Describe the situation plainly
Use a short observation: a message has not been answered, a meeting was difficult, or a plan changed. Keep interpretations for the thought field.
Observe before you conclude
An observation and a prediction can feel equally certain when they arrive together. A thought record makes room to examine that difference without requiring you to argue yourself into feeling good.
A workflow you can use
Name the feeling
Write a feeling and optional intensity in your own words. The aim is to make the experience legible, not to grade it.
Check both sides of the thought
Record what supports the interpretation and what does not fit it. Do not force a positive conclusion when the evidence is mixed.
Choose a balanced next statement
Write something you can honestly believe, followed by a small action if one would help. You can return to the record later with new information.
Put the idea into practice
A concrete example
Situation: my colleague has not replied today. Thought: they are annoyed with me. Other evidence: they said they had back-to-back meetings. Balanced statement: I do not yet know why they have not replied; I can follow up tomorrow.
When to use the iPhone app
Groundwork's listing describes an iPhone journal with thought records, values check-ins and behavioral experiments. It states that journal entries remain on the device and that the app is not therapy or a diagnostic tool.
Know the boundary
This worksheet supports reflection; it cannot diagnose or treat a condition and is not monitored by a person. It does not produce automated psychological judgments. Browser extensions or a shared device may be able to access text on a page.
Private thought-record worksheet
A thought record separates what happened from what your mind concluded. This worksheet gives each part its own space: situation, feeling, automatic thought, evidence and a balanced next statement. You can download the record or clear it when you are finished.
Your entries stay in the current page unless you download them. There is no automatic save, account or text upload. Leave any field blank if writing it is not useful.
Inputs are processed in this page. Nothing is submitted to the app or a business. Download a result to keep it; this page does not automatically save your work.
What to keep in mind
This worksheet supports reflection; it cannot diagnose or treat a condition and is not monitored by a person. It does not produce automated psychological judgments. Browser extensions or a shared device may be able to access text on a page.
Explore Groundwork
Private thought-record worksheet
A thought record separates what happened from what your mind concluded. This worksheet gives each part its own space: situation, feeling, automatic thought, evidence and a balanced next statement. You can download the record or clear it when you are finished.
Open this toolSeparate an observation from a prediction
An observation and a prediction can feel equally certain when they arrive together. A thought record makes room to examine that difference without requiring you to argue yourself into feeling good.
Read this guideGroundwork vs Daylio for journaling
Choose the entry format you can comfortably repeat. A written thought record and a mood/activity log answer different questions. App descriptions do not establish clinical effectiveness for an individual.
Read the comparisonTake the next step
with Groundwork.
Groundwork's listing describes an iPhone journal with thought records, values check-ins and behavioral experiments. It states that journal entries remain on the device and that the app is not therapy or a diagnostic tool.
View Groundwork on the App StoreThe current listing requires iOS 26.0 or later. Some features have additional device requirements. Check the listing and purchase screen for current availability and terms.