Is a better planned day a healthier day? A daily diary study

Abstract

Objective

Previous research has shown that intentions, implementation intentions, active planning and coping planning predict engagement in important health behaviours. This study investigated the role of general daily planning as opposed to specific behaviour planning as a predictor of engagement in lifestyle behaviours. The study also examined conscientiousness and mean levels of planning as moderators of that relationship.

Design

This study utilised a daily diary approach wherein 76 adults were recruited to complete daily diary surveys for 14 days. Multilevel models assessed the within- and between-person relationships between planning and five lifestyle behaviours.

Main Outcome Measures

Physical exercise, fruit and vegetable intake, time spent in social interaction, time spent in nature and heavy alcohol intake.

Results

Within-person general daily planning predicted engagement in exercise. Interactions were found between within-person general daily planning and between-person general daily planning as predictors of exercise, social interaction and time spent in nature.

Conclusion

These findings introduce general daily planning as a potentially influential variable for explaining engagement in some lifestyle behaviours. Further, the interactions shed further light on when planning may be more and less helpful depending on individual differences.

Keywords:

• Lifestyle
• daily planning
• exercise
• conscientiousness

Acknowledgements

This project stemmed from Austen Anderson’s doctoral dissertation project. Dr. Anderson received funding from the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Miami to support this project. Writing of this manuscript was supported by the Office of Academic Affiliations, Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research and Treatment, Department of Veterans Affairs

Disclosure statement

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the U.S. Government.

Notes

1 This unexpected positive association with heavy alcohol use had large confidence intervals was further probed by rerunning the analysis with a higher threshold of heavy drinking (>2 drinks for women and >3 drinks for men). In that model conscientiousness was no longer significant (b = .93, 95% CI [-.74, 2.59]).