3 of 5 areas were in place on at least 4 days a week.
Joy and masteryThings you do because they are pleasant or give a sense of achievement
5.3 days a weekIn place
Thinking habitsHow you meet your thoughts, especially when things are hard
5.3 days a weekIn place
Goals and directionSmall steps towards something that matters to you
2.2 days a weekPartly
Daily routinesSleep, movement and food: the foundation of everyday life
4.2 days a weekIn place
ConnectionContact with people who matter to you
2.2 days a weekPartly
4 days
How you have been over the past week
Very bad
Quite bad
Mixed
Quite good
Very good
A single question, not a validated measure. It is most useful to see whether it changes along with your habits.
This is a checklist for self-reflection, not a test that measures mental health or makes a diagnosis. We wrote the questions ourselves, and your answers are not compared with other people's. The number for each area is the average of the days you gave. We use 4 days a week as a reasonable target.
Where to start
Pick one of the areas below and try one small step this week. Small changes you actually make matter more than big plans.
Goals and direction
Small steps towards something that matters to you
Write down one goal for the next four weeks and split it into steps that take less than half an hour.
Decide the evening before what the most important thing is that you want to get done tomorrow.
Arrange something you look forward to, and put a date on it.
Connection
Contact with people who matter to you
Message someone you have not talked to in a while and suggest meeting up.
When someone asks how you are, try answering a little more honestly than "fine".
Do something small for someone else this week: help out, call, or say something kind.
If you have been feeling low for a while, or things do not improve after a couple of weeks of small changes, it is a good idea to talk to your doctor. If you need to talk to someone now, contact a local helpline, and in an emergency call your local emergency number.
Your four-week plan
Pick one or two areas. You get one small step each week, and you can add the plan to your calendar with reminders.
Week 1
Goals and direction: Write down one goal for the coming weeks, and why it matters to you.
Connection: Send a message to one person every day.
Week 2
Goals and direction: Split the goal into small steps, and do one of them every day.
Connection: Arrange to meet someone in person this week.
Week 3
Goals and direction: Decide the evening before what the most important thing is that you want to get done tomorrow.
Connection: Tell someone a little more honestly how you are really doing.
Week 4
Goals and direction: Look back at what you have achieved, and arrange something to look forward to.
Connection: Do something kind for someone, or join in on something with other people.
Take the checklist again after two and four weeks to see what has changed.
How often
The calendar file is made in your browser. We do not store the plan, and the reminders come from your own calendar.
Your next test
Other tests that go well with this one. Each shows a different side.
The checklist was made by bigfive-test.com. The five areas build on research on everyday activities and mental health, including the MindSpot Clinic at Macquarie University in Australia, which has found that people who do such activities regularly are more likely to have good mental health. The questions and suggestions are our own, and the checklist has not been validated as a measure.