By Nelson Binggeli, PhD
Overview of the steps
Step 1: The Weekly Activity Record / Planning Schedule
Step 2: Recording activities
Step 3: Develop a list of potentially rewarding activities
Step 4: Plan potentially rewarding activities
Step 5: Engage in the scheduled activities
Step 6: Observe the results
Step 1: The Weekly Activity Record / Planning Schedule
First, download this form: Weekly Activity Record / Weekly Planning Schedule. Print two copies: one for recording activities you engage in, and one for planning your activities.
You will also be making ratings regarding the amount of pleasure and sense of accomplishment that you experience (on the recording form) or that you predict you will experience (on the planning form) as a result of these activities. For pleasure, use a scale of 1-10, where 1 = no pleasure, and 10 = the most pleasure you can imagine, and 5 = a moderate amount of pleasure. For sense of accomplishment, use a similar 1-10 scale. Your ratings will have two numbers (e.g., 6/5), where the first one is pleasure and the second one is accomplishment.
Step 2: Recording activities (and rating pleasure and accomplishment)
Use the Weekly Activity Record form to record the activities you engage in, and your ratings of how much pleasure and accomplishment you experienced as a result of that activity.
Step 3: Develop a list of potentially rewarding activities
Create a list of activities that you can engage in that might lead to a sense of pleasure and/or accomplishment. This list of activities might give you some ideas. Activities to consider including are:
Activities you currently enjoy;
Activities you have enjoyed in the past (when not depressed);
Activities that you have thought about trying but never have; and
Activities that need to be done or that might give you a sense of accomplishment.
Step 4: Plan potentially rewarding activities (and predict pleasure and accomplishment)
Use the Weekly Planning Schedule form to schedule some activities from the list you have developed. Also, rate the amount of pleasure and accomplishment you predict you will experience.
Try not to plan to do too much or do too little. Instead, plan realistically for what is achievable given your current level of functioning. Break larger tasks into several smaller tasks. For example, instead of cleaning the whole kitchen, just wash the dishes or even just some of the dishes. Another alternative is to plan to do a task for a set amount of time. For example, if 15 minutes seems too daunting, perhaps 10 minutes would be more achievable.
Step 5: Engage in the scheduled activities (and rate pleasure and accomplishment)
Engage in your planned activities according to the schedule, and record the actual ratings for pleasure and mastery. If you have any negative thoughts that keep you from enjoying your planned activity, record them for us to further discuss. If you don’t follow through with a planned activity, record what thoughts led you to decide not to do it.
Step 6: Observe the results
After a week, note any differences between the pleasure and accomplishment ratings between low-energy activities (such as watching TV, surfing the internet, or ruminating) and more active pursuits. Also, note any differences between your predicted ratings and actual ratings.