Brief Recap of Activity Scheduling and Behavioral Activation
In part one of this series, we discussed the theoretical foundations and benefits of activity scheduling and behavioral activation. Now, let’s translate these concepts into practical actions with an extensive list of activities.
Comprehensive List of Activities
Explore a variety of activities tailored to different needs and interests:
Health and Self-Care Activities:
- Comb or brush hair, take baths, put on makeup, fix hair, wear new clothes, shave, take showers, brush teeth.
- Visit barbers or beauticians, get massages, wash hair, improve health (teeth, vision, exercise programs, eating changes), use cologne, perfume, aftershave, get up early, get massages or backrubs, buy things for oneself, get haircuts.
- Digital detox: Schedule time away from screens and digital devices.
- Use mindfulness apps like headspace or calm for guided meditation and mindfulness.
Social Activities:
- Meet new people, have lunch with friends, be with friends, go to parties, please friends or family members.
- Amuse people, go to school reunions, see old friends, make new friends.
- Attend banquets, luncheons, potlucks, talk with people at work or class, smile at people, be with happy people.
- Have house guests, introduce people, be popular at gatherings, be with roommates, get back in touch with old friends.
- Talk on the telephone, Facetime, or Zoom, have lively talks, talk about politics or public affairs, go to services, civic, or social club meetings.
- Go to bars, clubs, throw parties or get-togethers, visit friends.
- Organize or participate in meetups or virtual meetups or interactive online classes that encourage interaction.
Artistic, Craft, Creative, and DIY Activities:
- Do artwork (painting, sculpture, drawing, movie-making), woodworking, carpentry, craft work (pottery, jewelry, leather, beads, weaving).
- Design, draft, play musical instruments, make art, make food or crafts to sell or give away.
- Engage in knitting, crocheting, embroidery, fancy needlework, collect things, sew, write short stories, novels, plays, poetry.
- Work on machines (cars, bikes, motorcycles, tractors), sell or trade items, write letters, cards, notes, go to auctions, garage sales.
- Engage in digital art and design using software or apps and upcycling projects at home.
Exercise and Fitness Activities:
- Visit health clubs, spas, do yoga, run, jog, engage in gymnastics, fitness, or field exercises, dance.
- Participate in fitness classes (or virtual fitness classes) or use VR fitness games.
- Practice outdoor yoga or tai chi in local parks or green spaces.
Outdoor and Nature Activities:
- Breathe clean air, go camping, have picnics, and sit in peaceful places.
- Be with animals, explore nature, watch the sky, clouds, or storms.
- Smell or see flowers or plants, look at the stars or moon, listen to nature sounds.
- Play in sand, streams, or grass, go on field trips, nature walks, take walks, beachcomb, be at the beach, sit in the sun.
- Kick leaves, sand, pebbles, watch wild animals, go bird watching, watch people, visit mountains.
- Engage in urban gardening or Geocaching.
Games and Puzzles:
- Play chess, checkers, video or computer games, and board games like Monopoly or Scrabble.
- Engage in flying kites or solving puzzles.
- Play augmented reality (AR) games or participate in escape room challenges, either physical or virtual.
Food and Drink Related Activities:
- Make snacks, can, freeze, make preserves, have a drink alone, eat favorite foods, cook meals.
- Cook healthy meals, prepare new or special foods, go to food festivals, wine tastings, bake desserts.
- Go to drive-ins, restaurants, have coffee, tea with friends, eat snacks, go out to eat.
- Explore plant-based cooking classes or learn craft brewing or wine making at home.
Travel and Adventure Activities:
- Take a road trip or a trip to the countryside.
- Plan a vacation or trip, and build itineraries for travel.
- Travel with a group or take a long weekend.
- Engage in eco-tourism or enjoy staycations discovering local attractions.
Cultural Activities:
- Visit museums, art exhibits, attend concerts, music festivals, operas, ballets, plays, musical theater performances, go to the movies, spend time in cities or downtown areas. Uwishunu, hosted by Visit Philadelphia, has excellent listings of current happenings for the Philadelphia area.
- Explore virtual museum tours or world music exploration discovering music from different cultures.
Work, School, and Professional Development Activities:
- Take tests when well-prepared, go to networking events, meet others to learn about jobs or careers, participate in continuing education.
- Attend business meetings, conventions, complete difficult tasks, do jobs well, do projects in own ways, receive honors, do scientific work.
- Start new projects, finish projects, work as a team, talk about jobs or school, go to office parties, write papers, essays, articles, reports, memos.
- Enroll in online learning platforms like Coursera, Udemy, or The Great Courses and participate in remote workshops or networking events.
Relationship Building and Romance Activities:
- Go on dates, kiss, engage in romantic activities, be with a spouse, partner, express love.
- Organize virtual date nights or attend couple’s wellness retreats focused on relaxation and connection.
Family Activities:
- Play with pets, be with grandchildren, children, parents, siblings, attend family reunions, get-togethers, be with loved ones.
Home Maintenance and Improvement Activities:
- Rearrange or redecorate rooms or houses, read “Do It Yourself” articles, engage in DIY projects.
- Restore antiques, finish furniture, complete projects or tasks, repair things, care for houseplants.
- Do gardening, landscaping, yard work, housework, laundry, cleaning, odd jobs around the house, heavy outdoor work (cutting wood, clearing land, farm work).
Contributing and Volunteering Activities:
- Contribute to charitable, community, or religious groups.
- Visit people who are sick, shut-in, or in trouble.
- Give gifts and do favors for people.
- Compliment, praise, or coach someone.
- Offer help or advice and think about others’ problems.
- Engage in volunteer work and community service projects.
- Defend or protect someone, stopping fraud or abuse.
- Teach or counsel someone.
Personal Development Activities:
- Write in diaries or journals, create vision boards, set goals, think about positive future prospects, find solutions to personal problems.
- Reminisce about old times, meditate, join therapy groups, body-awareness, sensitivity, or process groups.
Music Related Activities:
- Sing to yourself or in a group, think up or arrange songs or music, play in musical groups, listen to music.
Entertainment Activities:
- Watch TV, enjoy comedians, solve puzzles, crosswords, listen to the radio, read cartoons, comic strips, books.
- Surf the internet, watch videos, listen to podcasts, organize collections of music, videos, podcasts, apps, read magazines, be in sporty or expensive cars, go to fairs, carnivals, circuses, zoos, amusement parks, read fiction.
Financial Planning Activities:
- Create or edit budgets, research investments, plan financially for the future.
Learning Activities:
- Attend lectures, hear speakers, take classes, workshops, online courses, learn from educational videos, podcasts.
- Read broadly, go to the library, read newspapers, learn something new, read essays, technical, academic, or professional literature.
- Talk about philosophy or religion, listen to educational tapes, relaxation tapes, audio books, speak foreign languages.
Crafting Your Path to Wellness: Personalizing Activity Scheduling for Optimal Mood and Mental Health
Monitoring current activities
Begin by using activity monitoring forms to more accurately assess how you’re spending your time, determine how current activities impact your mood, and assess how close or far off you are from living the kind of life that you’d like for yourself. This process will help you adapt your schedule to maximize positive outcomes.
Goal setting
Set achievable goals based on insights from your activity monitoring. Focus on selecting activities that align with your personal values and provide a sense of accomplishment. Remember, the goal is to create a life that feels fulfilling and meaningful to you.
Selecting activities
When choosing activities, consider the following criteria:
- Values and meaning: Select activities that are meaningful to you. Use a values identification tool (available on our resources page) to ensure these activities resonate with your core values.
- Mood enhancement: Opt for some activities that generally lead to positive emotional experiences, like happiness, enjoyment, amusement, compassion, or awe.
- Mastery and accomplishment: Include some activities that offer a sense of accomplishment or mastery, and accompanying emotions of pride, as highlighted by authorities like Beck et al., 1978, and Martell et al., 2001.
- Diverse needs: Aim for a balanced mix of activities—some purely pleasurable, others offering mastery or accomplishment, some that are social and physical.
- Addressing patterns: Choose activities that provide helpful alternatives to patterns like avoidance, procrastination, rumination, worrying, ritualizing, etc., as suggested in Martell’s behavioral activation.
Scheduling and planning
- Formal scheduling: Formally schedule specific, achievable activities at precise days and times. This step increases the likelihood of completing these activities. Use an activity scheduling form, a day planner, or digital calendars like Apple Calendar or Google Calendar.
- Realistic and achievable: Ensure the activities are realistic and achievable to encourage engagement. Set reminders and alarms as prompts.
- Preparation: Have all materials and plans ready in advance to facilitate smooth execution of the activities.
Regular monitoring and adjustment
- Monitor effects: Regularly assess how each activity impacts your mood and adjust your schedule to optimize benefits.
- Flexibility and adaptation: Be flexible and ready to modify your activities based on feedback and changing needs or challenges.
Reward and Reinforcement
- Celebrate achievements: Acknowledge and celebrate your accomplishments. Give yourself credit for the efforts and progress you’ve made.
- Address emotions: If activities bring up challenging emotions like insecurities or anxieties, take a moment to practice self-compassion [link] and employ necessary strategies.
- Reward meaningful actions: For activities that are meaningful but not inherently reinforcing (e.g., having a tough conversation), consider rewarding yourself.
Overcoming obstacles
- Address barriers: Tackle common obstacles like low motivation or energy by starting with manageable tasks and gradually introducing more complex activities.
- Support network: Maintain regular check-ins with a CBT therapist [link] or a support person to help motivate and guide you through emotional or practical challenges.
- Patience and persistence: Remember that changing behaviors often precedes changes in feelings, especially in treating depression. Be patient with the process and work with a skilled cognitive-behavioral psychologist or therapist for effective results.
Conclusion of Part Two
Implementing these activities into your daily routine can revolutionize your emotional and psychological well-being. Experiment with these strategies, adjusting as needed, to discover what best enhances your life.
Share your progress or challenges with us, and if you need more personalized support, our team of expert psychologists is here to assist in your journey.
Explore Further and Connect with Us
If you missed the first part of our series on enhancing mental well-being through activity scheduling and behavioral activation, you can read Part One, Unlocking Mental Wellness: The Power of Activity Scheduling and Behavioral Activation to gain a comprehensive understanding of the foundational concepts.
Discover more about our approach to treating anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and mood disorders through behavioral activation, CBT, and other related methods on our treatment approach page.
For worksheets and tools to assist with values exploration and activities identification, visit our resource page under the “Values, Goals, and Activities” section.
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If you need support with behavioral activation for mood and depression or other cognitive behavioral and exposure therapies for anxiety, OCD, PTSD, or similar issues, don’t hesitate to contact us today. We’re ready to support your journey toward improved mental health.
