Data

These observations are for Psy 409b Report 2 in hopes of finding out more information about my own personal spin cycle (the links are found at the bottom of the page). I monitored certain behaviors at approximately the same time each day to ensure that the same stimulus was present to break down my behavior to find out the source of my feelings, thoughts, and actions. The observations span a 6 day time period - 3 days to observe my behavior and 3 more days to practice the spin cycle with the observed behavior. The last 3 consecutive days were to incorporate what I know about the bridge technique to alter my negative behaviors to positive ones.

One of my behaviors that I'm trying to monitor is my negative attitudes about waking up in the morning. I have to wake up earlier than the average student because I need to commute and get to class on time, not to mention to find parking. It is a constant struggle for me to wake up at the first sound of my alarm because usually I go to bed late and get about 4-5 hours of sleep. I have conditioned myself to be able to live off of 4 hours (and sometimes less) of sleep. I know that it is important to get a good nights rest, so that is why I am also trying to monitor myself before going to bed to get myself to sleep earlier.

Another behavior that I'm monitoring is my attitude towards my parents and grandma. I am hardly home these days and I tend to be less patient with my parents and grandma. This is something that I would like to fix because I should be pleasant and patient, especially with those whom I love. My parents and grandma are older than other parents of people my age. So with age comes times that they don't understand where I am coming from all the time. I have to learn to take time to spend with them to explain and let them know what my view points are instead of assuming they won't understand.

Day 1:

FEELING: tired, sleepy,not alert

THINKING: I woke up but did not get up. I have my alarm set up away from my bed for the main purpose of making myself get up to walk over to the alarm to turn it off. I thought that by putting the alarm in walking distance, then by walking (and getting out of bed to feel the cool morning air) would stimulate my body to feel more awake. However, this method does not work and I hurriedly turn off my alarm while rushing back to my warm covers. A thought passes through my mind as I remember my project, but I reject the thought and close my eyes to sleep for a couple my minutes. My alarm goes off about 10 minutes later. I jump out of bed, turn off the alarm, and hop back into bed. I lay there thinking of how I should be getting up but of how tired I feel. I think to myself of how I should have just gone to sleep instead of reading those last couple of pages in my textbook. Then at least I would have gotten more sleep. But my going to bed late is reinforced by the fact that I got work done. I begin to tell myself how rediculous this whole cycle of 4 hours of sleep is. I look at the clock and see that I can push a couple more minutes of staying in warm in bed. So, I stay until I know I'll hit heavy traffic if I don't get ready and out of bed.

DOING: I stumble out of bed and turn off my alarm at least 2 times. I don't successfully get up at the first sound of the alarm.

RATING: overall stress point - 6

satisfaction with myself - 5

dissatisfaction with others - 4

overall effectiveness/productivity - 7

overall coping of my feelings - 8

level of hope for future - 8

level of negativity around me - 4

Day 2:

FEELING: tired, irratated, sleepy

THINKING: Another morning of monitoring. I start to think if it will be possible to alter my morning routine. Aagh! My alarm goes off again to remind me the day has yet to be started. I'm feeling happy that these days are just observation days and that I don't have to try to change my behavior just yet. I am also finding that it is difficult to keep record of what I am thinking and feeling because I am so focused on trying to maximize my sleep time.

DOING: I heard the alarm go off and ignored it for a minute or two while I listened to the song that was playing on the radio. I drag myself out of bed to turn it off and go back to bed to try to get a couple more minutes of shut eye. I snuggle under my covers and all thoughts escape my mind as I doze off. I again push my sleep time to the limit of where I know that the traffic will be bad and I'll have trouble finding parking if I don't get going. I end up in the negative blue because I mentally beat myself up with thoughts of how I should have just gotten up when my alarm went off so that I wouldn't have to be stuck in traffic.

