Mindfulness of Daily Life

A three-step Breathworks pacing programme to understand your activity patterns, manage your symptoms, and gradually improve your quality of life

Step 1

Keep a Diary

For 7 days, record every activity with its duration and your pain and tension levels (0–10). Note whether each activity increased (+), reduced (−), or didn't change (0) your symptoms. Mark rest periods R.

Step 2

Analyse

Categorise activities into three columns: those that increase symptoms, those with no effect, and those that help. Check rest patterns too — are you resting very unevenly across the week?

Step 3

Set Baselines

Find the shortest time a problematic activity caused a flare-up. Multiply by 80% — that's your baseline. Use a timer to stick to it, then gradually increase your tolerance over time.

Part 1 — Daily Activity Diary
1

Today's Activity Diary

Fill this in each day for 7 days. Record every activity — however small. Note the time, duration, your pain and tension levels at the end (0 = none, 10 = worst imaginable), and whether the activity increased, decreased, or didn't affect your symptoms.

0 = no change in pain + = increased pain − = decreased pain R = rest period
Time
Activity
Time Taken
Pain (0–10)
Tension (0–10)
0 / + / − / R
Part 2 — Diary Analysis (Complete After 7 Days)
2

Diary Analysis

After completing 7 days of diary, transfer your activities into the three columns below. This reveals patterns you may not have noticed — which activities aggravate symptoms, which help, and which make no difference. Include activity durations.

+ Extra Pain
0 No Change
− Reduced Pain
Part 3 — Rest Period Analysis
3

Rest Period Analysis

Note your rest periods from across your diary days. Are some days much more or less restful than others? Distributing rest more evenly — with shorter, more regular rests — can help stabilise symptoms.

Date Length of rest periods (mins/hours) Total number Total time
Part 4 — Baseline Record
4

Baseline Record

Look at the '+' column in your diary analysis. Find the shortest time you spent on the activity that caused a flare-up. Your baseline is 80% of this. Start there — then gradually increase over time.

Minimum flare-up time: mins × 80% =
—
mins (your baseline)
Date Level Achieved Notes

Saved Entries

Based on the Breathworks pacing programme. © Breathworks CIC. Adapted for ChatCBT with permission.