Currently submitted to: JMIR Preprints
Date Submitted: Jul 20, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Jul 20, 2026 - Jul 5, 2027
(currently open for review)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
A Self‑Guided Digital Micro‑Intervention to Support Daily Stress Management: A Personal Implementation Protocol
ABSTRACT
Background:
Daily stress affects mood, sleep, and cognitive functioning. Many digital mental health tools exist, but individuals often struggle to adopt consistent, evidence‑informed routines. Micro‑interventions—brief, structured wellbeing exercises—may offer a practical way for individuals to support their own emotional regulation. This manuscript outlines a self‑guided protocol that one person can implement independently using simple digital tools.
Objective:
To describe a feasible, safe, self‑administered digital micro‑intervention designed to support daily stress management and emotional regulation.
Methods:
The protocol consists of a 14‑day routine combining short cognitive reframing prompts, breathing exercises, reflective journaling, and daily Ecological Momentary Assessment check‑ins. All components can be completed using a smartphone, notes app, or timer. Outcomes include perceived stress, emotional clarity, and subjective sleep quality, tracked through self‑report.
Results:
This study presents a structured plan rather than empirical findings. Expected benefits include increased awareness of stress patterns, improved emotional regulation, and greater consistency in daily wellbeing practices.
Conclusions:
A self‑guided micro‑intervention may help individuals build sustainable stress‑management habits. This protocol is not a substitute for professional mental health care, but it may complement therapy or serve as a personal wellbeing routine.
Citation
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Copyright
© The authors. All rights reserved. This is a privileged document currently under peer-review/community review (or an accepted/rejected manuscript). Authors have provided JMIR Publications with an exclusive license to publish this preprint on it's website for review and ahead-of-print citation purposes only. While the final peer-reviewed paper may be licensed under a cc-by license on publication, at this stage authors and publisher expressively prohibit redistribution of this draft paper other than for review purposes.