the NIMH overview here: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders


Relationship-focused weekly mood tracking examples

Relationships—romantic, family, friends—have a big impact on how we feel. Here’s an example of a weekly mood tracking checklist example that focuses on connection.

Each day, you jot down:

  • Overall mood (1–10)
  • Quality of interactions (supportive / neutral / tense / conflict)
  • Time spent with others (none / a little / a lot)
  • One interaction that stood out (good or bad)
  • Did I express my needs today? (yes / no / tried)

Over time, real examples of patterns might include:

  • Your mood is noticeably higher on days you have even a short, honest conversation with a friend.
  • Certain relationships consistently leave you feeling drained or small.
  • Conflict days don’t always equal bad mood days if you felt heard and respected.

This is one of the best examples for people working on boundaries, communication, or healing from codependent patterns. It puts a spotlight on how your connections shape your emotional world.

For more on healthy relationships and mental health, the Mayo Clinic has a helpful overview: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/relationships/art-20044858


How to choose the best examples for your real life

With all these examples of examples of weekly mood tracking checklist example templates, it’s easy to feel like you need to use everything. You don’t.

Here’s a simple way to pick what fits:

  • If you like numbers and quick entries, lean toward the 1–10 mood tracker or the anxiety-focused example.
  • If you’re visual, the color-coded grid will probably feel more natural.
  • If you’re working on burnout, the work-stress or lifestyle-linked examples include the details you need.
  • If you’re exhausted or overwhelmed, the Sunday reflection checklist might be the most sustainable.

You can also mix and match. Maybe you:

  • Use a color-coded box each day, and
  • Do a short Sunday reflection to tie the week together.

The best examples are the ones you’ll actually use. If a weekly mood tracking checklist example feels heavy, complicated, or guilt-inducing, it’s not the right one for you.


Tips to keep your weekly mood tracking habit realistic

Here’s where a lot of people get stuck: they start strong, then stop after a week or two. A few gentle guidelines can help your checklist stick.

Keep it tiny. Aim for 1–3 minutes per day. If your examples of weekly mood tracking checklist example layouts require long paragraphs, you’ll skip them on busy days.

Pair it with an existing habit. Fill it out after brushing your teeth, during your morning coffee, or when you plug in your phone at night.

Focus on patterns, not perfection. You don’t need to capture every feeling. You’re looking for trends over time—like sleep, stress, and mood moving together.

Use it as information, not judgment. Your checklist is not a report card. It’s a map. If the map shows more low days than you’d like, that’s a sign to get support, not a reason to beat yourself up.

Share it if you want support. A weekly mood tracking checklist example can be a powerful tool in therapy or medical appointments. The CDC and NIMH both emphasize early recognition of mental health changes; your notes can help you describe those changes clearly.

CDC mental health resources: https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/index.htm


When your weekly mood tracker says, “You might need more help”

Sometimes, the patterns you see in these examples of weekly mood tracking checklist example layouts point to something bigger than a rough week.

Pay attention if your tracker shows:

  • Several weeks of very low mood scores
  • Frequent thoughts of self-harm or feeling like you don’t want to be here
  • Panic spikes most days
  • Red or orange days almost every day on your color chart

That’s not a failure on your part. It’s information—evidence that you deserve more support.

At that point, it’s worth reaching out to:

  • A therapist or counselor
  • Your primary care doctor
  • A psychiatrist, if you have access

In the U.S., if you’re in immediate distress, you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. They can help you figure out next steps and connect you with local resources.

Your weekly mood tracking checklist example doesn’t replace professional care, but it can be a powerful companion. It helps you walk into an appointment with concrete examples instead of trying to summarize months of feelings in five minutes.


FAQ: examples of weekly mood tracking checklists

Q: What are some easy examples of weekly mood tracking checklist layouts for beginners?
Simple examples include a 1–10 daily mood rating with a single word to describe the day, or a color-coded weekly grid with one color per mood. Another beginner-friendly example of a weekly mood tracking checklist is the Sunday reflection format, where you summarize your overall mood, highs, lows, and one thing that helped.

Q: Is there an example of a weekly mood tracking checklist I can use with my therapist?
Yes. One strong example is a weekly page where you record mood (1–10), sleep hours, stress level, and any major events or triggers each day. Many therapists appreciate checklists that also note use of coping skills and medication, because those details help guide treatment decisions.

Q: Can I use these examples of weekly mood tracking checklist example formats if I already use a mental health app?
Absolutely. Many people use a paper checklist alongside an app. You might let the app handle quick daily ratings, then use a weekly checklist to reflect more deeply on patterns, triggers, and what actually helped your mood.

Q: How long should I keep using the same weekly mood tracking checklist example?
Use it for at least a few weeks so you can see patterns. After a month or two, feel free to adjust. The best examples evolve with you—if you notice you never fill out certain sections, simplify. If you realize you want more detail on sleep or relationships, add a prompt.

Q: Are there real examples of people improving their mental health with weekly mood tracking?
Yes. Many people report that mood tracking helps them notice early warning signs of depression or burnout, connect lifestyle habits with emotional shifts, and communicate more clearly with providers and loved ones. It’s not a magic fix, but it’s a practical, low-pressure tool that often becomes part of a broader self-care routine.


If you take nothing else from all these examples of examples of weekly mood tracking checklist example templates, let it be this: your feelings deserve to be noticed. A simple weekly page in a notebook might be the first, quiet step toward taking your mental health seriously—and that’s worth the few minutes it takes.

Explore More Mental Health Checklists

Discover more examples and insights in this category.

View All Mental Health Checklists