Activity Scheduling is a powerful technique used in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help individuals enhance their mood and overall well-being. By planning and engaging in a variety of activities throughout the day, you can create a balanced routine that supports mental health and help overcome the “stuck-ness” and lethargy that comes with depression. Let’s dive into what Activity Scheduling is, its purpose, and how you can incorporate five key types of activities—achievement, pleasure, social, physical, and self-care—into your daily life.

What is Activity Scheduling?

Activity Scheduling involves planning and organizing your day to include specific activities that promote a sense of accomplishment and positive emotions. Engaging in a range of activities, overtime, helps in uplifting the mood and challenge the inaccurate thoughts like “I did nothing today”, consequently reducing the feelings of depression and anxiety. It follows a basic principle of “Movement creates Motivation”.

Purpose of Activity Scheduling

The main goals of Activity Scheduling are:

  1. Improving Mood: Engaging in enjoyable and fulfilling activities can help boost your mood and combat feelings of sadness or anxiety.
  2. Increasing Motivation: By planning your activities, you create a sense of purpose and structure, which can increase motivation and reduce procrastination.
  3. Act as a Circuit Breaker: Activity Scheduling helps break the cycle of inactivity and negative thoughts by encouraging you to take small yet proactive steps toward change and improvement.
  4. Building Routine: Establishing a routine or even a blueprint of your day can provide stability and predictability, which are especially beneficial during challenging times.

Incorporating Five Types of Activities into Your Day

To create a balanced and well-rounded routine, aim to include these five types of activities in your daily schedule:

Achievement Activities:

  • These are tasks that give you a sense of accomplishment and progress. They can be related to work, school, personal projects or chores.
  • Any task which has been on your list and once done you can strike it off.
  • It doesn’t necessarily have to be enjoyable, but once done you feel less burdened.
  • Examples: Staring on/completing an assignment, cleaning a part of your home, cooking a healthy meal, shopping, making a phone call/replying to an email.

Pleasure Activities:

  • These are activities that put a smile on your face, even momentarily.
  • They may bring joy and relaxation, helping you unwind and enjoy the moment.
  • Examples: Engaging in a hobby, Reading a book, watching a favourite TV show, cooking a delicious meal, playing a musical instrument, eating/drinking something nice, sitting in the sun, watching a funny video, time with pet.

Social Activities:

  • Engaging with others can provide emotional support and improve your sense of connection and belonging.
  • Any activity which gives you the opportunity in interact with another human being.
  • The social interaction can be with a person you are close to or on some days it can just be a brief polite chat with your local barista or the retail assistants at your local store.
  • Examples: Calling/texting a friend, attending a social event, participating in a group activity, spending time with family, brief interactions at a shop/café.

Physical Activities:

  • Movement of the body is crucial for both physical and mental health. It can reduce stress, improve mood, and increase energy levels.
  • In this context, it’s any activity that includes moderate to intense movement which increases your heart rate slightly.
  • Examples: Going for a walk, practicing yoga, playing a sport, gym, exercise classes, gardening, vacuuming, walking up the stairs or dancing.

Self-Care Activities:

  • These activities focus on taking care of your physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
  • These are any activities that “recharge your battery”. Engaging in tasks throughout the day drains our “battery” (just like our mobile phones), self-care activities help us recharge ourselves and feel refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to handle life.
  • Identify a range of activities that can be brief and can be done discreetly during the day as “top-ups” (eg: a warm cup of tea, walk in the sun, listening to music) and activities that are more elaborate and time-consuming (eg: baths, sports, naps, hobbies etc).
  • Examples: Meditating, taking a relaxing bath, journaling, walking, hobbies, doing something for yourself.

Helpful pointers to incorporate these activities into your day:

  • Try doing about 15 minutes of each activity in your day.
  • There might be some activities that will be across categories and that’s fine.
  • Some days, certain activities might give you pleasure but other days they may make you feel accomplished- absolutely fine! The purpose of the activities will change based on your day and life circumstances
  • Appreciate and encourage yourself- At the end of the day, spend a minute to think about what you did for each of the 5 categories. Recognise and appreciate the effort you put in!
  • Remember, the activities in your daily schedule don’t have to be “wow!” or be a big, planned event. Sometimes it’s the regular daily events that give us a big boost.

By thoughtfully planning your day with a mix of these activities, you can create a balanced routine that supports your mental and emotional well-being. Remember, the key is consistency and variety—ensuring that you regularly engage in activities from each category to maintain a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle.