Reading Your Energy Patterns: A Beginner's Guide

Your data tells a story

After a week or two of consistent logging, your Bounded Self dashboard starts to reveal patterns you might not notice in the moment. Here's how to read them.

The trend chart

The 7-day energy trend chart on your dashboard plots gains and expenses as overlapping areas. Look for:

• Crossover days — days where expenses overtake gains. One or two per week is normal. Three or more in a row signals a pattern worth investigating.
• Weekend vs. weekday shape — many users see a clear shift. If your weekends are consistently higher-energy, your weekday routine may need adjustment.
• Flat lines — if your trend barely moves, you may not be logging enough variety. Try adding entries for small positive moments, not just big drains.

Category breakdown

The donut chart shows where your energy goes by category. A healthy distribution has no single category consuming more than 40% of your total. If one category dominates, consider whether that reflects your values or just your habits.

Time-of-day insights

The time block chart splits your day into morning, afternoon, evening, and night. Most people have a natural peak and trough. Knowing yours lets you schedule demanding tasks during peak hours and restorative activities during troughs.

Mood correlation

Cross-reference your mood distribution with your energy direction. High energy doesn't always mean good mood, and low energy doesn't always mean bad mood. The combinations reveal what truly matters:

• High energy + good mood = activities to protect and prioritise.
• High energy + bad mood = stressful activities that drain you even when you're capable.
• Low energy + good mood = restful activities that recharge you.
• Low energy + bad mood = activities to reduce or restructure.

Next steps

Once you've identified a pattern, use the History page to drill deeper. Filter by category and date range to confirm the pattern holds, then adjust your energy budget accordingly.