I know some members use apps or notepads on their phones or computers and lock their devices after use. You could also use a journal and just take point form notes so that you remember what you were thinking and then return to take more time on the thought record later. Try to make at least one thought record a day but don't feel pressured to do more then that if you are busy. With more practice you will be able to complete the thought record more quickly.
It may take some time to figure out what works for you. Let us know what you discover.
Hi Super Girl... I think it comes down to making it a priority and keeping it simple. You can keep your record in a simple notebook... jot down what you are doing, how you are feeling without analyzing or going into great detail. Keep it on top of the refrigerator or anyplace handy where others can't see it. Or keep track on your smart phone if you have one. The point is to be mindful about what is going on in your life. No need to analyze everything every minute. Just be aware. You can look back later, when you have more time, to figure your patterns of behavior and emotional triggers. I hope this helps. ~m
I have a question about thought records. I understand how to do them, and I want to work on completing these each day. My problem is that I feel like this is something I want to do privately and I am just never, ever alone. It is very rare that I have "down time" or time to myself and when I do, I'm scrambling to take advantage of the time by working on my dissertation. I don't want to be writing about events that make me stressed or angry or spark negative thoughts while I'm with my kids and my husband. (A lot of the time the "events" have to do with them, so I don't want them to see or read what I'm writing. I worry about hurting their feelings and about their reactions to how I'm working through my depression.) But if I don't do it immediately, I will forget how I feel and if my mood improves later in the day I will just brush off what happened earlier to make me upset. So, this is more of a logistics question about how people physically manage to complete the thought records. Does anyone have suggestions for how I can fit this activity in each day?
