Changing Daily Actions
A few months ago, I noticed myself slipping into some unhelpful routines. I spent too much time on my phone or watching tv, I wasn't eating or exercising like I'd planned and I hadn't done any of my hobbies for weeks. If you've ever shared a similar experience, you're likely familiar with that uninspired, lethargic feeling that can sometimes come with these sort of habits.
Fortunately, my knowledge on therapeutic techniques gave me some direction on how to break out of this routine. I knew that the way to build energy was to gradually begin taking action (from CBT's behavioural activation principles) and I knew that those actions would be ideally guided by my values (from ACT principles). Today, I'd like to share the process I used to implement these principles so perhaps you can make use of them if you ever fall into a similar routine.
Before I continue, I want to clarify that the below steps are not a replacement for therapeutic help. If you suspect you are experiencing depressive symptoms or any other mood disturbance or physical issue, please speak with a health professional. That said, I believe these steps can be helpful for everyone to reflect and make positive changes to their daily habits.
1) Notice how you're really doing. Pay attention to how your body feels, how you're thinking, what you're seeking in your current routines. Notice if your needs are being met and if so, how? Identify your energy levels and whether you need mental or physical rest. Keep these insights in mind as you continue with the exercise.
It's my hope that these steps can help you develop awareness and intentionality, leading to more daily actions that align with your values. If you find it challenging to put these steps into action, consider speaking with a therapist for further support.
Fortunately, my knowledge on therapeutic techniques gave me some direction on how to break out of this routine. I knew that the way to build energy was to gradually begin taking action (from CBT's behavioural activation principles) and I knew that those actions would be ideally guided by my values (from ACT principles). Today, I'd like to share the process I used to implement these principles so perhaps you can make use of them if you ever fall into a similar routine.
Before I continue, I want to clarify that the below steps are not a replacement for therapeutic help. If you suspect you are experiencing depressive symptoms or any other mood disturbance or physical issue, please speak with a health professional. That said, I believe these steps can be helpful for everyone to reflect and make positive changes to their daily habits.
1) Notice how you're really doing. Pay attention to how your body feels, how you're thinking, what you're seeking in your current routines. Notice if your needs are being met and if so, how? Identify your energy levels and whether you need mental or physical rest. Keep these insights in mind as you continue with the exercise.
2) Identify what activities you'd like to increase and decrease in your life. Now reflect on why. How do each of these impact your energy and mood? Do they bring you closer or further away from the life you're striving to have? Do they help you be the person you want to be?
3) Create barriers for actions you'd like to decrease. Of course these barriers vary depending on what activities you'd like to reduce, but anything that makes an action a bit more inconvenient or forces you to slow down will help. Some ideas here could include setting up blocks on your phone (Stay Focused app is a great option) or putting your phone in another room, putting the remote near the tv rather than on your coffee table, or tucking unhealthy snacks to the back of a high cupboard so you have to work to get them.
4) Make it easier to do the actions you want to increase. Making actions easy for ourselves can increase the odds we'll naturally act on them. Some ideas might be to pick out your exercise clothes the night before so they're right there when you wake up, prepare healthy snacks in advance so they're easy to grab, or put the book you've been meaning to read somewhere visible. We tend to choose the path of least resistance, so make that path the one you want. Set yourself up for success.
4) Make it easier to do the actions you want to increase. Making actions easy for ourselves can increase the odds we'll naturally act on them. Some ideas might be to pick out your exercise clothes the night before so they're right there when you wake up, prepare healthy snacks in advance so they're easy to grab, or put the book you've been meaning to read somewhere visible. We tend to choose the path of least resistance, so make that path the one you want. Set yourself up for success.
5) Make it happen. Some people find it helpful to set up some SMART goals or schedule in activities they want to engage in. If these strategies aren't working or it feels a bit too rigid for you, I have another option to consider: make a shopping list.
To make a shopping list, list out all of the actions you'd like to have more of in your life and keep that list somewhere extremely visible (like sitting on your coffee table, on the lock screen of your phone, or on the front of your fridge for example). Every time you're looking for something to do, shop over the list until you pick an activity. Make your pick based on how you're feeling that day, what needs you need to address, what's most practical, what you haven't done in a while, or simply what you find most interesting in that moment. Since the list only contains actions that are aligned with your values, you can't really go wrong!
As an example and to get you thinking about what you might want on your list, I'll share some of the ideas I have on mine:
read, go for a walk, yoga, go for a run, visit someone, call someone, watch a documentary, watch a movie, meditate, paint, play guitar, take a nap, sit outside, do a crossword, cook, eat a snack of fruit or veggies, clean something, go to the library, listen to music, listen to a podcast, write a blog post, engage in professional development, journal, pause and allow boredom.
Notice that these activities aren't all productive in the classical sense of the word. They're varied enough that I can tune into my mind and body and make a decision that suits me at that time, based on my energy and mood that day. At the same time, they're all actions that I know would likely serve me long-term (so long as they stay in moderation) and are aligned with the life I want to build for myself.
It's my hope that these steps can help you develop awareness and intentionality, leading to more daily actions that align with your values. If you find it challenging to put these steps into action, consider speaking with a therapist for further support.