When experiencing depression, one may feel less energy to do anything, and the resulting tendency to socially isolate may, consequently, contribute to further feelings of sadness related to depression. Behavioral Activation (BA) is a skill used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help manage depression. The rationale behind BA is that purposely planning pleasurable activities will help diminish feelings of depression in the long term.

To practice BA, the following guidelines may be helpful:

• Choose 3 to 5 activities you enjoy from exercising, socializing, hobbies to personal care.

• Schedule at least one activity per day you enjoy as part of your daily calendar to-do.

• Do the same for the responsibilities you have such as household chores, finances, work-related tasks, etc. If needed, you can set alarms and reminders at a set hour to start.

Daily consistency is the key to practicing behavioral activation; as in developing and mastering any skill. Once you are practicing an activity you enjoy along with being comfortable managing your daily responsibilities regardless of the motivation you feel, you can take it one step further by establishing a goal- a skill you want to master, a desire you have such as losing weight or as vast as traveling. Choose one goal then schedule a small task related to reaching that goal on a daily basis.

Using the SMART goals technique is helpful when setting goals.

• S is for being specific as possible as to what the goal is and when you want to achieve the goal such as “I will lose 3 pounds a month for the next 6 months for a total of 18-pound weight loss”.

• M is measurable so that you can measure your achievement such as in the above example 3 pounds a month for a total of 18 pounds.

• A is attainable as in the goal must be based on your circumstances and resources if the goal is attainable in that given time frame.

• R is being realistic about the goal. For example, in the above example of weight loss, losing 10 or more pounds per month may not be realistic or even healthy if one has not eaten healthy or exercised for a certain amount of time. You have to be realistic about the time it takes to build healthy habits again.

• Finally the T is for the goal to be trackable. You must be able to easily track the progress of your goal, i,e., as in the loss of 3 pounds when weighed on the last day of the month.

What behavioral activation also does is essentially “distract” you from the depressing mood/feelings you may feel. When you have a list of pleasurable activities with a list of your daily responsibilities, and then your goals, will give you a sense of Mastery over your environment and eventually your life. This sense of Mastery will build confidence and reduce feelings of depression for the long term.

Need additional support in determining the best activities to support your emotional wellbeing? Need some assistance in developing SMART goals? Click here.