RATING: overall stress point - 7

satisfaction with myself - 6

dissatisfaction with others -5

overall effectiveness/productivity -5

overall coping of my feelings - 6

level of hope for future - 7

level of negativity around me - 6

Day 3:

FEELING: lazy, sleepy, resistent

THINKING: The last day (morning) of just observations. My alarm is still set for 5:30am while thoughts of why I don't set the stupid thing for later since I don't get up for at least another 15 minutes. Now the neighbor's rooster is screaming it's head off! I want to throw something at it to make be quiet. Once one rooster goes off other rooster's in the neighborhood start up. It's a dominoe effect! Those animals are so annoying I think. After the alarm is quieted I stand there wondering if i should go straight ahead to the bathroom to get ready or back to my nice comfy bed. I am in the negative blue because I don't want to change my behavior and I don't like doing these observations because it gets me thinking of what I really should be doing. Now I see that I need to change my way of thinking and I wonder if in the next few days I will be able to.

DOING: I lay in bed and think of how annoying the radio disc jockeys are. I think "I don't want to get up!" I still am laying in bed and I haven't even turned off the alarm yet. I lazily throw my feet over the edge of the bed and go to turn off the alarm. It doesn't take much for me to chose to get back into bed.

RATING: overall stress point - 5

satisfaction with myself - 8

dissatisfaction with others - 4

overall effectiveness/productivity - 9

overall coping of my feelings - 8

level of hope for future - 9

level of negativity around me - 3

Day 4:

FEELING: resentful, tired, determined

THINKING: Today is the day that I start modifications. My alarm was set at the same time. I decided since I was doing this project I might as well start off on the right foot (so to speak). I guess I was able to override my thoughts of tiredness and by-pass thoughts of negativity.

DOING: At first when I heard my alarm I hadn't really thought about the project and had tried to block out the noise that came from my alarm. I forced myself to get out of bed and turned off my alarm. I ended up going straight to the bathroom and I sleepily got myself ready for the day.

RATING: overall stress point - 7

satisfaction with myself - 8

dissatisfaction with others - 5

overall effectiveness/productivity - 6

overall coping of my feelings -7

level of hope for future - 7

level of negativity around me - 5

Day 5:

FEELING: exhausted, not focused, sleepy

THINKING: Day two of alterations and my alarm went off as scheduled. I didn't get to bed as early as I wanted so I am prone to be tired.

DOING: I end up getting up after hitting my alarm once. Not bad since it didn't take me my usual length of time to get myself out of bed.

RATING: overall stress point - 7

satisfaction with myself - 4

dissatisfaction with others - 4

overall effectiveness/productivity - 5

overall coping of my feelings - 6

level of hope for future - 6

level of negativity around me - 5

Day 6:

FEELING: irratation, tired, cold (so I want to stay in bed)

THINKING: The last day of observations and I still have troubles changing my thought process. I get myself up and I am not totally happy about being up but I am.

DOING: Negative thoughts do not go through my mind, but I go through my morning routine like a robot doing a task.

RATING: overall stress point - 5

satisfaction with myself - 7

dissatisfaction with others - 4

overall effectiveness/productivity - 7

overall coping of my feelings -8

level of hope for future - 8

level of negativity around me - 4

Day 1:

FEELING: I really want to stay home and have dinner with my parents, but I have to study. I'm drained from having to always go into town to study. I'm tired of having to pack my things to go into town.

THINKING: I guess this really isn't the best day to start because I see my parents for a total of maybe 2 hours. I have a lot of studying to do and planning that I am not able to spend time with them. Maybe this is a good day to start because I should modify my behavior to be home more to spend time with them. No negative thoughts have come up in the time that I am home. I am reminded of the fact, though, that my dad would like me to stay home to study instead of leaving. But I must leave because I have group study sessions that usually help me to learn the material by getting a different view on the concepts.

DOING: I leave to go study and I end up staying at my sister's apartment because I'm studying late in town.

RATING: overall stress point - 8

satisfaction with myself - 6

dissatisfaction with others - 4

overall effectiveness/productivity - 7

overall coping of my feelings - 7

level of hope for future - 8

level of negativity around me - 7

Day 2:

FEELING: I still want to stay home. I get irratated at the same question being answered.

THINKING: My thought wander to what it would be like if I didn't have to study. I want to spend more time with my family and not be out so much. My parents ask me again what I 'm going to be doing tonight and I answer that I'll be going over to my friend's house and will stay there because we have to study.

DOING: I am home long enough to switch clothes and books. I leave the house to go study again.

RATING: overall stress point -5

satisfaction with myself -6

dissatisfaction with others -4

overall effectiveness/productivity -7

overall coping of my feelings -8

level of hope for future -8

level of negativity around me -5

Day 3:

FEELING: I feel misunderstood. I feel like my parents don't listen to me. I'm overwhelmed with everything I have to do.

THINKING: Why do my parents nag me? They know I have a lot of things to do and that I do try to take care of the things at home that I need to. I have a million of to do list going off inside my head and it is becoming difficult not to snap at my mother.She's being pleasant,but her pleasantness is getting on my nerves because I don't feel like getting into an hour long discussion on family dynamics. How odd that these thoughts should be going through my head, especially since my project is to improve my family relations. I need to be more patient...just relax and enjoy this time.

DOING: I end up spending a couple extra minutes at home to talk story with my mom.At first my muscles tighten when I started talking because I was ready to leave the house, but later relaxed tofocus on the present situation and not the future events.

RATING: overall stress point -7

satisfaction with myself -8

dissatisfaction with others -3

overall effectiveness/productivity -9

overall coping of my feelings -8

level of hope for future -8

level of negativity around me -2

Day 4:

FEELING: frustrated that my parents don't want to make dinner and that my grandma decides to be difficult during dinner.

THINKING: My grandma just doesn't want to listen! I am finally home for dinner and I end up cooking for the family. My grandma is being stubborn and doesn't want to eat all her dinner. She really needs to eat because she isn't getting enough nutrients, but she doesn't want to listen to either me or my parents. Since I'm intervening in my behavior I calm myself down and remind myself that my grandma is like a little child. Her mentality is not where it use to be and she is extremely forgetful. I also remind myself to be grateful that she is a healthy as she is now and not needing too much assistance to do the simple tasks of the day (like using the restroom).

DOING: I make dinner for everyone and end up sitting with my grandma at the table until she's eaten all her food.

RATING: overall stress point -7

satisfaction with myself -7

dissatisfaction with others -5

overall effectiveness/productivity -6

overall coping of my feelings -6

level of hope for future -7

level of negativity around me -8

Day 5:

FEELING: resolution for my problem with dealing with my stubborn grandma

THINKING: Since I'm in the intervention portion of the week, I decide to alter my thinking and come up with solutions before the event occurs. Now since I know that dinner time will be a struggle with my grandma, I decide that I am going to make dinner and make sure I sit with her until she finishes eating what she needs to eat. Maybe she just wants someone to stay with her or even to monitor her eating habits. I don't know why she's being stubborn, but if I can be just as persistent then she will get the food she needs.

DOING: I make dinner again and I give my grandma a big portion. I tell her from the beginning of the meal that she needs to finish it all. I end up having to go to the bank and so I am able to just serve her her meal. When I get back I find that she ate a majority of the food and I don't hassle her about it because I did give her more than usual to make sure she ate enough. I am satified with the outcome of the situation!

RATING: overall stress point -3

satisfaction with myself -9

dissatisfaction with others -4

overall effectiveness/productivity -9

overall coping of my feelings -7

level of hope for future -9

level of negativity around me -4

Day 6:

FEELING: happy that I don't have to pack up anything. less agitated towards my parents when they ask what is planned for my schedule.

THINKING: The final day of intervention week! It has been interesting doing this project, but later on in the week my schedule lightened and I am able to spend more time at home. My dad asked me things about school and I was able to bridge by not saying anything sarcastic. I realize that he just wants to know how I'm doing and he trusts me to take care of what I need to in order to get my work done. I am grateful that he trusts me enough not to nag me about chores or anything else.

DOING: Instead of going into town to study with my friends, I study with my boyfriend and he drives out to my house. I can then spend more time with my parents and they won't feel like I'm never home.

RATING: overall stress point -4

satisfaction with myself -8

dissatisfaction with others -5

overall effectiveness/productivity -7

overall coping of my feelings -6

level of hope for future -7

level of negativity around me -3