Did you know that there are scientific tools to understand and manage your emotions? Based on the neuroscientific concepts and psychology, these tools help one transform their chaotic emotions into predictable, manageable patterns. The best part is that those tools are surprisingly simple and affordable.
Here they are.
#1: Mood diaries
A mood diary is a mental health tool that helps one collect their emotions and triggers and see how they interconnect with their thoughts and behaviors. Mood diaries can come in the form of notebooks or digital apps like Liven — here what is Liven for your self-discovery journey — with journaling and mood-tracking features, which make the whole process simpler and faster.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) uses mood diaries to help one pinpoint unhelpful thoughts, emotions, the environmental stressors which cause those, and discover one’s maladaptive and healthy coping behaviors in order to change the former and strengthen the latter.
🌱 Bonus tip: To start journaling fast and easy, use the following tips:
- Start with 2–3 sentences — not full pages;
- Use prompts like “Today I felt ___ because ___”;
- Set a timer for 3-5 minutes and write without overthinking;
- Track only one thing at first — mood, energy, or stress level.
#2: Daily emotional check-ins
An emotional check-in is that pause we all need to tap into our feelings and physical sensations in the moment and find what we need to do next to feel grounded and support our nervous system.
The pause is brief and non-judgemental.
Here is a short instruction on how to do an emotional check-in.
- Close your eyes. Ideally, find peaceful surroundings or use headphones to disconnect from the external stimuli.
- Take a few deep breaths. Every time, slowly breathe out to calm your nervous system.
- With your eyes closed and the body relaxed as much as possible, ask yourself a few questions.
What am I thinking right now? For instance, you might be worried about too many chores on your list and not enough time to do them;
What is the one word which characterizes my emotional state right now? That word might be ‘stressed’ or ‘overwhelmed;’
What is the one thing which I can do right now to feel better? In this situation, you might take a five-minute pause to reset or delegate some tasks to your partner.
🌱 Bonus tip: You can combine mood tracking with the emotional check-in for greater accuracy and quicker emotional regulation.
#3: Any mindfulness practice
You can choose whether it’s yoga, meditation, mindful body scan, or any other practice. These practices help you slow down, ground your nervous system, and identify automatic thoughts and feelings without judging them.
If you’ve already tried these practices or they simply don’t sound joyful, try the following ones:
- Mindful walking. Let’s say you go to the park during your lunch break. Focus on the color of the leaves and the smell in the air. Notice sounds, textures, and temperature;
- Mindful eating. Take a small bite. Focus on the taste, the texture, the smell, and the sensations in your mouth as you chew. Eat slowly and attentively;
- Mindful observing. Or mindful sitting. This is when you’re commuting to work or taking a break and observing your thoughts and worries passing by as if they were cars or strangers in the street, “there goes worry,” “there goes stress.” The key is to stay curious and not judge.
Over time, mindfulness practices improve your self-awareness and help identify triggers before they impact your mood.
They also give you a space to choose so you can calmly respond to the trigger and reduce emotional intensity as these practices often encourage you to name the emotion.
🌱 Bonus tip: Not enough time? Try micro-meditation.
- Take 3 slow breaths while noticing your chest rising and falling;
- Relax your shoulders consciously;
- Place your hand on your heart for 10 seconds.
The key is to pause and bring your awareness back to your body.
#4: The HALT check-in
HALT is an abbreviation for ‘Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired.’ It’s a very simple, quick-response exercise that helps one identify triggers for their mood crashing or an intense urge to react.
The core at the HALT is the idea that when our basic physiological needs stay unmet, it’s an easier getaway to an emotional crisis.
Here are 4 critical questions to ask yourself when you feel cranky next time:
- Hungry? It’s harder to regulate emotions when your blood sugar is low;
- Angry? Look for the source of your crankiness and think of the solution to neutralize it;
- Lonely? Reach out when you need positive social connection or support;
- Tired? When you haven’t slept well, emotions can run higher than ever.
🌱 Bonus tip: Write down your answers each time you ask yourself HALT to see which of these 4 areas need your attention. Then focus on one area at a time for 1–2 weeks. For instance, if hunger is your weak point, then work on your food-prep schedule, take foods to chew on when hangry (nuts, fruit, granola bars), or learn some easy recipes so you can meal-prep effortlessly.
#5: Psychometric tests
Psychometric tests are tools that have been developed under the guidance of clinical psychologists and in carefully controlled research conditions. You can definitely stay assured that these assessments are valid, reliable, and very informative.
Here are top 3 psychometric tests to explore your emotional wellbeing:
- Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Helps evaluate the intensity of positive and negative emotions, hence, understand one’s overall emotional tone;
- Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). These measure three fundamental emotional states and help identify one’s emotional distress patterns;
- Emotional Needs Audit (ENA). Evaluates how well your core emotional needs (safety, connection, meaning, autonomy, etc.) are being met.
⚠️ Please note that only a licensed mental healthcare specialist can make a clinical diagnosis and recommend treatment.
You can find these tests online and even measure changes in your emotional state over time, but they are not a substitute for professional evaluation and should be used as a self-awareness tool, not a diagnostic instrument.
Final Thoughts
These science-backed tools are simple, accessible, and can fit into any routine. What matters most is consistency as even a few minutes a day can ground you and offer mental clarity.
So, give yourself time, stay patient, and see what works for you.
